Issues, Campaigns and Government Relations

HSA REPORT, JUNE 2014 "We need to be the BC Federation of Labour – not the Downtown Vancouver Federation of Labour." That's how Jim Sinclair, BC Fed President, opened The fourth BC Federation of Labour Regional Conference was held June 6-7 in Kimberley. He was remembering the words of a delegate to the convention that saw the Federation move from...

HSA REPORT, JUNE 2014 The BC Supreme Court has ruled that a group of public health care supporters that includes the BC Health Coalition and Canadian Doctors for Medicare, may submit expert evidence in a BC case that is attempting to destroy Canada's Medicare system. Dr. Brian Day and his for-profit clinics began a legal attack on Medicare in 2009...

HSA REPORT, JUNE 2014 On May 1st, a group of 20 HSA members from around the province and from a range of professions spent the day in Victoria. Meeting with key decision makers in the areas of health care, community social services, skills training, job creation and advanced education, they raised HSA's profile and discussed issues of importance to members...

RPNS Nicole McIntosh and Genelle Sandberg were on hand to promote HSA's work. HSA REPORT, JUNE 2014 HSA and its members played a big role in a recent event hosted by the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of BC. The CRPNBC's annual education day, held in Coquitlam this year, focussed on the various forms of trauma affecting psychiatric nurses and...

HSA president Val Avery listens to Ingrid Sochting, an HSA member and chief psychologist for Richmond mental health outpatient services. HSA marked yesterday's expiry of the Canadian Health Accord with a public forum on mental health services. "For the past three years, Prime Minister Harper has refused to meet with the provinces to discuss the renewal of the health accord...

BC HEALTH COALITION The current Health Accord expires March 31st, 2014 and the federal government is refusing to renegotiate it. Expiration of the accord will result in a $36 billion dollar cut to public health care, and an additional $16.5 billion dollar cut to health care equalization payments. On March 31, people across the country will be holding rallies to...

Health Sciences Association of BC, a union representing mental health professionals working in hospitals and communities across the province, will hold a public forum on mental health services March 31 in Vancouver. Download and share the poster “Support for British Columbians struggling with mental illness and mental health is desperately needed. The HSA members who work every day with patients...

Bill 7, the Laboratory Services Act was introduced in the BC Legislature by the Liberal government on February 17, 2014, and is currently at the stage of first reading. The proposed legislation makes significant changes in several areas, including the legislative framework, governance and funding models for medical laboratory services. A general overview of these changes is available here on...

HSA REPORT, MARCH 2014 Ok, so we have a five year deal. How do you propose to take advantage of the break from bargaining? Despite the fact that we won't be at the bargaining table, we have some important work to do. The workloads for many professions are causing our members a lot of stress. And when people are under...

HSA REPORT, MARCH 2014 Several HSA members are working with their professional associations to encourage the provincial government to regulate their professions under the Health Professions Act, and to create a joint regulatory college to oversee the practice of these health science professions. Approximately 6,000 HSA members would be regulated by this joint college. This initiative is supported by the...