Wages and benefits top list of priorities for HSA members who work in community social services

HSA members gathered in Richmond last week to discuss HSA members’ priorities for bargaining in the Community Social Services sector.

Delegates to the bargaining proposal conference reviewed the bargaining proposals submitted by members through chapter meetings around the province. Improved wages and benefits are the priorities for HSA’s almost 800 members who work under the Community Social Services Bargaining Association collective agreement.

The top three priorities are improved wages and sick pay, and elimination of the limit on coverage for health science professional services.

Sharon Geoghegan, HSA Senior Labour Relations Officer, is HSA’s lead representative at the bargaining committee.

At the meeting, members elected Trish Holm (Crisis Intervention Support Worker, Comox Valley Transition Society) as the member representative to the committee. Laurel Watson (Transition House Counsellor, Campbell River Transition Society) was elected as the alternate. Loreen Tomson (Behaviour Interventionist, Central Okanagan Child Development Association) and Don Lamb (Lead Driver, SHARE Family and Community Services) were elected to the expanded HSA bargaining committee, which serves as a reference group for the delegates at the bargaining table.

The current collective agreement expires March 31, 2014.