Contract negotiations

The Report: December 2012 vol.33 num.4 IN OUR LONG HISTORY, HSA MEMBERS HAVE RARELY FELT WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PREPARE FOR A STRIKE. Our health science professional members have only gone on strike three times before now, and the last time more than 11 years ago. Its not something we take lightly. That is why it is so...

The Report: December 2012 vol.33 num.4 IN AN IDEAL WORLD, STRIKES WOULD NOT BE NECESSARY. Employees and employers would meet at the bargaining table, discuss bargaining proposals based upon reason, justice and mutual respect. They would use objective data and negotiate a settlement. In reality, that is often what happens. However, sometimes there are significantly different points of view about...

The Report: December 2012 vol.33 num.4 HEALTH SCIENCE PROFESSIONALS DELIVERED A RESOUNDING 90 PERCENT STRIKE VOTE TO BACK THEIR BARGAINING COMMITTEE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH BC'S HEALTH EMPLOYERS. -This strong vote sends a clear message to government and health authorities that its time to come to the table and negotiate a fair and reasonable collective agreement," said Reid Johnson, President of...

The Report: December 2012 vol.33 num.4 NURSES NEW CONTRACT MAKES ACCESS TO MEDICATION HARDER PENSIONS Q AND A BY DENNIS BLATCHFORD, HSA PENSION AND BENEFIT ADVOCATE Q. As a new HSA member who falls under the Nurses Bargaining Association (NBA) contract, could you please explain to me what the -PharmaCare tie-in" is all about? The PharmaCare tie-in was negotiated out...

The Report: December 2012 vol.33 num.4 AFTER NINE MONTHS OF HARD BARGAINING, WE HAVE REACHED AN IMPASSE. LET ME TELL YOU HOW WE GOT HERE. You have given the bargaining committee a clear mandate: restore competitive wages, protect benefits and protect working conditions, including dealing with workload and call issues. We have spent nine months trying to kick start negotiations...

The Report: June 2012 vol.33 num.2 NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADER ADRIAN DIX told HSA delegates his party is committed to building a stronger provincial health care system in order to build prosperity in British Columbia. -We have to respond to the challenges of the public health care system in the 21st century thats under attack from Ottawa and under attack...

The Report: February 2012 vol.33 num.1 Collective agreements covering the vast majority of HSA members working in health sciences and community social services expire on March 31, and HSAs negotiators have already begun work on the next agreements. HEALTH SCIENCE PROFESSIONALS Bargaining for the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association was scheduled to begin February 27. HSA priorities for bargaining were...

The Report: December 2011 vol.32 num.4 THERE IS NO DOUBT HSA members are angry about the way they were treated by the government in the last round of contract negotiations. But I still find it striking to recognize the source of this anger is not concern for themselves ... its their deep concern for the future of health care and...