News & Updates

Six years ago, in 2005, David Bland, a vocational rehabilitation counsellor and HSA member from Richmond Mental Health, was murdered at his workplace by a former client. His tragic death served as a sombre reminder that more needs to be done to prevent incidents of violence in the workplace and to protect health care ands social services workers on the...

TO: HSA Members at SHARE Family & Community ServicesFROM: Sharon Geoghegan, HSADATE: February 15, 2011As you are aware, negotiations with community social service employers broke off in December. At this time of uncertainty, job cuts, and layoffs, employment security demands are the best opportunity we have to protect jobs and vital public community services. Yet the Community Social Services Employers...

As you are aware, negotiations with community social service employers broke off in December. At this time of uncertainty, job cuts, and layoffs, employment security demands are the best opportunity we have to protect jobs and vital public community services. Yet the Community Social Services Employers Association (CSSEA) is asking for concessions at the bargaining table and refuse to discuss...

In recent weeks, HSA members working in community social services have been attending membership meetings across the province to discuss next steps in their efforts to secure a fair collective agreement. The meetings were scheduled by the multi-union Community Social Services Bargaining Association (CSSBA) in response to the current impasse at the bargaining table, where employers have refused to consider...

The Health Sciences Association has developed a Q&A of frequently-asked questions regarding Health Information Management Lower Mainland consolidation. Please see the Q&A here: Q&A on Lower Mainland Health Information Management consolidation HSAs committee members on Health Information Management consolidation are as follows: Rav Dhillon, Health Information Management, Richmond General Hospital, Vancouver Coastal Health Karen Hatchwell, Health Information Management, Surrey Memorial...

cbc.ca

BCs Interior Health Authority is paying thousands of dollars in additional costs to recruit ultrasound technologists from private, for-profit clinics to work in IHA hospitals because the government has refused to address a critical shortage of ultrasound technologists in BC, Reid Johnson, President of the Health Sciences Association of BC said today. -The governments failure to have an effective recruitment...

WorkSafeBC has issued nine separate orders at two Victoria-area mental health facilities criticizing the failure of Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) to protect the safety of staff. -This is a staggering number of WorkSafeBC orders issued against one employer," said HSA President Reid Johnson. Johnson, who has worked on psychiatric wards as a social worker, said unstable psychiatric patients are...

HSA is offering scholarships and bursaries to all members and their children. We will be awarding ten scholarships for full-time studies, twenty bursaries for full-time studies, four bursaries for part-time studies and two aboriginal scholarships. The criteria and details are set out on the application forms. To obtain a copy please see the HSA website: http://www.hsabc.org/content.php?id=10&sid=5 Completed application forms and...

HSA members in Region 3 have once again elected Bruce MacDonald as their representative to the HSA Board of Directors. He was acclaimed after the January 27th deadline passed with no further nominations. Bruce is a social worker at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster. He has been a member of HSA since 2000. Bruce was first elected to the...