News & Updates

June 25 – 29, 2013 - University of Washington, Seattle The Summer Institute for Union Women (SIUW) is a 4-day residential school designed to empower women as leaders in the labour movement through participatory education and community-building. Participants will work on: Envisioning labor’s future in the global economy Discussing priorities for working women Developing new ways of organizing Holding elected...

Under the terms of the new collective agreement, a further wage increase of 1 per cent for all members, excluding pharmacists, is effective the first pay period after April 1, 2013, which is the pay period of April 12 to April 25, 2013. Members are encouraged to check their pay stubs to ensure the increases are applied effective April 12...

To realize wage gains won through bargaining, health professionals are moving to a 37.5 hour workweek. In bargaining, the employers agreed to a cooperative, consultative process when implementing the 37.5 hour workweek. In this process, staff, supervisors and managers will consult in each department, section or work unit that has a current schedule with extended workdays (i.e. workdays of more...

On April 28, workers and their families are invited to pay tribute to those who have been injured or killed on the job, or stricken with occupational disease. Every day in Canada, three workers are killed on the job and 685 workers suffer work-related injuries or occupational diseases. Last year in British Columbia, 181 workers died as a result of...

Community social service workers have voted in favour of a two-year contract that provides a wage increase while protecting health and welfare benefits. Community Living workers ratified the tentative agreement by 71 percent. General Services ratified by 84 percent. The weighted average ratification vote for both sectors was 76 percent. HSA represents almost 800 community social services workers covered by...

More than 300 HSA union activists welcomed delegates from new certification: Whistler Health Centre. "Welcome to the family!" Delegates to HSA’s 42nd annual convention this weekend re-elected Reid Johnson as president, and debated resolutions that continue building the founding principles of the union. In his report to delegates, President Reid Johnson called on activists to continue their determined efforts to...

Candidate for president Ali Rirash looks on as HSA President Reid Johnson addresses delegates Delegates to HSA's 2013 annual convention have re-elected President Reid Johnson. Ali Rirash, a medical laboratory technologist at Victoria General Hospital, and Kevin Towhey, a medical radiation technologist at Royal Inland Hospital, also ran for the position. Delegates voted on Saturday morning. "I appreciate the trust...

HSA announced today the establishment of a $120,000 Professional Development Fund accessible to all registered psychiatric nurses who are members of HSA. The funds, achieved through collective bargaining, may be used to cover professional development courses and events. HSA will cover the cost of tuition, registration fees, books and related expenses to a maximum of $500. Application deadline is December...

To follow HSA Convention news as it happens, visit our Facebook page Members of the Health Sciences Association, the union delivering modern health care that represents health sciences professionals who deliver diagnosis, treatment and recovery in BCs hospitals and communities, is meeting this weekend at its 42nd annual convention in Vancouver. Over the course of the next two days members...

The spirit of the negotiated agreement surrounding the change from a 36-hour to a 37.5-hour work week was confirmed this week as the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) and Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) reached agreement on a process to implement the 37.5 hour work week agreed to in the recently ratified collective agreement. "While at least one...