• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

HEALTH SCIENCES ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER 2007 VOL. 28 NO.4 THE ReportReport CELEBRATING HEALTH INNOVATIONS FACTS SHOW PUBLIC SECTOR IS LEADING THE WAY TO REDUCE WAIT LISTS AND LOWER COSTS MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Acting on members’ priorities by REID JOHNSON n my first few months on the job as your president, my priority has been to hear from HSA members about Iyour concerns and aspirations for your union, your workplaces, and your professions. Since April, I have participated in about how the recent Supreme Court of almost 20 chapter meetings, which have Canada decision on Bill 29, the provincial included meeting members from Royal legislation that eroded negotiated Jubilee Hospital and CML Healthcare in collective agreement rights, might affect Victoria, to members at the Central them. HSA is involved in preliminary Okanagan Child Development Centre, discussion with Associate Deputy Reid Johnson, HSA president and the BC Cancer Centre in Kelowna to Minister of Labour Paul Straszak who members from throughout the has been assigned to work with the feature our members, and increased Kootenays. affected unions to gather information advocacy on health and social service I’ve heard from members that you and develop a strategy for the govern- policy. have two key priorities for HSA: you ment to respond to the decision. The Members are already looking forward want to see your union working to Court gave the government a year to to 2010 and the next round of collective increase your profile as health and social develop a plan to address the conse- bargaining. The priority in the health service professionals in BC, and you quences of the decision. Watch for more sector, particularly in the Health Science want HSA actively participating in information about the Supreme Court of Professional bargaining unit, is that the advocating for support for your services Canada decision and the consultation bargaining team continue to work to – whether that’s working to improve and process in upcoming issues of The address the wage split imposed by enhance our public health care system, or Report. government in 2001. to advocate for improved funding and In your workplaces, the message I’ve I have been working to address the enhanced services in the social services heard is that you’re tired. Shortages in issues you’ve shared with me on many sector. the health science professions are taking fronts, including as a panelist in a While there is some cynicism about their toll. Many departments have had community forum on health sponsored the government’s year-long Conversation vacancies for so long, that employers by NDP MLA and Health critic Adrian on Health process, I’ve heard from you have given up on filling them. That Dix, BC Health Coalition events, provin- that HSA must continue to monitor the means the people left are forced to do cial and national meetings and the media. process, and to continue to keep mem- more with less. What is frustrating is that I believe that every opportunity to talk bers informed about the government’s this is not a surprise. The shortages we’re about HSA and the issues our members agenda on privatization and the work we experiencing weren’t unforeseen. They are face is an opportunity to be taken. are doing with the BC Health Coalition’s a direct result of a lack of a cohesive One opportunity I am looking Friends of Medicare campaign to pro- human resources strategy over the past forward to this fall is just around the mote positive, public solutions to 20 years. corner, with the union’s annual regional enhance and improve Canada’s medicare As I said in my campaign for presi- meetings starting September 21 in New system. dent, a key to building a strong position Westminster. This will be a great time to On labour relations issues, HSA for bargaining will be to raise the profile connect with the stewards who are the members continue to look to their of HSA and the work that HSA members heart of our union throughout the stewards and labour relations officers to do. I am committed to working to do province. I look forward to those assist them, and, I am pleased to say, just that, through building relationships meetings and to hearing from experi- members tell me they are satisfied with with decision-makers and keeping them enced and new activists about the issues the service and support they are receiv- informed of the issues that affect our that are important to you. R ing. Many members have questions members, advertising campaigns that Reid Johnson is HSA’s president. 2 THE REPORT SEPTEMBER 2007 VOL. 28 NO. 4 THE Report 20 RUNNING FOR THE CURE HSA elevated to gold-level sponsor 6 NEWS DEPARTMENTS 4 HEALTH UNIONS HOLD FIRST MEETING WITH GOVERNMENT ON BILL 29 COURT RULING; 10 PROFESSIONAL PROFILE: DR. MEENA SRAN CONVERSATION ON HEALTH: BC WANTS BETTER 12 ACTIVIST PROFILE: MO NORTON PUBLIC HEALTH CARE 16 FILING WCB CLAIMS 5 CMA SHOULD USE EVIDENCE-BASED CRITERIA TO SET 17 FOCUS ON PENSIONS HEALTH POLICY 19 CURRENT LABOUR DISPUTES 6 MEMBERS SET PRIORITIES FOR CML BARGAINING 22 CONTRACT INTERPRETATION 7 HSA MEMBERS ELECT KIMBALL FINIGAN AS REGION 5 23 HSA MOURNS ACTIVIST DIRECTOR; SICKO TELLS THE WORLD CANADA’S MEDICARE SYSTEM WORKS 8 HEALTH INNOVATIONS FORUM FEATURES PUBLIC SUCCESSES 14 OVERWORKED, UNDERPAID: NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT COLUMNS ON COMMUNITY SOCIAL SERVICES 18 TREES AND JOBS WASTED RUSHING TO BEAT BEETLE 2 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT 19 STRIKES AND LOCKOUTS DROP TO LOWEST LEVEL 24 OPERATIONS RECORDED IN CANADA 26 ACROSS THE PROVINCE: REGION 9 THE FRONT COVER Medical technologist Jane Tang is a crucial part of the Publications mail agreement no. 4000 6822 team at Canadian Blood Services. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to database department Suite 300, 5118 Joyce Street Patricia Sayer photo. Vancouver BC V5R 4H1 THE REPORT SEPTEMBER 2007 VOL. 28 NO. 4 3 News Health unions hold first meeting with This initial meeting with government included government on Bill 29 court ruling representatives from the four union bargaining as- In early September, health care unions met with rep- sociations negotiating on behalf of nearly 100,000 resentatives of the provincial government to deal health care workers. with the repercussions of last June’s landmark Su- The parties exchanged perspectives on the mean- preme Court decision that declared parts of a 2002 ing of the court ruling and agreed to engage in a contract-stripping law unconstitutional. series of negotiations. Bill 29, the Health and Social Services Delivery On broader issues, all four bargaining associa- Improvement Act, eliminated or curtailed provisions tions will meet jointly with government. Issues spe- in legally-negotiated contracts that resulted in job cific to individual bargaining associations will be losses for thousands of workers, mostly women. negotiated separately with government and health For many others, the legislation resulted in limited employers. career options, lower pay and arbitrary transfers. The unions are optimistic that in addition to re- The June 8 court ruling established for the first storing workers’ rights, the talks will provide an time that collective bargaining is protected under opportunity to find solutions that improve health the freedom of association provisions of the Cana- care delivery to the public. dian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The court declared key sections of Bill 29 unconstitutional. Conversation on Health: British The court suspended its declaration for a period Columbians want better public health of one year so that government can deal with the care repercussions of the decision. In July, as the provincial government wrapped up the final sessions of its Conversation on Health in Vancouver, participants from 14 of the public fo- rums held across the province during the past six months joined with the BC Health Coalition to de- liver a clear message. They said that British Columbians attending the Conversation on Health overwhelmingly want better public health care and support proven Conversation on Health participants gathered in July to call for accountability in the use of information gathered at the sessions held province-wide. An overwhelming majority of British Columbians at the Conversation events want better public health care, and support proven innovations and solutions within public health care facilities. From left: Faith Uchida, Brendan Shields, Ezra Barrett, Mandi Ayers, and Rachel Tutte JESSICA CAMERON PHOTO 4 THE REPORT SEPTEMBER 2007 VOL. 28 NO. 4 Stay connected! innovations and solutions within public health care Check out HSA’s facilities. website at “We’re concerned that the provincial government is on the road to increasing for-profit, private health www.hsabc.org care, no matter what people have been saying through government’s own consultation process,” said BCHC co-chair Joyce Jones. CMA should use evidence-based “We’re concerned that the Conversation may have criteria to set health policy been an elaborate $10 million production in smoke NUPGE and mirrors, designed to create the impression that A group of organizations, including the BC Health the government is consulting British Columbians Coalition, is calling on the Canadian Medical Asso- on the changes we want to the health care system. In ciation to adopt an ‘evidence-based’ approach to fact, the government has already determined the health policy similar to the principle doctors rou- future of health care in BC.” tinely apply to the practice of medicine. At a news conference, Conversation on Health The organizations, which also include the Na- participants from across the province spoke about tional Union of Public and General Employees, have their experiences in the process, including their per- prepared a joint response to a recently released CMA ceptions and the observations shared about health paper advocating private sector practices that un- care challenges in their own communities.

Load more

  27

Copy Link