The Health Sciences Association (HSA) and Professional Employees Association (PEA), the two unions that represent psychologists and psychometrists in BC's public health care system, welcome yesterday's Labour Relations Board (LRB) decision to deny a BC Nurses' Union (BCNU) application to further destabilize labour relations in BC's hospitals.
The current Health Services and Support Community Subsector collective agreement gives approximately 80 per cent of the FTEs (full time equivalents) in the Community Subsector comparability increases of 1 per cent in April 2016, 0.5 per cent in April 2017 and 0.5 per cent in April 2018. These increases will narrow the gap between Community jobs and higher paid Facilities jobs doing the same or similar work, and which have comparable benchmarks.
A tentative agreement was reached today between the Health Employers' Bargaining Association and the Nurses' Bargaining Association.
HSA represents 1,000 Registered Psychiatric Nurses covered by the agreement. The current collective agreement expired March 31, 2014. The new agreement covers April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2019.
Members are advised that HSA anticipates active negotiations with West Coast Medical Imaging will get underway in April. HSA has proposed a number of dates for bargaining, and is working with the employer to finalize those dates.
Uncertainty for HSA members working in PHSA labs has come to an end after protracted and thorough negotiations on a workplace restructuring plan that protects staff and ensures continued quality of patient care.
More than one year after PHSA served Section 54 notice related to an overhaul in the structure of Lower Mainland pathology and laboratory services, PHSA and HSPBA have finalized the bulk of the work required for the labour adjustment plan, with implementation by April 4, 2016.
Talks between the Nurses Bargaining Association (NBA) and the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) for a new collective agreement are in high gear. A second week of intensive discussions between the parties is focused on resolving issues like job security and contracting out, fixing the Pharmacare tie-in, and integrating LPNs fully into the agreement.
Mandi Ayers will return to represent HSA members in Region 10 on the HSA Board of Directors. She was acclaimed after the deadline passed with no further nominations.
Ayers has served on the Womens Rights, Education, Resolutions, and Constitutional & Organization Policy committees.
During the next several weeks, HSA members in Region 8 will have an opportunity to elect their representative on HSA's Board of Directors.
Nominations for the position closed with two members declaring their candidacy:
• Cherylee Hale, a cardiology technologist at Kelowna General Hospital
• Kevin Towhey, a medical radiation technologist at Royal Inland Hospital
During the next several weeks, HSA members in Region 6 will have an opportunity to elect their representative on HSA's Board of Directors.
Nominations for the position closed with two members declaring their candidacy:
• Shirley Clarkson, a registered psychiatric nurse at St. Paul's Hospital
• Nancy Hay, a social worker at St. Paul's Hospital
During the next several weeks, HSA members in Region 4 will have an opportunity to elect their representative on HSA's Board of Directors.
Nominations for the position closed with two members declaring their candidacy:
• Sarah Chapple, a social worker at Vancouver General Hospital
• Joseph Sebastian, a medical radiation technologist at Vancouver General Hospital
