HSA has embarked upon a process to update and renew our strategic plan. This process will span several months, culminating with presentation of the new, Board of Directors-approved plan to the Membership at our Annual Convention in May 2015.
HSA members will soon be preparing for the 2015 HSA Convention, to be held May 1 and 2, 2015 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Vancouver.
Convention is the union's annual meeting where chapter representatives from around the province determine the union's future direction. Policies, actions, constitutional amendments, and structural changes are all discussed and debated at convention.
Delegates to the 56th convention of the BC Federation of Labour have elected Irene Lanzinger as President. She is the first woman to ever hold the position.
Lanzinger was the Federation's secretary-treasurer for the past four years and is a past president of the BC Teachers' Federation. She is a high school math and science teacher in Vancouver.
Aaron Ekman was elected to the position of Secretary-Treasurer.
Ekman is the founding president of the North Central Labour Council and is a staff person with the BCGEU.
By Val Avery, President
HSA's first office was a little place on Kingsway.
As the number of members grew steadily, so did the need to find new space. We soon moved to an office on Hastings at Boundary, staying there until 1994, when we moved to Metrotown. Only a few years later, in 1998, we moved to the offices many of you know on Joyce Street.
Now, it's time to move again.
Please make a note of our contact information effective Jan. 5, 2015:
Health Sciences Association of BC
180 East Columbia Street
New Westminster, BC
V3L 0G7
New Phone: 604 517 0994 / toll free 800 663 2017
New Fax: 604 515 8889 / toll free 800 663 6119
The Health Sciences Association of BC has joined the growing list of leading BC unions to endorse Irene Lanzinger for President of the BC Federation of Labour.
"As secretary-treasurer of the BC Federation of Labour, Irene has demonstrated that she is a strong advocate for the services our members deliver in health care and social services," said HSA President Val Avery.
In the next few days, you'll receive an invitation to participate in a process that is crucial to the future success of your union. Are you ready to take part?
As announced earlier this month, HSA has launched an inclusive and comprehensive planning process to create a five-year strategic plan. The plan will be presented to membership at HSA's Annual Convention in May 2015.
I am deeply honoured to have been elected your president at HSA's 43rd convention in April.
I've been a member of this union for 31 years, and I've served at every level – as an activist, steward, a committee member, a director on the board, as vice-president and most recently as president, appointed under the constitution when Reid Johnson decided to move on last fall.
Over 300 delegates from around the province gathered in April to vote overwhelmingly in favour of continuing the fight to defend public health care, the work of the Committee on Equality and Social Action, and to work to protect and improve services for patients and clients who count on the health care and community social services HSA members deliver.
