News & Updates

For immediate release: November 30, 2012 The members of BCs modern health care team who provide diagnostic, clinical and rehabilitation services have announced they will begin strike action next week. Tired and frustrated by months of inaction at the bargaining table, health science professionals voted 90 per cent in favour of a strike this month. Wednesday, December 5, pharmacists...

On the eve of the implementation of a new province-wide policy that threatened to fire health science professionals who refused to declare whether they had been vaccinated against seasonal flu, Health Sciences Association has negotiated an agreement that sees the government back off on the policys punitive aspects. This year, the Ministry of Health will focus on educational efforts and...

Nanaimo News Bulletin The Health Sciences Association of B.C. wants Vancouver Island Health Authority to hire more respiratory therapists for Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. VIHA says it wants to raise staffing levels, but can't find people to fill the positions. "There have been times at Nanaimo where one respiratory therapist has been on for a 24-hour period," said Reid Johnson...

Harbour City Star By Darrell Bellaart Health officials have been told to address a shortage of specialists who help critically ill patients with breathing difficulties at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. WorkSafe B.C. ruled the Vancouver Island Health Authority must provide a plan to stop scheduling respiratory therapists to work shifts as long as 24 hours. A Work-Safe inspector toured NRGH...

Community social services workers (represented by HSA) are on strike tomorrow, as are community health services and support workers (represented by CUPE) at Vancouver Community Mental Health. (HSA also represents health science professionals at VCMHS, who are not on strike.) Community health services and support Picketing commences at two VCMHS sites from early morning until 11am, when the picketers will...

Come join 2000 delegates to the BC Federation of Labour convention to call for fairness for all workers: DATE: Wednesday, November 28 TIME: noon -- convene between East and West Vancouver Convention buildings, 1055 Canada Place noon-12:30pm -- march to Vancouver Art Gallery 12:30-1pm -- Rally at Vancouver Art Gallery Look for HSA's banners, and send us photos! We'll send...

Bargaining for a new contract for BCs health science professionals was to resume yesterday for the first time since health science professionals delivered a 90 per cent strike vote to support the bargaining committees proposals for a fair and reasonable collective agreement. Bargaining had broken off October 31. The employers bargaining agent, Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC), called the...

Cariboo Press / Vernon Morning Star Health science professionals have delivered a 90 per cent strike vote to back their bargaining committee in negotiations with B.C.'s health employers. "This strong vote sends a clear message to government and health authorities that it's time to come to the table and negotiate a fair and reasonable collective agreement," said Reid Johnson, president...

Kamloops Daily News Job action could be looming in the health-care sector after members of the Health Sciences Association voted 90 per cent in favour of a strike. Association president Reid Johnson said talks between the association and the province are tentatively expected to resume Thursday or Friday. "These are some of the smartest people in health care and we've...

Canadian Press Job action could be looming in the health care sector after members of the Health Sciences Association voted 90 per cent in favour of a strike. Association president Reid Johnson says his members are seeking a fair and reasonable wage increase and refuses to respond to requests for costing on budget-saving measures. Seventeen-thousand H-S-A members have been without...