News & Updates

castanet.net The public is invited to disco dance for a good cause in Penticton on Thursday night. The South Okanagan Victim Assistance Society is holding SOVAS Goes Disco to benefit its financially challenged men's counselling program. “We are desperate for funding to keep this going,” said Amberlee Erdmann, resource development coordinator for SOVAS. “Our hope is the community comes together...

There has been some progress at the bargaining table over the last week, and discussions continued through the weekend. The community social services bargaining committee hopes to reach a fair and reasonable agreement, including a wage increase. Your multi-union bargaining committee remains focused on the issues that were identified as priorities by our members. HSA will continue to provide updates...

The bulk of savings announced in the Liberal government's last-ditch attempt to convince British Columbians they can present a balanced budget is coming out of the health care system, Finance Minister Mike de Jong said today in releasing the Liberal government's last budget before this spring's election. "If you reduce spending in health care, you reduce services to British Columbians...

Workers in Community Health have voted 86% per cent in favour of a two-year contract that provides an across-the-board wage increase, and improved workplace and scheduling provisions. The agreement comes after one year of difficult negotiations with the Health Employers' Association of BC (HEABC). Ratification votes were held across the province over the past four weeks. Highlights include: 3% wage...

Health science professionals represented by HSA are invited to participate in one of two telephone town hall meetings scheduled for next week. Telephone town hall meeting details: Tuesday, February 19 at 7pm PST Wednesday, February 20 at 7pm PST To join the call, simply answer your personal phone, and you will be connected. Please ensure HSA has your personal /...

Winner will serve as representative on HSA Board of Directors During the next several weeks, HSA members in Region 5 will have an opportunity to elect their representative on HSA's Board of Directors.Nominations for the position closed with five members declaring their candidacy: Ramzan Anjum, a medical laboratory technologist at BC Children's Hospital John Christopherson, a counsellor at the BC...

Janice Morrison has been selected to return as the Region 9 representative to the HSA Board of Directors. She was acclaimed after the deadline passed with no further nominations. Morrison is a physiotherapist at Kootenay Lake Hospital. She was first elected to the Board of Directors in 2009. A long-time member-at-large, Morrison has served on many of the union's committees...

Marg Beddis has been selected to return as the Region 7 representative to the HSA Board of Directors. She was acclaimed after the deadline passed with no further nominations. Beddis is a dietitian at Surrey Memorial Hospital. She was first elected to the Board of Directors in 2007. She currently serves as an LTD trustee, chairs the Political Action Committee...

Bruce MacDonald has been selected to return as the Region 3 representative to the HSA Board of Directors. He was acclaimed after the deadline passed with no further nominations. MacDonald is a social worker at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster. He has been a member of HSA since 2000. He was first elected to the HSA Board of Directors...

Anne Davis has been selected to return as the Region 1 representative to the HSA Board of Directors. She was acclaimed after the deadline passed with no further nominations. Davis is a Program Coordinator at the Comox Valley Transition Society. She was involved in the union organizing drive to allow HSA to represent staff at the Society 19 years ago...