The Report

The Report: July 1999 vol.20 num.1 by SARAH O'LEARY and JUDITH McCORMACK PICTURE THIS. Your employers private investigator is hidden outside your home, holding a video camera and taping your every move. Sound ridiculous? Unfortunately, some workers have become unwitting home movie stars, thanks to employers who think they are faking illness or disability. Usually these cases involve workers who...

The Report: July 1999 vol.20 num.1 Over 250 delegates rose to their feet at HSAs 28th Annual Convention, after acclaiming Cindy Stewart as President of the Health Sciences Association for a fourth term. Stewart was visibly moved as she thanked the delegates for their support. -This is a great honour and a privilege. I am so proud to represent HSA,"...

The Report: July 1999 vol.20 num.1 by CINDY STEWART I write this on the first day of summer: June 21. When I began my work on the Executive of HSA, first as a Board member, then as President, I heard rumours that ‘things slowed down in the summer, affording a breather from the hectic pace maintained throughout the rest of...

The Report: July 1999 vol.20 num.1 At convention this year, lesbian, bisexual and gay delegates and their supporters established an informal network to keep in touch on issues affecting them in the workplace, within the context of union activism. The network is facilitated by HSAs Equality of Rights Committee. In order to be included on this mailing list, lesbian, bisexual...

The Report: May / June 1999 vol.19 num.7 by HANNELORE GIDORA A new Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, to replace theold Industrial Health and Safety Regulation, came into effect on April 15, 1998. Employerswere given a one-year grace period to work towards compliance. As of April 15, 1999, thisyear is up, so that almost all of the requirements are now...

The Report: May / June 1999 vol.19 num.7 by KELLY FINLAYSON In contemplating what to write for my report as Director for Region 1, mythoughts cross many boundaries. There are many things I want to communicate to and aboutmy members, the people who work in our 41 HSA sites on Vancouver Island from Duncan north,the Sechelt Peninsula including Powell River...

The Report: May / June 1999 vol.19 num.7 by JUDITH McCORMACK In BC, the law is clear on workers who have asubstance addiction: the employer must make every reasonable effort to accommodate aworkers disabilities by either allowing her to take time to get treatment for aproblem, or by providing some alternate form of employment at the worksite. For example, an...

The Report: May / June 1999 vol.19 num.7 by LYN BLENKINSOP Over the last three years it has been my very great privilege to have receivedHSA scholarships to train as a Union Counsellor. This has been one of the most valuableand rewarding experiences of my twenty-one years as an HSA member. The Union Counselling program is mainly taught at the...

The Report: May / June 1999 vol.19 num.7 by MARC LEE The recent provincial budget was, for many commentators, a real dog. After all,$890 million is an awfully big number for a late-1990s provincial deficit. But there isgood reason to step back and put the numbers in their proper context. Despite all of thebarking, the bite is not really that...

The Report: May / June 1999 vol.19 num.7 HSA welcomes CDC health services and support workers Fifteen employees at Fort St. John Child Development Centrejoined HSA in February. These new members work in health services and support at the FortSt. John and Fort Nelson sites of the Centre in administration and child care. Welcome to new member atCedarview Lodge HSA...