Edmonton - A national conference for community-based social service workers, sponsored by the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), wraps up today  in Edmonton.

The three-day gathering is focusing on key challenges faced by the sector in all parts of the country.

-Workers in this sector live in a trying environment of frequent government restructuring, under funding, low wages and job insecurity, rising incidents of violence, and the growing presence of for-profit providers," says NUPGE national president James Clancy.

HSA members in Region 7 have elected Marg Beddis, a dietitian at Surrey Memorial Hospital, as their representative on the HSA board of directors.

Beddis defeated the incumbent director, Audrey MacMillan, a registered psychiatric nurse at Chilliwack General Hospital.

Beddis is chief steward and a Member-at-Large. Since becoming an HSA member in 1991, she has been active in the union and has served on the Occupational Health and Safety, Political Action, Equality and Social Action and Resolutions committees.

Date: Saturday, March 31, 8am

Place: In front of the "Conversation on Health" forum

Lonsdale Quay Hotel
1123 Carrie Cates Court
North Vancouver

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March 30-31 marks the elimination of federal-provincial childcare funding agreements by the Harper Conservatives. It also marks the closure of several childcare resource and referral centres in B.C. and the elimination of critical services to working families as a result of funding cuts by the Campbell Liberals.

A childcare rally is planned for Vancouver Saturday, March 31: Gather at 11 a.m. at Seaforth Peace Flame Park (south end of Burrard Street Bridge by Cornwall Avenue).

The Vancouver and District Labour Council education committee presents "Organizing: Despite the Law," a six-week discussion series for union and social activists beginning Thursday, April 12.

Download the series information here.

Date: Saturday, March 24
Time: 8 a.m.
Place: Executive Hotel and Convention Centre, 4201 Lougheed Highway, Burnaby

Help protect not-for-profit medicare.

Information: www.bchealthcoalition.ca

Download poster here

Find out what's in the works for St. Paul's Hospital at a public meeting hosted by the Save St. Paul's Coalition, Council of Canadians, and B.C. Health Coalition.

The meeting will feature Stuart Murray, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives researcher, Aaron Jasper of the Save St. Paul's Coalition, and Maryann Abbs of the B.C. Health Coalition.

Sunday, April 1, 2 - 4 p.m.
Auditorium
870 Denman Street, Vancouver

OTTAWA ... -There is a small gift for everyone, its all over the place but there is no sense of priority and no sense of vision for the country in this budget," says Ken Georgetti, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, outlining two reasons why the budget fails the middle class that is the backbone of this country.

-First, it unfairly channels more money to wealthy individuals and profitable corporations. Second, this budget greatly erodes the federal governments capacity to improve the quality of life of working people, families and communities," explains Georgetti.

Vancouver—Working families heard lots of talk that they were the centrepiece of todays federal budget but the details show its only talk, with little action says B.C. Federation of Labour Secretary-Treasurer, Angela Schira.

"No matter how much spin the Conservatives try theyre simply out of touch with the needs of working families," Schira said.

"Its disappointing that both our federal and provincial governments simply dont understand that you cant solve the labour shortage if you dont solve the childcare shortage," added Schira.

Eligible HSA members intending to register as delegates to HSAs 36th Annual Convention, which includes the election of a new president, April 19 to 21, 2007 are advised that the final deadline for registration as a delegate is 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 17, 2007.

Registrations must be received in the HSA office by 2 p.m., Tuesday, April 17, 2007.

Absolutely no exceptions will be made to this deadline.

Eligibility for delegate status as outlined in the HSA constitution is as follows: