Bulletins

HSA President Val Avery presented today to the provincial Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, focusing on the need to address the shortage of critical health science professionals. The committee is holding virtual hearings to gather input on the development of the next BC Budget. If our public health care system is to be successful in fighting COVID-19...

The Canadian Labour Congress is hosting a free webinar this Wednesday, June 10 at 11am PST on the role of unions in combating anti-Black racism. The CLC's Larry Rousseau and Marie Clark-Walker will be joined by Sandy Hudson, a leader in the Black Lives Matter movement in Toronto. This is an opportunity for union members across the country to come...

Amid the horrific scenes coming out of the United States of continued police brutality against protesters in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, Canada’s unions are expressing solidarity with Black communities everywhere, including in our own backyard. The fight against anti-Black racism and police brutality is based in the long, despicable history of slavery, oppression and colonization of...

A serious occupational health and safety issue related to PPE in hospital magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) departments has been uncovered regarding the safety of certain masks and respirators in an MRI setting. HSA has called on health authorities and the Provincial Occupational Health and Safety Committee to provide details on the steps underway to identify and remove any masks or...

BC FED OHS Centre free webinars for OHS activist during COVID-19 The BCFED OH&S Centre has scheduled free COVID-19 related online webinars as follows: OH&S Committee role during COVID-19 Tuesday May 26, 2020 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Participants will understand the role and responsibility joint occupational health and safety committees have during this unprecedented pandemic; including how to identify potential...

I know that all of you are working tirelessly at jobs that have changed dramatically over the course of just a few weeks. As front line health care workers, you have the additional stresses of worrying about your personal health and safety, being separated from family, and not knowing where you may be redeployed to work. We have heard you...

**UPDATED MARCH 30 4 PM: WORKSITE PREFERENCE WEBSITE REOPENS TONIGHT 6-10 PM FOR EMPLOYEES WHO WERE UNABLE TO REGISTER OVER WEEKEND** The Provincial Health Officer has ordered that movement between worksites by health care workers must be limited to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in the current pandemic. Over the weekend, thousands of employees were able to register their...

To: HSA members working in community social services From: HSA and Community Social Services Bargaining Associaton On March 26, 2020 the BC Government used their extraordinary powers under the Emergency Program Act, to issue ministerial orders to ensure a coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic across all levels of government. These orders have direct implications for workers in the Community...

TO: HSA members working in Long Term Care In an effort to slow the transmission of COVID-19 in BC’s hard-hit Long Term Care facilities, BC’s Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, issued two province-wide orders aimed at restricting movement of health care staff between Long Term Care facilities. The orders went into effect yesterday, Thursday March 26, 2020 The first...

As part of the new Nurses Bargaining Association 2019-2022 collective agreement, effective April 1, 2020, HSA registered psychiatric nurses are eligible for partial reimbursement of fees paid to the BC College of Nursing Professionals (BCCNP). The rate of reimbursement has been set at $215 per member. To claim for partial reimbursement of your fees, pay your college fees to the...