The Report

The Report: April / May 2000 vol.21 num.2 by PAM BUSH and REBECCA MAURER HSA members in the Capital Health Region have helped put the brakes on a plan by their employer to introduce an extreme form of program management. The plan, championed by CEO Tom Closson, would have seen the elimination of key departments such as physiotherapy, social work...

The Report: April / May 2000 vol.21 num.2 During the past few months, the HSA office has received several inquiries about Bill 14, the new workers compensation legislation that was enacted by the provincial government last year. In response to those questions, HSAs occupational health and safety experts have produced this article, outlining the key changes in the legislation. In...

The Report: April / May 2000 vol.21 num.2 by CINDY STEWART This year, with convention being scheduled for the end of March, HSAs annual cycle is two months shorter then usual. In many contexts, two months may not seem like a long time, but it is significant when a 12-month cycle is tight at the best of times. We have...

The Report: April / May 2000 vol.21 num.2 Organizing efforts continue at MDS Vancouver Island HSA is continuing our efforts to organize over 250 employees at MDS Laboratories on Vancouver Island. These employees include lab technologists, lab assistants, and couriers. They work in analytical labs, as well as in patient service centres, which are community-based specimen collection facilities. Organizer Janice...

The Report: April / May 2000 vol.21 num.2 by YUKIE KURAHASHI Wendy Webb Radiation Therapist BC Cancer Agency - Cancer Centre for the Southern Interior People often ask Wendy Webb why she chose radiation therapy as a career. "I work with cancer patients every day, so people ask me if I find it really depressing," she says. "But its not...

The Report: April / May 2000 vol.21 num.2 by MARYANN ABBS and YUKIE KURAHASHI My department manager insists that the budget is tight, and that there is no money for education leave this year. Is there anything that I can do about this? Traditionally, education leave is a very important issue for HSA members, who take pride in their expertise...

The Report: April / May 2000 vol.21 num.2 If you are ever injured on the job, these are the people you need to know. Rachel Notley and Carol Riviere are HSAs WCB Officers. Should you ever have problems with your claim, they are there to help you, up to and including appealing a Workers Compensation Board decision. Many appeals deal...

The Report: April / May 2000 vol.21 num.2 Sometimes, being a union organizer can be hard work, but it can also be one of the most satisfying and enjoyable jobs in the HSA office. Janice Davis, HSAs Organizer, enjoys every minute of her job. Often, non-union employees contact her directly to seek advice on how they can join HSA. But...

The Report: April / May 2000 vol.21 num.2 by RACHEL NOTLEY Although you may think it will never happen to you, 7,000 health care workers were injured or got sick on the job last year alone. Health care workers have the highest rate of injury in BC, and HSA members are no exception. In either case, there are benefits available...

The Report: April / May 2000 vol.21 num.2 by ALISON HIETANEN and CINDY STEWART What happens if you are injured so severely that you are not able to work for an extended period of time? What do you do if you develop an illness or condition caused by your work, so that you are no longer able to work? If...