Community social services workers are passionate about the people we support and the community-based services we provide. Thats why your bargaining association is asking all community social services members to wear the colour red to work on Monday (February 27), as the unions representing BCs 15,000 community social services workers return to the table to begin the next round of contract negotiations.

Thursday, March 8, 2012
HSA Office, Vancouver

HSA invites women members to participate in a workshop that combines celebrating International Womens Day and in-house HSA training.
           
Part of the goal this day is to:

HSPBA, the union bargaining association that represents physiotherapists and occupational therapists delivering crucial patient services at Vancouver Coastal Health Authority hospitals and agencies, is speaking out against a proposed restructuring that threatens to affect the quality of services delivered to patients.

Ten years ago, a survey of BC ultrasound technologists found 91% of them had suffered work-related injuries at some point in their careers. Medical literature still says 80% of sonographers seek medical treatment for musculoskeletal injuries, 17% miss work due to the symptoms of their injuries, and 15% reduce their duties to recover.

The Health Sciences Association of BC teamed up with WorkSafeBC to investigate how to prevent these injuries and develop a range of solutions.

A ground-breaking partnership to seek solutions

Unions in the Community Bargaining Association (CBA) are disappointed by the pace of talks so far with the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) after a second week of negotiations in Vancouver.
 
The CBA has tabled housekeeping proposals, language on bullying and harassment, live-in and overnight shifts as well as proposals to renew many of the existing Memorandum of Agreements without changes.  However, HEABC has yet to table any proposals or to respond to the majority of what the CBA has presented.

HSA members in Region 10 have once again elected Heather Sapergia as their representative to the HSA Board of Directors. Heather was acclaimed after the February 9th deadline passed with no further nominations. 

Heather works as a Medical Laboratory Technologist at the University Hospital of Northern BC where she continues to serve as an Assistant Chief Steward. 

HSA members in Region 8 have once again elected Allen Peters as their representative to the HSA Board of Directors. Allen was acclaimed after the February 9th deadline passed with no further nominations.

Allen is a medical imaging technologist at Nicola Valley General Hospital in Merritt, where he continues to serve as an Occupational Health & Safety Steward.

HSA members in Region 6 have elected Anita Bardal to a second term as their representative on the unions Board of Directors.  Anita was acclaimed after the February 9th deadline passed with no further nominations. 

Anita works as a medical radiation technologist at St. Pauls Hospital in Vancouver, where she continues to serve as a Steward.

Anita currently chairs HSAs Run for the Cure Committee and serves on the Education Committee and Womens Committee.  She is also a Constituency Liaison.

HSA members in Region 4 have elected Brendan Shields to a second term as their representative to the HSA Board of Directors. Brendan was acclaimed after the February 9th deadline passed with no further nominations. 

Brendan is a Music Therapist who has worked in a variety of health care settings in Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health.  He currently works, and serves as a Steward, at Richmond Hospital.

During the next several weeks, HSA members in Region 2 will have an opportunity to elect their representative on HSAs Board of Directors.

Nominations for the position closed on February 9th with two members declaring their candidacy:

• Val Avery, a Physiotherapist  at Royal Jubilee  Hospital in Victoria; and