News & Updates

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is calling on the Canadian government to appoint special prosecutors to step up enforcement of laws to protect workers on the job. In conjunction with observances marking the 25th National Day of Mourning for workers killed and injured on the job in Canada, NUPGE president James Clancy has written to Rob...

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/NUPGE) are urging health care workers and members and the public to take note of an announcement by Ontario's chief medical officer concerning an outbreak of severe respiratory illness (SRI) that began in Mexico and is spreading globally. For more information, follow this link.

More than 250 delegates to the 38th annual convention of the Health Sciences Association of BC have acclaimed Reid Johnson to lead the union as its president for another two-year term. Johnson was first elected president 2007. Johnson, who holds a Masters of Social Work and worked at the Centre of Ability before his election in 2007, urged members to...

Delegates to HSA's 38th annual convention April 24 and 25 called on the union to take action on publicizing the impact of cuts to legal aid services. A concrete step members can take is to sign the WestCoast LEAF and Pivot Legal Society petition calling for the restoration of legal aid in the province. The recent continuation of cuts to...

The Health Sciences Association of BC (HSA) will kick off its 38th annual convention Friday, April 24, 2009 at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, 900 West Georgia Street.A Vision for Change is the theme of this years convention, as delegates consider a number of resolutions to set priorities for the unions future. Carole James, Leader of the Opposition, will be the...

Members of the Nurses' Bargaining Association, including registered psychiatric nurses who are members of the Health Sciences Association, have overwhelmingly ratified an extension of the provincial collective agreement. The overall margin was 96 per cent in favour. The retention and recruitment agreement provides labour market adjustments of three per cent on April 1, 2010 and April 1, 2011. These market...

HSA President Reid Johnson will join with BC Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair and HEU members in a rally and march to support hospital housekeepers currently in contract discussions with their employers Aramark, Sodexo and Compass. HSA members are invited to demonstrate their support at the rally and march as follows: Date: Thursday, April 9th Time: 4 p.m....

The BC Health Coalition is urging the provincial government to investigate recent charges by a Kelowna surgeon that private surgical companies are illegally billing patients for publicly insured cataract surgeries across the province. In a March 24th letter to the Health Minister, Dr. Francois Theriault cited a BC College of Physicians and Surgeons report that 4,482 cataract extractions were performed...

The Report: April 2009 vol.30 num.1 ith the complicity and assistance of the provincial government, workers compensation in BC has been steadily eroded and curtailed. HSA sponsored a team of compensation experts to investigate reductions that have occurred between 2002 and 2008. Their report, soon to be published, revealed a need for immediate action. Why do elected Members of the...

The Report: April 2009 vol.30 num.1 I work in a transition house in a very small community. One of our clients has a partner who was charged with assault with a deadly weapon. He is now out on bail. He followed my co-worker to the local grocery store and said that if the client did not drop the assault charges...