Issues, Campaigns and Government Relations
Are you a young HSA member (35 and under) interested in increased young worker participation in the union? The union’s board of directors is seeking members aged 35 and younger to get involved in a five-member Young Workers’ Advisory Group. The Advisory Group’s purpose is to work to understand how HSA is relevant to young workers and how to encourage...
This morning Premier John Horgan and Minister of Mental Health and Addiction Services Judy Darcy launched The Pathway to Hope - a ten-year roadmap aimed at better supporting people and families experiencing mental health and addiction challenges. Among a number of initiatives, the plan includes enhanced access to counselling, more Foundry centres, child and youth teams connected to schools, and...
Click here to email your MP The federal Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare has released its final report, and recommends that Canada adopt a universal Pharmacare program that is comprehensive, accessible, portable, and public. The report marks a major step forward in the movement to establish a universal Pharmacare program. “This is our generation’s national project,” reads...
This week the Minister of Labour, Harry Bains, introduced two pieces of legislation that together dramatically increase protections for workers and their right to join a union. These are long overdue reforms, and it is welcome news to see the government take these first steps to restoring balance and fairness for working people. These reforms do not cover everything -...
Registration Now Open! Tools and tips to Stomp Out Period Poverty In B.C. and around the world, the menstrual equity movement is building. Across wo rksites, HSA chap ters are acting to make menstrual products more accessible and tackle taboos surrounding periods and period poverty. Access to menstrual products is a public health issue and a human right, and HSA...
A once in a generation opportunity to improve workers' legislation. Join us! A message from HSA President Val Avery Dear HSA members, I am writing to you today with an important request in our ongoing work to improve the rights, protections and benefits available to BC workers. We are at pivotal moment in time. The provincial government is about to...
ADVISORY COUNCIL RELEASES INTERIM REPORT ON NATIONAL PHARMACARE: CONCERNS RAISED OVER FINANCE MINISTER'S PERCEIVED CONFLICT OF INTEREST The Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare released its interim report on March 6. The council was established with a funding commitment from the federal government’s 2018 budget, and has been tasked with recommending measures for implementing affordable national Pharmacare for...
HSA members have been invited by CoDevelopment (CoDev) Canada to participate in its 2019 Canadian delegation to Honduras and Nicaragua. This year, the Canadian delegation will focus on occupational health and safety and gender rights in the Maquila (textile manufacturing) industry, and will be meeting with one of CoDev’s partners in Central America: the Honduran women’s collective (CODEMUH) in Honduras...
On Tuesday, February 19 the BC NDP government introduced Budget 2019. Following from the Throne Speech, the budget allows us to see the actual investments being made in critical program areas and the new initiatives government has prioritized for the coming year. Budget 2019 continued to build on the government’s focus on increasing affordability for families and strengthening health care...
For Immediate Release Health Sciences Association of BC says today’s provincial budget provides important investments in health care and social services, but workforce challenges need attention. HSA represents 18,000 highly trained specialists working in diagnostic MRI, sonography and lab testing, physiotherapy, social work, radiation therapy, pharmacy, early childhood development and many other health science and social service professions. “We are...