health sciences association sept / oct 2004 vol. 25 … · 2 the report sept / oct 2004 vol. 25 no....

THE REPORT OCTOBER 2000 VOL. 21 NO. 5 1

AGREEMENTREACHED ON

HEALTH BENEFITSCOVERAGE

AGREEMENTREACHED ON

HEALTH BENEFITSCOVERAGE

THETHE Report ReportH E A L T H S C I E N C E S A S S O C I A T I O N S E P T / O C T 2 0 0 4 V O L . 2 5 N O . 5

SEE INSIDE FOR IMPORTANTDETAILS ON HOW TO SUBMIT

CLAIMS BY OCTOBER 15

2 THE REPORT SEPT / OCT 2004 VOL. 25 NO. 5

The Health Authority rationalized theirdecision by stating that patients are wait-ing in excess of 200 days to have an MRI.Without question, this is a waiting timethat is unacceptable. However the one-timecontracting out of MRI procedures is ashort term solution to a problem that HSAand CHPS have been raising with provin-cial and federal governments for some time.

The solution to reducing wait times be-gins with ensuring an adequate and stablesupply of health professionals. Yes, it takesequipment, but it also takes people. Ad-dressing the shortage of health profession-als is critical if patients are to have access toimportant and necessary diagnostic andclinical procedures.

Health science professionals are inti-mately involved in every step of health caredelivery including diagnosis, treatment andrecovery. However, in many, if not all prov-inces, a serious shortage of health profes-sionals – including lab technologists, phar-macists, respiratory therapists and physi-otherapists – is leaving patients withoutaccess to critical services and jeopardizingquality care.

For example, over the past four years,

When the First Ministers were meeting in Ottawato discuss the future of health care, I was there in mycapacity as co-chair of the Canadian Health ProfessionalsSecretariat (CHPS) calling for a national strategy to addressthe growing shortage of health science professionals inCanada. Ironically, it was the same time that we learned ofthe Fraser Health Authority’s plan to contract out 2,000MRI procedures.

National strategy neededto address shortagesby CINDY STEWART

HSA President Cindy Stewart addresses anews conference to call attention to

shortages of health professionals

British Columbia has required 298 respi-ratory therapists to meet demand. How-ever, only 135 were trained and 39 of thegraduates left the province. In Saskatch-ewan, applicants to the lab technologistprogram have been told they may have towait 10 years to be admitted even thoughthe province faces a serious shortage of labtechnologists.

Isolated provincial initiatives, such asthe Fraser Health initiative, do not providesolutions for the long term. A long-term,comprehensive, and national strategy is keyto ensuring Canadians have access to thehealth professionals and services they need,now and in the future.

Reports identify many factors that con-tribute to the shortage of health scienceprofessionals, including limited access totraining, declining morale, deterioratingworking conditions, constant restructur-ing, funding cuts, stagnant wages, and anaging workforce.

A national strategy must include, amongother things, dialogue with educators,commitment to recruitment and retentioninitiatives, increased training spaces, andhigher quality of working life. Without a

M E S S A G E F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T

broader strategy, the supply of profession-als that deliver the range of services neces-sary for quality and comprehensive care,will continue to decline and the problem ofwait times will continue to intensify andmultiply.

CHPS was formed two years ago by ournational union, NUPGE, to give a voice tomore than 60,000 health science profes-sionals who deliver essential diagnostic,clinical, and rehabilitation services to Ca-nadians. Increasingly, through the work ofCHPS, and individual member unionsacross the country, the profile of the workof health science professionals continuesto increase.

While national and provincial organi-zations can play a part, every member hasthe capacity to contribute. In this issue, readthe story about physiotherapist SusanHearsey and how she has educated andinfluenced decision makers about the im-portance of her work. You can also readabout how lab tech Gottfrid Janzé is work-ing to make all of our workplaces safer.

It takes the perseverance and repetitionof many voices, at many levels, to make adifference. Please add your voice. R


THE REPORT SEPT / OCT 2004 VOL. 25 NO. 5 3

T H E F R O N T C O V E REve Stocker is a counsellor at Cameray CounsellingCentre in New Westminster. Dan Jackson photo.

Reportcontents

THE

10 MEMBER PROFILEPhysiotherapist Susan

Hearsey turns her passioninto action

D E P A R T M E N T S

14 COMMITTEES19 CONTRACT INTERPRETATION

C O L U M N S

2 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT21 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT22 ACROSS THE PROVINCE: REGION 1

Publications mail agreement no. 4000 6822Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to database departmentSuite 300, 5118 Joyce StreetVancouver BC V5R 4H1

16 ACTIVIST PROFILEGottfrid Janzé:Speaking out aboutworkplace safety

N E W S

4 HEALTH SCIENCE PROFESSIONALS’ TENTATIVE AGREEMENT5 PPBA EXTENDED HEALTH BENEFITS: SUBMISSION DEADLINE OCT 15, 20046 NATIONAL DRUG COVERAGE8 NUPGE: CANADIANS WANT OTTAWA TO GUIDE HEALTH SPENDING

12 YOUTH LAUNCH CAMPAIGN TO CURB VOTER APATHY13 NURSES’ TENTATIVE AGREEMENT23 STODY SHOWS WOMEN ARE STILL POORER

16

10


The tentative agreement was reached July 15 un-der the terms of a framework agreement negotiatedJune 10. Under the terms of the framework agree-ment, the parties agreed to no net increases or de-creases to wages and benefits for the duration of thetwo-year agreement, and to further discussion on alimited number of key issues.

“The bargaining committee is satisfied that wehave achieved the best agreement possible in thecurrent hostile climate created by the government.Health science professionals have been protectedfrom a long list of concessions proposed by the em-ployers,” chief negotiator Ron Ohmart said.

“We have preserved the 36-hour work week. We

P P B A : T E N T A T I V E C O N T R A C T

Tentative agreement forhealth science professionals

T he Paramedical Professional Bargaining Association(PPBA) and the Health Employers’ Associationof BC (HEABC) have reached a tentative agree-ment for a collective agreement that expires March 31,2006.

have also ensured that problems with the bumpingprocess created by the Liberal government underBill 29 will not continue after the expiry of the legis-lation on December 31, 2005,” he said.

HSA’s Board of Directors urge members to vote“yes” to ratify the agreement. Ratification meetingsfor members will be held in September.

Highlights of the tentative agreement include:• no net increase to wages and benefits• no changes to health and welfare benefits• no changes to vacation, sick leave and severance

provisions• retention of the 36-hour work week• posting language that allows displaced employ-

ees access to job opportunities• bumping language that will come into effect

January 1, 2006, upon the expiry of legislationintroduced through Bill 29

• administrative issues related to the unions’ abil-ity to represent members in the workplace

• contract language housekeeping issues.

Full details about the tentative agreement havebeen mailed to all members covered by the agree-ment, and are also available on the HSA web site.

The Paramedical Professional Bargaining Asso-ciation represents 13,000 health science profession-als represented by the Health Sciences Associationof BC, BC Government and Service Employees’ Un-ion, Canadian Union of Public Employees, Profes-sional Employees’ Association, and the HospitalEmployees’ Union.

HSA’s bargaining team,clockwise from front right:Bob Phillips, ConnieBakker, CherylGreenhalgh, BrianIsberg, Ann Craig,Janice Morrison, CindyStewart (HSA presi-dent), Ron Ohmart(PPBA chief negotia-tor), and Tanis Blomly.Inset: Dawn Adamson

R


Agreement reached onextended health care benefits

P P B A : E X T E N D E D H E A L T H B E N E F I T S

The dispute stems from HEABC’s directive toPacific Blue Cross that the collective agreement didnot require it to cover the additional costs arisingfrom the BC government’s decision to de-list physi-otherapy, chiropractic services, massage therapy andpodiatry.

The parties have now agreed that the group ex-tended health care plan will provide reimbursementto employees for these services based on the follow-ing terms:· Reimbursement for eligible services under the Ex-

tended Health Plan will be at 80 per cent of thefull cost of all visits in a calendar year subject tothe deductible and any annual maximums setout in the Plan;

· Payment of eligible claims to PPBA members anddependants will be retroactive to May 5, 2003,the date of the grievance.

T he Paramedical Professional Bargaining Association(PPBA) and the Health Employers’ Associationof BC (HEABC) have reached an agreement onan outstanding dispute regarding extended health carebenefits.

Implementation:• Members are not required to re-submit claims

that were previously submitted for re-imbursement;

• Where a member has no other coverage, eligi-ble claims will be identified, readjudicated andpaid by Pacific Blue Cross through an auto-mated process;

• Where a member has coverage under anotherPacific Blue Cross group, eligible claims will beidentified, re-adjudicated and paid by Pacific BlueCross either manually, or through an automatedprocess;

• Where a PPBA member has coverage under an-other insurer, and claims cannot be re-adjudi-cated without further information, Pacific BlueCross will write to the member and request in-formation on any amounts paid by another in-surer for the same expense.

Members will be required to send the requestedinformation to Pacific Blue Cross within 45 daysfrom the date of Pacific Blue Cross’ letter (an actualdate will be specified in the letter).

Upon receipt of the members’ information, Pa-cific Blue Cross will process any eligible claim pay-ments. Member information received after the stipu-lated deadline will not be accepted.

For more information, please contact the HSA office.

Special deadline for 2003 claims: October 15, 2004Members who, because of the outstanding grievance, did notsubmit 2003 claims by the normal deadline of June 30, 2004must submit these claims to Pacific Blue Cross no later thanOctober 15, 2004. This agreement covers claims between May5, 2003 and December 31, 2003. R

I M P O R T A N T D E A D L I N E

October 15 deadline for submission of 2003 claims


The premiers’ drug deceptionN A T I O N A L D R U G C O V E R A G E

by PAUL RAMSEY

Canada needs a universal, national program thatcovers the costs of medically necessary prescrip-tion drugs. That much is obvious.expensive. Paying for them can, in extreme cases,lead to financial ruin. Canada’s medicare system wasestablished to remove financial barriers to healthcare. What’s going on?

A few trends are clear. Drug costs and drug usageare increasing rapidly. Twenty years ago the totalbill for medications was around $4 billion; last yearit was nearly $20 billion.

One reason for this rapid escalation is the re-markable increase in drug effectiveness. When Cana-da’s medicare system was established in the 1960s,health care focused on services by physicians andhospitals.

Today prescription drugs can treat what was thenuntreatable, can keep us out of hospitals, and canhelp us live longer. We now spend more on drugsthan we do on doctors.

Other reasons for high drug costs are less be-nign: Drug companies use extended patent protec-tion to gouge patients and prevent use of genericdrugs. We’re suckers for the “newest, greatest” drug,even when older medications are equally effective.Drug companies now market drugs – particularlyso-called “lifestyle drugs” – directly to the consumer,driving up demand and use.

Regardless of drug company shenanigans, pa-tients need access to medically necessary drugs. Othercountries with universal, public health care systemshave done far more than Canada to ensure accessto prescription drugs for all their citizens. So whenCanada’s provincial premiers proposed a nationalpharmacare plan, they were addressing a real weak-ness of Canada’s health system.

The current patchwork of provincial plans thatsubsidize drug costs is a disgrace. The CanadaHealth Act mandates universal, government-fundedphysician and hospital services for all Canadians. Inspite of the health system’s stresses and strains, eve-ryone – from Newfoundland to British Columbia– has access to those publicly funded services.

But government funding for the pharmaceuticaldrugs that doctors prescribe outside of hospitalsvaries wildly across the country. What Canadianspay depends on where they live, on their income,and on their supplemental coverage by private druginsurance.

In 2003 Canadians, on average, used $620 of pre-

When Canada’s provincial premiersproposed a national pharmacare

plan, they were addressing a realweakness of Canada’s health system.

However, the motives behind thepremiers’ proposal are suspect.

scription medications. If they lived in Prince EdwardIsland, they paid $436 of that out of their own pock-ets. But if they in Manitoba, they paid only $291; thegovernment paid the rest.

Averages, however, don’t tell the whole story.Many medications, particularly new ones, are hugely


However, the motives behind the premiers’ pro-posal are, at best, self-serving. They’d obviously liketo have the federal government assume the $7.5 bil-lion that the provinces presently pay for drugs. Andsince drug costs are the most rapidly escalating areaof health spending, they’d like to have that hot po-tato off their plates.

The premiers would also like to distract the pub-lic from their own failures to assist with drug costs.The provinces’ performance has been shoddy. In-deed some provinces, like British Columbia, haveactually reduced public help with drug costs in re-cent years.

At its root, the national pharmacare proposal isjust a political diversion. The premiers don’t wantnew federal health funding linked to real, and neededchanges in the health care systems the provinces run.If the federal government spends all its promisednew money on a drug program, no funds will be left

R

to compel provinces to make changes, changesneeded to get wait lists down and improve access.

Here’s a better idea: Change the Canada HealthAct to include coverage of medically necessary drugs.Set up a federal/provincial cost-shared pharmacareprogram to protect all Canadians from high drugcosts. Use the rest of the promised federal increasesto health spending to compel provinces to live bythe spirit as well as the letter of the Canada HealthAct.

The time for the political gamesmanship thatthe provincial premiers are engaging in is over.It’s time to make some real changes in our healthcare system.

Paul Ramsey is a former MLA and Cabinet Minister.He now teaches at CNC and is a Visiting Professor inthe Political Science Program at the University ofNorthern British Columbia.

HSA members recognize the importance of a coherent drugcoverage program, and the need to bring governments toaccount for reduced drug coverage in recent years.


On the eve of the First Ministers’ meet-ing on health care, a strong majority ofCanadians in every region – includingAlberta – disagreed with Alberta premier RalphKlein’s opposition to conditions being imposed onnew federal health care funding to the provincial

governments. In a new poll by Vector Research, conducted August12-22 for the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), 72per cent nationally agree that “the federal government should make provincesaccountable to the federal government for how federal health money is spent.”

N U P G E : O U R N A T I O N A L U N I O N

Canadians want Ottawa toguide health care spending

Defenders of public medicare, includ-ing the National Union of Public and Gen-eral Employees, rallied in September as PrimeMinister Paul Martin and the first ministers be-gan a three-day historic summit on the futureof health care in Canada.

Their message to the country’s top leaderscan be summed up in one short slogan: Fix!Don’t privatize health care. The three-day meet-ing is the first open, televised meeting by Cana-da’s heads of government since the 1980s.

“Too often the political elites of this countrymake decisions on critical programs withoutreally listening to the voices of ordinary citizens,”said James Clancy, president of the 337,000-member union.

“The people who elected them get shut outof the debate. We hope that is not going to hap-pen this time.” A large group of demonstratorsgathered outside the Government ConferenceCentre in Toronto to show their support forpublic health care.Source: NUPGE

Activists demandhealth care fix, notprivatization

NUPGE

72 per cent of Canadians agreethat “the federal governmentshould make provincesaccountable to the federalgovernment for how federalhealth money is spent.”

• In Alberta, 70 per cent reject premier Klein’s position.• In Ontario, 77 per cent support making the provinces accountable to the

federal government for health care funds.• And in Quebec, 65 per cent agree with federal spending oversight.

“The results are overwhelming,” said National Union president James Clancy.“Canadians simply do not believe that Ralph Klein is speaking for them

when he talks about medicare,” Clancy said.“Ralph Klein has already announced that he will miss 70 per cent of the first

ministers meeting. As far as 70 per cent of Canadians are concerned, the confer-ence will not miss the kind of prescriptions he is proposing for health care,”Clancy added.

1,120 interviewsNationwide, 1,120 Canadians were interviewed by telephone for the Vector

poll. The results are considered accurate within 2.9 percentage points.The Alberta premier’s position was presented to respondents as follows:

“There should be no conditions on how provinces spend money they get from

NOPROFIT

FROM

ILLNESS

ADDRESS

STAFF

SHORTAGES

R


the federal government because health care is the provinces’ jurisdiction.”They were then asked their opinion.

The poll found – among supporters for all four major federal parties – thata big majority of citizens favour placing controls on federal money transferredto the provinces to ensure that it goes to health care as intended.

Among voters who supported Liberal candidates in the June 28 federal elec-tion, 77 per cent backed federal controls. Among Conservative Party voters, 61per cent supported the idea that provincial governments be accountable toOttawa for how federal funding is spent.

The survey also revealed that the majority of Canadians agree with theprime minister that reducing waiting lists for surgery, treatments and diagnos-tic tests should be the federal government’s first priority for improving thehealth care system.

Cut wait timesFifty-seven per cent of those surveyed said the top health priority for the

federal government should be cutting wait times. Another 17 per cent say start-ing a national home care program should be the government’s highest healthcare priority. Introducing a national pharmacare program to provide lowercost prescription drugs is the top federal priority for 11 per cent of Canadians.

“Canadians are clearly in line with the position that we have taken as Cana-da’s second largest union – reducing wait lines is top priority,” Clancy said.

“The way to do that, we believe, is stop privatization and increase fundingfor the system to adequate levels. This will meet the most urgent need by allow-ing more health professionals to be hired,” Clancy added.Source: National Union of Public and General Employees. For more information,visit NUPGE’s website at [www.nupge.ca].

R

The National Union of Public andGeneral Employees said the recent appoint-ment of Ujjal Dosanjh as Canada’s new healthminister is a positive development for everyonewho believes in public medicare.

It’s a hopeful sign,” says NUPGE presidentJames Clancy.

“At last we have someone at the federal levelspeaking out strongly against privatization.We’re optimistic Mr. Dosanjh will be able to per-suade the premiers to set aside their personalpolitical agendas and adopt, instead, the agendaof Canadians everywhere who want the postur-ing and privatization to stop and the re-build-ing of public medicare to begin.”

Dosanjhappointment ahopeful sign

I can tell you thatwhat we need to dois stem the tide ofprivatization inCanada and expandpublic delivery ofhealth care.”

”

R

In July, after being handed the hottest port-folio in the cabinet, Dosanjh lost no time tellingprofit-hungry private health care operators hehas them in his sights.

“I can tell you that what we need to do isstem the tide of privatization in Canada andexpand public delivery of health care,” theformer NDP premier told reporters. “This ismy initiation in federal politics and it’s wonder-ful to be here.”

Prosthetist, GF Strong / BC Rehabilitation


But dig a little deeper and you learn that Hearseyis far from boring. She is passionate. And her pas-

sion drives her to take on a job and do itwell. This is not a woman who gets

involved unless she knows she’sgoing to give it everything shecan.

She was born in Hong Kong,where her father was serving in thearmed forces. Her family settled inLancashire, England when thethree children were school-aged.And from those early years, she

dreamed of going to Canada. Shechose physiotherapy as a

career because she wanted to help people and, as itturned out, physios were in great demand. Soonafter completing her training, she fulfilled her am-bition to move to Canada by landing a job here.

It’s Hearsey’s passion for her patients and thework she does that makes her an effective advocate.

A few years ago, she got interested in continenceissues. Her interest and determination led to thedevelopment of a continence clinic at Burnaby Gen-eral Hospital. It took hard work and dedication tobring the specialized clinic to fruition. She studied asimilar clinic at Vancouver Women’s and Children’sHospital, threw herself into learning more, grantapplication writing, and research until she succeededin getting the clinic up and running. Today, patientssuffering from varying degrees of continence prob-lems have a place to go to deal with a health issuethat is also a social stigma. These patients – mostlywomen – range in age from 20 to 90 years old.

A chief steward at Burnaby General in the mid1980s for a few months, she rekindled her involve-ment in HSA recently when the Liberal governmentdelisted several services from the Medical ServicesPlan.

She went into action shortly after the serviceswere cut. She saw a woman who was waiting for ahip replacement, and in the interim was receivingregular outpatient physiotherapy services tomanage the pain she was in.

“Then I looked at the cuts, and I thought – whatabout all the other patients that aren’t even gettingtreatment? A lot of people can’t afford to go pri-vately.”

She made an appointment with her MLA, Harry

M E M B E R P R O F I L E

Turning passion into actionby MIRIAM SOBRINO

Susan Hearsey describes herself as “boring.”She’s a physiotherapist who loves the work. She eats, sleeps and breathesphysiotherapy. She takes physiotherapy books and magazines with herfor holiday reading.

Susan Hearseybelieves in getting

involved, speaking out,and making a difference.


Bloy. Loaded with information and experience withher 20-plus years as a physiotherapist, she made thecase to him.

“He sat and listened. He spent an hour and 20minutes with me. Then I followed up with a letterthat reiterated my points. He later dropped in to seeme in the hospital. I showed him around, showedhim the waiting list and he asked me ‘how can we getyou more staff?’”

Her experience tells her she can’t expect to seenew staff streaming in the door any time soon, butshe knows that she has made a small contributionto getting the decision-makers to understand healthfunding is important – and the people who providethe health care services our communities depend onare desperately needed.

Her success with getting her message to her MLAhelped convince her it was time to take some actionon other issues affecting health care workers.

This summer, Hearsey joined a number of otherHSA members at a training session for union mem-bers interested in promoting information aboutchanges to Workers’ Compensation and the relatedoccupational health and safety issues for health careworkers.

She is encouraging members at Burnaby Hospi-tal to get informed about the changes and to do

something about it.“If individuals don’t speak out and let their

thoughts be known about issues/actions that willadversely affect them or others, then every single oneof us will ultimately be worse off. It has been saidthat one letter written to lobby a cause reflects theopinion of 1,000 people,” she says in an article she

Susan HearseyChief Physiotherapist

Burnaby General Hospital

Hearsey took to her MLA her concernsregarding cuts to rehabilitationservices. “Helater dropped in to see me inthe hospital, and asked me‘how can we get you more staff?’”

If individuals don’t speak out and lettheir thoughts be known about issuesand actions that will adversely affectthem or others, then every single oneof us will ultimately be worse off.”

“

has circulated to HSA members at the hospital.Over the years, Hearsey has learned to appreci-

ate the power of the pen.A strong advocate of animal rights, she has writ-

ten letters, signed petitions and gathered signaturesfor petitions for organizations promoting protec-tion against animal abuse. For Hearsey, it’s not a bigstretch going from advocacy for animals toadvocacy for people.

“When you’re helping animals, you’re helpingpeople. Animals bring such compassion and peaceto people,” she said. R


G E T Y O U R V O T E O N

Get Your Vote On is a non-partisan campaignthat aims to inform young citizens how to registerto vote and how to get to the polls informed andengaged on important issues. Get your Vote On willengage youth through fun community events likeconcerts and all-candidates debates leading up tothe BC provincial election on May 17, 2005.

In Canada, since 1972, each successive genera-tion of voters has had a lower voter turnout rate.Large numbers of young people either are not regis-tered to vote at all, or are registered but do not vote.In BC, there are 500,000 eligible-but-unregisteredyouth voters (aged 18-34) and only one in five eligi-ble voters aged 18-24 is on the voters list. As forgeneral voter turnout, the percentage of eligible vot-ers (registered or not) who cast ballots – droppedfrom 70 per cent in 1983 to 55 per cent in 2001.

Young people are not showing up at the polls inlarge numbers. Get Your Vote On wants to turn thistrend around. Voting is one arena where all peoplehave equal voices. Lots of young people say whatthey care about is not being addressed.

The goals of Get Your Vote On include encourag-ing youth to come together and discuss importantissues, to understand where candidates and partiesstand on youth issues, to self-organize and mobilizevarious youth communities, and to make sure youthpriorities are on the electoral agenda. Initial surveyresults indicate that big issues for youth are envi-ronment, health care, education and social services.

“The world is run by those who show up, andyoung people in this province and across Canadaare simply not showing up at the polling booth,”said Sarah Rozell from Get Your Vote On.

Young people are starting to identify that the lowvoter turnout among youth is a significant prob-lem, one that many youth feel they need to tacklethemselves.

There are many avenues to express values andGet Your Vote On believes that a crucially importantone is to vote regardless of who one votes for.

Get Your Vote On is currently looking forcommittee members in your community for thefollowing committees: outreach/communications;endorsements; events; promotions/media; and,research.For more information please see the website:www.getyourvoteon.ca, call 604/685.6631, or [email protected].

Youth launch campaign to curb voter apathy

Young people who vote are becoming increasinglyuncommon, but a collective of British Columbia youthhave launched a campaign, entitled Get Your Vote On,to change that.

R

Get your Vote On willengage youth throughfun community events

like concerts and all-candidates debates

leading up to the BCprovincial election on

May 17, 2005.

Not voting makesyou a sitting duck.


HSA registered psychiatric nurses will vote inSeptember on changes to their contract. HSA’sBoard of Directors urge members to vote in favourof this tentative agreement.

The contract changes were negotiated under theFramework Agreement reached with HEABC inMay. The Framework Agreement ensured therewould be no rollbacks in wage rates, benefits, ortime off provisions for RPNs and RNs, and no in-crease in total compensation.

In addition, the Framework Agreement providedfor high level nursing policy discussions which tookplace in June and early July. The policy discussions,which occurred away from the bargaining table, in-volved union representatives, senior health author-ity officials and senior nursing managers, and werechaired by Assistant Deputy Minister Anne Suther-land Boal.

Results of Policy Discussions (June 4 - July7)The policy discussions resulted in agreements in thefollowing areas:• Phased retirement and new grads• Specialty training• Hours of work

Results of Bargaining (July 14-July 29)Negotiations resulted in agreements in the follow-ing areas:• Occupational Health and Safety Agency for

Health Care• Mileage allowance and electronic pay stubs and

electronic posting• New bumping language

Additional information on the proposed agree-ment has been mailed to every HSA member cov-ered by the nurses’ agreement, and also posted onthe HSA website.

The Nurses’ Bargaining Association representsregistered psychiatric nurses and registered nurseswho are members of the Health Sciences Associa-tion, BC Nurses’ Union, and the Union of Psychiat-ric Nurses.

N B A : T E N T A T I V E C O N T R A C T

Tentative contract for psychiatric nurses

The Nurses’ Bargaining Association (NBA) hasreached a tentative agreement with HEABC on a shortlist of changes to the Provincial Collective Agreement,following a series of bargaining sessions that concluded at theend of July.

R


D E F E N D I N G P U B L I C S E R V I C E S

Colombian trade union leaderscalled on Canadians to defend publicservices from privatization during a nationaltour in May.

Across the country, their message wasclear – privatization of public services hasbeen a disaster for the vast majority of peo-ple in Colombia. They urged Canadians tobecome more active in the fight against pri-vatization in order to preserve what still ex-ists in Canada.

Maria Eva Villate travelled to severalcommunities in BC to meet with unionmembers, leaders, and community activists.Villate works at the Colombian HumanRights Ombuds office where she helped toform a union in 1997 to defend their rightsas public service workers, and to guaranteerespect for their mandate to protect the hu-man rights of citizens and communities.

Being a human rights defender and atrade unionist is double jeopardy in Co-lombia: Colombia is the most dangerousplace to be a trade unionist, and humanrights defenders are routinely killed orforced into exile. More than 4,000 tradeunionists have been killed in Colombia

since 1986. No one has ever beenbrought to trial and found guilty of

these murders, leaving a climate ofabsolute impunity.

CommitteesColombians urge greater Canadianinvolvement to resist privatization

HSA’s Committee forEquality and Social Action:Jackie Spain (chair)Agnes JackmanMaureen AshfieldKimball FiniganAmanda BartlettSheila Vataiki (staff)

Villate spoke forcefully of the need for soli-darity to protect trade unionists in Colom-bia: “We need to stop the government fromkilling trade union leaders, we need to stopthem from putting them in jail.”

During her time in BC, Villate recognizedthe policies used here to pave the way forprivatization – regressive legislation and anti-union tactics.

“It’s like a script for a play. They start withthe weakest members in the system, supportworkers and staff.” Similar policies are usedin Colombia, however, there they apply re-pression to help speed up the process. InColombia the government has stripped theonce public health care system, leaving it openfor privatization.

The government turns the public againstthe workers by blaming them for the cutsand the deterioration in services. Health careunions have been vocal in their oppositionto privatization and have paid the price. Thehealth care sector is one of the hardest hit byrepression in the country after teachers.

Despite this violent context, more andmore people are participating in public ef-forts to resist further privatization plans. Thetrade union movement is on the forefront ofthis struggle. Villate strongly urged Canadi-ans to get more involved here before more ofour public services are lost.

CoDevelopment Canada organised theWestern Canadian portion of the tour withactivists in unions and communities in BC,Alberta and Saskatchewan.For more information, contact CoDev [email protected]. HSA supports CoDev’s workin Colombia through the union’s Committeefor Equality and Social Action.

R

Colombian unionleader Maria EvaVillate urgedCanadians todefend public

services, such ashealth carePH

OTO

CO

UR

TESY

CO

DEV

ELO

PMEN

T C

AN

AD

A


In August, National Union president JamesClancy wrote to Colombian President Alvaro UribeVelez demanding intervention to end the escalatingassassination of trade union leaders in his SouthAmerican country.

At least 30 union officials have been murdered todate in 2004, including 13 in the last three months,says a report by the International Confederation ofFree Trade Unions (ICFTU). During the last week ofAugust alone, three additional union leaders werekilled by the Colombian army.

Two of the murdered leaders were Héctor AlirioMartínez and Jorge Eduardo Prieto Chamusero,both Arauca regional presidents. One represented afarm workers’ union (ADUC) and the other a hos-pital workers’ union (ANTHOC). The third wasLeonel Goyeneche, treasurer of the regional branchof CUT, Colombia’s largest trade union confedera-tion.

The ICFTU report also cited seven other cases ofarbitrary or illegal detention, 11 cases of physicalattack or threats (including death threats), 17 casesof severe physical injury and two disappearances.The occurrences have been reported to the to theInternational Labor Organization’s Committee onFreedom of Association.

‘Too many examples’Clancy, in a letter on behalf of the union’s 337,000

members across the country, condemned the at-tacks and criticized the Colombian government fornot following through on earlier promises to dealwith the problem.

“The official explanation for killings carried outby the army is unconvincing and no one can havetrust that the deaths will be adequately investigated,”

N U P G E I N S O L I D A R I T Y

NUPGE condemns continuedassassinations of Colombian union leadersAt least 30 trade union officials murdered so far in2004, says James Clancy

Clancy said.“I am greatly concerned. We have seen all too

many examples in Colombia, and especially inArauca, of military authorities manipulating evidenceto hide their responsibility and place blame uponthe victims,” Clancy said in his letter.

“These attacks on trade union leaders are part ofa broad pattern of violence directed against the lead-ers of many social movements in Colombia. These

These attacks on trade unionleaders are part of a broad patternof violence directed against theleaders of many social movementsin Colombia.”

”

thugs and criminals, some in military uniform, arebeing allowed to act with near total impunity - de-spite promises made by the president to stop theviolence,” he added.

Clancy commended the ICFTU for keeping theinternational spotlight focused on Colombia.

“We applaud the efforts of the ICFTU,” he said.“The National Union continues to support the strug-gles of the Colombian people for a just and lastingpeace.”

The ICFTU represents 148 million workersthrough its 234 affiliated national trade union cen-tres in 152 countries and territories.

The Health Sciences Association is an affiliate of theNational Union of Public and General Employees.

R


“There’s been a health care theme in myfamily for quite a number of generations,”he says. Many relatives are nurses – includ-ing his mother – and for many years, hisfather was chair of the Kitimat-Stikine Re-gional District Hospital board. “I also havea brother who is a prosthetist, and a formerHSA steward at Shaughnessy Hospital.”Janzé wanted to stay in the “family busi-ness” but was leery of spending so manyyears in medical school. After some delib-eration he chose to study at the BC Insti-tute of Technology to become a lab tech-nologist. He graduated in 1987, sufficiently

satisfying his parents’ desire that he becomea doctor – and bringing him into a profes-sion that he is passionately dedicated to.

He’s also ardently dedicated to unionactivism, and it is here that he has strayedfrom family tradition: “I grew up in an anti-union household; my uncle was a vicepresident of the Social Credit Party, andmy dad’s belief was that if you work hardand diligently, you’ll do well, so why would

anyone want a union?” But by the time hewas a teenager, Janzé was beginning tothink differently.

“I spoke out in my family; there weresome spirited discussions at that time,” saysJanzé, with a smile. “But what really turnedme into a unionist was another strong anti-unionist, who fired me from a job when Iwas young. I was convinced it was not fair,but there was nothing I could do.”

His first three lab tech jobs were at non-union facilities. Then, in 1989, he startedworking at GR Baker Memorial Hospitalin Quesnel. It didn’t take him long to get

involved in theHealth SciencesAssociation.

“It was a typi-cal scenario: I wasa union newbie,full of enthusiasm,and when peoplesaid, hey, whydon’t you run for

union steward, I said sure,” he explains witha chuckle. It’s clear he has no regrets aboutthat decision, impromptu as it may havebeen.

He spent three years as steward, andthen took a break from union work,channeling his political energy (enhancedwith skills he’d learned as union steward)into other community activism. But hecouldn’t keep away from union work, and

A C T I V I S T P R O F I L E

Speaking out about workplace safetyby LAURA BUSHEIKIN

Lab technologist and union activist Gottfrid Janzé could be used asliving proof of the old saying ‘the apple never falls far from the tree’ – or,just as easily, as an example of how wrong it is. It just depends on whataspect of his working life you look at.

found himself voted in as steward again inthe early 2000s. At a certain point – specifi-cally, when there began to be layoffs in hisdepartment – he realized that his time assteward was over.

“It became too painful for me when thediscussion began to be not about if or whenbut about who was going to be laid off. Itwas an important discussion, of course,but I couldn’t do it,” he says. But his unionactivism is far from over. After steppingdown as steward, he served as Member-at-Large on the Resolutions Committee,and is currently HSA’s delegate to theQuesnel and District Labour Council.

Recently, he has found a new focusworking on the Occupational Health andSafety / Workers’ Compensation Fightbackcampaign. This initiative of HSA and theBC Federation of Labour works to increaseawareness of the provincial Liberals’ cutsto workers’ compensation benefits and serv-ices, as well as the WCB’s cuts to BC’sworkplace safety system, in response togovernment pressure. The fightback cam-paign is working to bring back a fair com-pensation system with adequate rehabili-tation services for workers injured on thejob, as well as to reverse the cuts that havebeen made to the prevention system.

Janzé’s passion for this cause is evidentas he explains how he began his involve-ment with it.

“I was at a workshop where we watched

“We’re lucky to have a unionthat’s willing to put resources

towards a workplace safety andWCB fightback campaign. ”


a film called Workplace Injuries: Lost Youth.There were four real teenagers in their ownvoices describing things that had happenedto them. It turned something on inside mybrain and my heart.

“I have a 15-year-old son and I’d beentelling him, ‘Go out and get a job,’ withoutrealizing the ramifications of this, givenrecent changes to Workers’ Compensation.The number of people dying workplacedeaths has gone up significantly in recentyears,” he says, “and the 15- to 24-year-olds have a 70 per cent higher injury ratethan others.”

The Liberal government has kept itspromise to slash red tape, he says, whichhas made the Workers’ CompensationBoard less responsive to real needs. Janzébelieves employers are wrong to think thatgetting a lower rate for WCB payments is

good for them.“We need to look past monthly payroll

costs to the greater costs to the commu-nity. The fees are relatively small comparedto the real costs of what happens whenpeople get injured,” he says. “It’s easy tolook at the bottom line, but there are peo-ple attached to that. Why should we bewilling to take chances with people’s livesand livelihoods for that extra buck?

“This is more than just a union issue,it’s a community issue. There are socialimplications when people are injured,” hesays.

Janzé praises HSA for taking a leader-ship role in Workers’ Compensation Boardcampaign. “We’re lucky to have a unionthat’s willing to put resources towards this.I think one reason we’ve taken this on isthat we have such a wide range of profes-sions. From acute care to rehab, we seepeople from the beginning to the end ofworkplace injuries,” he says.He says he finds his participation in theunion deeply rewarding, and foresees con-

Gottfrid JanzéMedical Laboratory Technologist

GR Baker Memorial Hospital

YU

KIE

KU

RA

HA

SHI P

HO

TO

tinued involvement in the future.“My role is to be someone who’s willing

to keep saying, ‘Hey, folks, we need to dealwith this.’ I’m the one who’ll keep beingthat broken record.

“I feel good about my work as steward.I won some grievance cases; in fact, I neverlost one! The training was wonderful – Ilearned to speak in public and organize mythoughts. HSA is a good group of peopleto work with. When we’ve had difficultiesin the past, we’ve resolved them,” he says.

“My wife and four children are ex-tremely supportive of my work,” he adds.“I couldn’t do it without their support. Infact, as a result of my participation, mychildren are becoming very socially aware,and also aware of their ability to make adifference in their community.”

The most rewarding aspect of his un-ion involvement has been experiencing thepower his own activism can have. “I real-ized that one person can make a difference,and I thought, what a wonderful oppor-tunity this is to do that,” he says.

Gottfrid Janzé says cuts toWCB and workplace safety

regulations are short-sighted.

R


presents

Your Future Today

OUR 3RD ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGBROADCAST DIRECTLY TO YOUR HOME VIA THE INTERNET

Saturday, October 2, 20049:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The Municipal Pension Board of Trustees invites all plan members and plan employers to participate in the Annual General Meeting. You can attend the meeting at one of the eight locations listed at right, or you can log on to our website at pensionsbc.ca to watch and ask questions through our fi rst ever live and interactive webcast (easy-to-follow instructions on how to connect will be available on the website).

MEETING LOCATIONS:Vancouver AreaSimon Fraser University– Harbour Centre 515 West Hastings Street

VictoriaHoliday Inn3020 Blanshard Street

NanaimoBest Western Dorchester Hotel70 Church Street

VernonVernon and District Performing Arts Centre, Marie Fleming Hall3800 33rd Street

NelsonBest Western Baker Street & Convention Centre154 Baker Street

CranbrookPrestige Inn209 Van Horne Street South(starts at 10:30 a.m.)

TerraceBest Western Terrace Inn4553 Greig Avenue

Prince GeorgeCoast Inn of the North770 Brunswick Street

Planning to retire soon?Sign up for a Municipal Pension Plan Retirement Seminar

The Municipal Pension Plan is hosting retirement seminars at various locations throughout BC. The seminars cover the basics of the pension plan and the retirement process, from application to receiving your payments. Each seminar runs about three hours in length.

To register, complete and return an application form, available from our website at pensionsbc.ca, or from your human resources or payroll department.

The application form lists the seminar times and it contains instructions on how to register.

Municipal Pension Plan, PO Box 9460, Victoria BC V8W 9V8Victoria: 250 356-8547 or 250 356-8974

Fax: 250 953-0415E-mail: [email protected]

SEPTEMBER NOVEMBEROCTOBER

15 Langley/Surrey

22 Courtenay

23 Campbell River

24 Port Hardy

24 Port McNeill

28 Vernon

29 Kelowna

29 Victoria

30 Penticton

5 Prince George

6 Quesnel

7 Williams Lake

19 Cranbrook

20 Creston

21 Trail

27 Vancouver

28 N. Vancouver

28 Victoria

2 Kamloops

3 Salmon Arm

4 Revelstoke

16 Duncan

17 Nanaimo

23 Victoria

23 Abbotsford

24 Burnaby

25 Delta

This fall we’ll be presenting seminars at these locations:

ADVERTISEMENTS


R

C O N T R A C T I N T E R P R E T A T I O N

It’s your right: questions and answersabout your collective agreement rights

Q:I am a lab technologist at a hospital. Twoyears ago I had problems with my right arm.It was diagnosed as a strain originally, andthen my doctor told me it was tendonitis. I

mentioned it to a co-worker, but I never reported it to myemployer or to the WCB because I’m so busy at work.

It resolved fairly quickly and I had lots of sick time inmy bank. I didn’t think it was worth bothering about.But this year I am having problems again. I applied to theWCB but they turned me down as they say I have a “pre-existing condition” in my right arm.

I realize now that I should have filled in the WCB formstwo years ago. Is there anything I can do about it now?

Reporting injuries

by SARAH O’LEARY

This column is designed to help members use their collective agreement to assert or defend their rights and workingconditions. Please feel free to send your questions to the editor, by fax, mail, or email [[email protected]]. Don’tforget to include a telephone number where you can be reached during the day.

Q:I am a child care worker at a child develop-ment centre. Last year I hurt my back whenI was trying to restrain a difficult child. Iapplied to the WCB, but I was turned down. I

only lost three days of work and so it didn’t seem like a bigdeal. I know I should have appealed, but I didn’t. But myback never recovered 100 per cent and now I occasionallyget flare-ups where the pain is quite intense. Is there anyway I can appeal now?

A:Do any of these situations sound familiar? Theyare all too common with HSA members, whosenatural tendency to put patients and clients firstis compounded by extremely heavy workloads.

Go to see the doctor: documenting your injury is ex-tremely important, no matter how minor it may seem atthe time. Remember that a small injury now may comeback to haunt you in later years. And if you don’t file areport with the WCB at the time of the injury, your chancesfor compensation are very slim.

With recent cuts to WCB, it takes very little to be shutout of the system. Late applications and failure to appeal islikely to mean the end of the road if you have a lingeringinjury. Don’t let this happen to you. It is always worthwhileto appeal, and HSA provides legal counsel to represent youat appeal. You have one year to report to the WCB – butyou must report your injury to the employer as soon aspracticable.

Don’t get shut out in the cold when you have a work-related injury. Report those injuries – don’t wait.

Sarah O’Leary is legal counsel for HSA.

Q:I am an imaging technologist. Last Novem-ber I was trying to assist a patient onto thetable when she started to fall. I caught herand felt a slight twinge in my back, but never

thought anything more about it.The next day my back was very sore, but I had a pre-

arranged two week vacation starting and I thought therest would be enough to allow me to get better. Unfortu-nately, the pain got worse and worse, and by the time Igot back to Vancouver from vacation, I went straight tomy doctor and was diagnosed with a severe back strainand a possible herniated disc.

I informed my employer and applied to the WCB. Ijust got a letter from the WCB telling me that my claim isdenied because I did not report to my employer immedi-ately, and did not go to see my doctor right away. Theysay that they don’t dispute that I have an injured back,but there is no proof that it comes from the incident withthe falling patient. I would like to appeal.


Postal code

Given names

C H A N G E O F A D D R E S S

Province

Home email

City

New home address

M O V I N G ?

Your employer doesnot send us addresschanges. We dependon you to let us know.

Member # (at top left of mailing label)

Surname

( )Work tel. & local

Facility/worksite(s)

O R E M A I L :

[email protected]

HSA is committed to using the personal information we collect in accordance with applicableprivacy legislation. By completing this form you are consenting to have HSA use the submittedinformation for the purposes of conducting our representational duties as a union, and inproviding services to our members.

R E T U R N T O :

Health SciencesAssociation of BC

300 - 5118 Joyce StreetVancouver, BC V5R 4H1

Home tel. ( )

ADM 0 035 CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Physiotherapy Association of BC & UBC Continuing StudiesInterprofessional Education Program 2004

Something new… PABC and UBC’s Continuing Studies have partneredin an Interprofessional Education Program.• Accessing & Using Research in Everyday Practice

(October 1 to 2, 2004)• Hip and Knee Replacements – From Surgery Through Rehab

(November 12-13)

PABC Members receive 50 per cent off courses.For further information contact Deena Scoretz:Tel: 604/822.8098Fax: 604/822.0388Email: [email protected]: www.cstudies.ubc.ca/rehab

P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T


E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R ( L A B O U R R E L A T I O N S )

Bumping languagea key improvement

Ron OhmartExecutive Director of Labour Relations

by RON OHMART

A s members covered by the ParamedicalProfessional Bargaining Associationcollective agreement vote this month onthe tentative agreement, I want to offer my perspec-tive on your bargaining committee’s major achieve-ment in this round of bargaining.

With no new money to negotiate, agreat deal of effort was spent by thebargaining committee on process issues.The agreement on bumping languagewas a significant improvement to thecontract language.

Bumping is often greatly misunder-stood and I’ve heard some members saythat it doesn’t belong in a professionalagreement. The truth is, bumping is thecornerstone of employment security andthe prime method for ensuring that one’sseniority affords protection from lay off.

An arbitrator first ruled in 1993 thatthe PPBA agreement contained bumpingrights. The decision came from a disputearising from a reorganization of themedical imaging department in theformer Greater Victoria Hospital Society.The decision was confirmed in subse-quent hearings by two more arbitrators.Nevertheless, up until this year, HEABChad refused to negotiate language intothe collective agreement that wouldestablish procedures for meaningfulbumping rights. Despite HEABC’sreluctance, HSA has been successfulpursuing the issues despite the lack offormal rules. As a result, displacedmembers enjoyed expanded bumpingrights.

We have now seen with the introduc-

tion of Bill 29 what happens whenbumping rights are severely and arbitrar-ily curtailed.

Twenty-five years of service offered noprotection from layoff if there was noother employee with less than five yearsseniority at the worksite. People wereunwilling to post into senior or special-ized positions knowing that these wereoften the positions the employer deletedto manage the financial crisis the govern-ment created forthem. There wasnothing fair aboutBill 29.

But the bumpinglanguage of Bill 29expires December 31,2005, and yourbargaining committeemade it a priority toensure that January 1,2006, there would be a bumping processin place and spelled out in the collectiveagreement.

For the first time in over a decade,HEABC was willing to negotiate reason-able rules and procedures.

Creating appropriate bumpinglanguage was an act of balancing thecompeting interests of the three mainparties involved in a reorganization or

downsizing of a department or servicedelivery:

1. The displaced employee who,through no fault of her own, isin the wrong position at thewrong time with respect to

management’s overall plansand budgetary concerns. Thedisplaced employee expectsand should receive a reason-able set of bumping options tosecure another positioncommensurate with her abilityand years of service.

Bumping is the cornerstone ofemployment security, and theprime method for ensuring thatone’s seniority affords protectionfrom lay off.

Continued page 23


A C R O S S T H E P R O V I N C E

Your commitment to patientsshould act as your compass

Brian Isberg, Region 2 Director

There are the obvious changes. Insome hospitals in BC, food services havebeen cut back so severely and there hasbeen so much contracting out of foodservices staff that remaining staffworking in hospitals don’t have access toa cafeteria. In the past several weeks,we’ve heard horror stories about thedeteriorating quality of housekeeping inhospitals around the province. At RoyalColumbian Hospital In NewWestminster, a patient was put onto abed still covered in soiled linens from atleast one previous patient.

People I’ve talked to have alarmingstories to tell about cursory cleanings ofareas of hospitals that have beenexposed to infectious bacteria. In mostcases, people report what they believeare unsafe practices, but nobody reallyknows if our concerns are listened to, letalone acted upon.

A prime example of the poor level ofhospital staff morale is the recentannouncement by the Fraser HealthAuthority that it would treat every staffperson in the health authority and theirfamilies to a day at Playland. Thereaction across the province? People seeit as inappropriate. Instead of improving

services or addressing workloads orshortages, they waste the money on aday at Playland. That’s not going toimprove morale among staff who havespent the past several years seeingcontracts ripped up, workloads increaseand their co-workers laid off.

What I see happening in myworkplace – and what I hear fromaround the province, is that manypeople working in the health caresystem are struggling to remember whythey got into caring professions in thefirst place. We’ve seen so much changeand so much strain on the system, andwe’ve read about increasing waiting listsand decreasing satisfaction with thehealth care system that we wonderwhere the system is headed.

With so much negative pressure onmorale at work, it should come as nosurprise that individual members of ourhealth care team are increasinglyconcerned about the impact of changeon them personally. We have to resistthe urge to keep our heads down.

Most people get into the caringprofessions because we see it as anopportunity to provide care andsupport to others. Even in the most

turbulent times, we need to rememberwhat it is that brought us to health care.And use that as the compass that helpsus navigate through changing times.

I, for one, know that working withmy colleagues we can continue todeliver superior services in theVancouver Island Health Authority. Inspite of all the changes and cuts we’veseen, the clients and patients we workfor still need our services.

Every one of us working in thesystem has stories to tell about theimpact of budget cuts. And we also havestories to tell about the services wedeliver. We are the ones who can talkabout the importance of a strong healthcare delivery system, and what thatmeans for the health outcomes ofBritish Columbians.

As this issue of The Report was goingto press, the premiers and primeministers had just announced a “deal fora decade” for health care. There’s notime like the present to look beyond ourimmediate circumstances, speak out andact as the best advocates for our patientsand our services.Brian Isberg represents Region 2 on HSA’sBoard of Directors.

by BRIAN ISBERG

After more than three years of a Liberalgovernment that has reached its hand into ourworkplaces and made dramatic changes, it’s easyto look around and see the harm that has done to moraleat work.

R


ReportThe Report is dedicated to giving information to HSAmembers, presenting their views and providing them aforum. The Report is published six times a year as theofficial publication of the Health Sciences Association, aunion representing health and social serviceprofessionals in BC. Readers are encouraged to submittheir views, opinions and ideas.

Suite 300 – 5118 Joyce StreetVancouver, BC V5R 4H1Telephone: 604/439.0994 or 1.800/663.2017Facsimile: 604/439.0976 or 1.800/663.6119

BOARD OF DIRECTORSThe Board of Directors is elected by members to runHSA between Annual Conventions. Members shouldfeel free to contact them with any concerns.

President [[email protected]]Cindy StewartPhysiotherapist, Vernon Jubilee

Region 1 [[email protected]]Kelly Finlayson (Vice-President)Radiological Technologist, St. Joseph’s

Region 2 [[email protected]]Brian Isberg (Secretary-Treasurer)Medical Technologist, Victoria General

Region 3 [[email protected]]Cheryl Greenhalgh, Radiological TechnologistRoyal Columbian Hospital

Region 4 [[email protected]]Agnes Jackman, PhysiotherapistGeorge Pearson Rehab Centre

Region 5 [[email protected]]Bonnie Norquay, Recreation TherapistVancouver Community Mental Health Service

Region 6 [[email protected]]Rae Johnson, PharmacistSt. Vincent’s / Providence

Region 7 [[email protected]]Audrey MacMillan, Psychiatric NurseChilliwack General Hospital

Region 8 [[email protected]]Joan Magee, Medical Laboratory TechnologistCariboo Memorial Hospital

Region 9 [[email protected]]Jackie Spain, Medical TechnologistGolden & District General Hospital

Region 10 [[email protected]]Lois Dick, Medical TechnologistDawson Creek & District Hospital

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORSSusan Haglund, OperationsJeanne Meyers, Legal ServicesRon Ohmart, Labour Relations

MANAGING EDITORMiriam Sobrino

EDITORYukie Kurahashi

www.hsabc.org

THE

465CEP

H e a l t h S c i e n c e s A s s o c i a t i o n o f B C

m a g a z i n e

AWARD-WINNING

MEMBER PUBLICATION

Bumping language a key improvement

2. The other employees at the worksite who feel they are innocent bystandersand may resent being bumped if they do not see the process as being fair.

3. The employer whose goal is the speedy resolution of the displacements andlay offs and minimizing the cost and disruptions.

Everyone has strong opinions when it comes to the perception of fairness andachieving language that addresses those perceptions was not an easy task. There weremany questions to be considered from all points of view, including:

• What is a reasonable time frame?• Should a person be allowed to bump into a higher graded position?• What rights should a displaced part-time employee have to a full-time

position?• When does red-circling apply or not apply?In the end the paramedical bargaining committee unanimously approved a pro-

posal that was accepted by the employers’ committee. While there aren’t wage increasesor many other benefits arising from negotiations this year, I believe this is a significantachievement. Take the time to study the new language. I think you will agree.Ron Ohmart is HSA’s Executive Director of Labour Relations.

R

Continued from page 21

Retiring?HSA issues personalized, embossed retirementcertificates recognizing your years of valuableservice. Do you know anyone who’s retiring?Contact Pattie McCormack at the HSA office(604/439.0994 or 1.800/663.2017)or email her [email protected] more information.

psychiatric nurses vote on contractpsychiatric nurses vote on contract

Always printed on recycledpaper with vegetable-based ink

Mari Clark, a psychiatric nurse at the New Vista Society in Burnaby, will cast her ballot as partof a province-wide ratification vote for the Nurses’ Bargaining Association. See coverage page 13.

publication mailagreement #4000 6822

health sciences association sept / oct 2004 vol. 25 … · 2 the report sept / oct 2004 vol. 25 no....

Documents