IHA plan for lab reorganization to be revealed; members urged to attend information meetings
At the end of August, the Interior Health Authority revealed it planned to implement a major reorganization of laboratory services in the region.
The plans will be shared with IHA staff over the next two weeks at meetings where laboratory managers will introduce staff to the employers planned changes. HSA stewards will be attending these meetings to observe and, where possible, the unions labour relations officers will also be in attendance.
-We met with the IHA at the beginning of September, days after we found out about this lab reorg," HSA Executive Director of Legal Services and Labour Relations Jeanne Meyers said.
In order to be able to best represent the interests of members, the union is striking a committee of IHA lab techs to assist in developing a response to the employers reorganization plan.
-Protecting services and members as they undergo this lab reorg is a top priority for HSA," Meyers said.
-We will be doing our utmost to ensure that any new employer plan results in as little disruption as possible to our members, and is geographically sensitive to where members live and work."
-Senior staff will be working closely with a committee of HSA lab techs in Interior Health. The union is working to ensure that quality services are maintained for patients throughout the region. Throughout, HSA will be protecting the rights of lab techs to have safe, manageable workloads. Any newly-configured positions must have a manageable workload, for example," she said.
Meyers encouraged members to ask candid questions of the lab managers about how the new structure will operate to ensure quality lab services continue to be delivered.
-If you have any concerns about the employers plan, we encourage you to let us know by email or phone," she added.
HSAs lead representative for IHA lab reorganization is Dave Martin, Membership Services Coordinator. Members are encouraged to email questions and concerns to @email or call toll free at 1.800/663.2017.
The schedule for the IHA meetings is as follows:
| Date | Meeting Time | In Person Site | Other sites attending via teleconference & live meeting |
| October 3 | 1000-1200 | Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital-Trail | Grand Forks, Castlegar, Nakusp, New Denver |
| October 3 | 1400-1600 | Kootenay Lake Hospital-Nelson | None |
| October 4 | 1300-1500 | East Kootenay Regional Hospital-Cranbrook | Golden, Fernie, Creston, Invermere |
| October 6 | 0900-1100 | Penticton Regional Hospital-Penticton | Oliver, Princeton |
| October 7 | 0915-1115 | Kelowna General Hospital (Boardroom)-Kelowna | None |
| October 7 | 1330-1530 | Vernon Jubilee Hospital (Education Room)-Vernon |
None |
| October 12 | 1000-1200 | Cariboo Memorial Hospital-Williams Lake | 100 Mile House, Clearwater, Barriere |
| October 13 | 0900-1100 | Royal Inland Hospital-Kamloops | Lytton, Logan Lake, Lillooet, Ashcroft, Merritt, Chase |
| October 13 | 1300-1500 | Shuswap Lake General Hospital-Salmon Arm | Revelstoke |
For information on how to join by teleconference, please contact your lab manager.
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