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HSAs board of directors has voted to support the relief efforts in the face of the severe drought in South Somalia, which has caused the deaths of tens of thousands, mostly children, and continues to affect over 10 million people.

The United Nations is currently mounting its largest relief effort ever to Eastern Africa in order to prevent the deaths of millions more.

The one-time,$6 million in new funding announced today for Community Living BC (CLBC) is inadequate to stem the crisis in support and funding faced by the families of adults with developmental disabilities, says the BC Community Living Action Group (BCCLAG).

The six million dollars will provide support for a total 123 adults with developmental disabilities for one year, based on CLBCs average costs of $48,800 for providing supports and services per adult per year.

HSA is a member of the Community Living Action Group.

A new HSA TV ad will reach people living in every community in the province over the next month. The new ad, launched this week, will be run alongside the memorable HSA TV ad debuted last fall.

-Were building on the success of last years TV campaign," said HSA President Reid Johnson. -For the first time in our history, HSA is telling our story by making a long-term commitment to reaching the huge audiences watching prime-time television on all the major channels."

With the Health Services and Support Community contract set to expire March 31, 2012, planning is underway to prepare bargaining priorities to present at the bargaining table.

HSA stewards will be setting chapter meetings to be held by October 6, 2011 to discuss and develop bargaining proposals. All HSA members covered by the Health Services and Support Community collective agreement are urged to attend these chapter meetings. Your negotiating team needs your input.

HSA has launched a province-wide ad campaign celebrating our members dedication to finding a cure both in their professions and at Run for the Cure events on October 2.

-Our membership has always been incredibly dedicated to fighting breast cancer," says HSA President Reid Johnson. -They split their efforts between their professional work and volunteer events like Run for the Cure, and our new ads have a memorable way of showing it."

The campaign reaches the public on several levels:

HSAs board of directors has voted to recommend members vote ‘yes in favour of the tentative collective agreement reached last month between the Community Social Services Union Bargaining Association of the Community Social Services Employers Association (CSSEA).

The tentative agreement was supported unanimously by the multi-union bargaining committee, and was reached without third-party involvement for the first time in the sector's bargaining history.

The BC Community Living Action Group (BC‐CLAG) strongly urges Premier Christy Clark to act immediately to approve $70 million in new provincial funding to stem the provinces growing community living crisis.

A BC‐CLAG analysis of Community Living BC (CLBC) projections shows that at least $70 million is needed immediately to address the existing support backlog. Each year, hundreds of youths with developmental
disabilities reach the age of 19 and turn to CLBC as they age out of supports funded by the Ministry for Children and Families.

The Health Sciences Association has learned that Interior Health Authority is planning a major reorganization of laboratory services in the region, and is condemning the Authoritys failure to consult the union when members jobs and service to patients are to be affected.

August 25, HSA learned that Interior Health Authority plans to reorganize laboratory services and that supervisory duties will potentially be stripped from long-service employees.