Health Sciences Association of Alberta
Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) is a trade union in Alberta, Canada which represents approximately 27,000 members.[2]
| Full name | Health Sciences Association of Alberta |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1971[1] |
| Members | 27,000 as of 2020 |
| Head union | Mike Parker, President[1] |
| Affiliation | National Union of Public and General Employees |
| Key people | George C. Hall, co-founding father, first executive director[1] |
| Office location | Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
| Country | Canada |
Background
In 1971, eleven "paramedical technical and professional members" established the HSAA to have a stronger representation than that provided by the larger existing labour unions.[1]
HSAA membership include employees in Alberta's public and private health-care sectors, such as "paramedics, lab technologists, psychologists, pharmacists, and respiratory therapists."[2]
The United Conservative Party (UCP) government under Premier Jason Kenney and Alberta Health Services, notified Health Sciences Association of Alberta, United Nurses of Alberta, and the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees of the government's intentions to cut an "estimated 6,400 to 7,400 unionized public-sector jobs by 2023".[3]
In February 2020, the consulting firm Ernst and Young, submitted their commissioned report to Premier Kenney, in which they recommended "contracting out surgeries, hospital food service, housekeeping, laundry, security, laboratory testing".[4] The HSAA warned that "contracting out surgeries, hospital food service, housekeeping, laundry, security, laboratory testing and more will lead to bigger hits to government coffers down the road."[4][Notes 1] The HSAA said that "privatizing lab services in Alberta could affect 850 full-time positions".[5]
Bargaining rights and labour negotiations
The Public Sector Wage Arbitration Deferral Act (Bill 9) which became law on June 20, 2019, suspended and delayed hearings related to wage arbitration for Alberta's 180,000 public service workers represented by unions in 24 collective agreements,[6] which included the HSAA, until August, when Janice MacKinnon's "Report and Recommendations: Blue Ribbon Panel on Alberta's Finances" was submitted.[7][8]
In February 2020, an independent public-sector wage arbitrator decided for the Provincial government and against the HSAA with a "zero per cent wage increase" to HSAA workers.[2] In his February 6 statement, Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews said that the UCP provincial government prioritizes "service delivery over salary increases for public sector workers".[2]
Notes
- Among the 57 recommendations in the report, options included "selling some long-term care homes and leasing space to private pharmacies in health facilities."
See also
References
- "Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA)". Alberta Labour History Institute (ALHI). ALHI Collection, Preservation, Education. 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
- Johnson, Lisa (February 6, 2020). "Zero per cent wage increase for health sciences workers after arbitration". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
- French, Janet (November 30, 2019). "UCP government says 6,400 to 7,400 Alberta union jobs could disappear by 2023". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
- French, Janet (February 4, 2020). "Health-care worker unions dismayed at AHS report's push for privatization". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
- Hudes, Sammy (November 30, 2019). "AHS to explore privatization of lab services outside of Edmonton". Calgary Herald. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
- Trynacity, Kim (June 14, 2019). "Wage deferral bill could be to the UCP what farm safety was to NDP". CBC News. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
- Canadian Press (June 20, 2019). "Bargaining rights bill passes after all-night session in Alberta legislature". CBC News. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
- MacKinnon, Janice (August 2019). Report and Recommendations: Blue Ribbon Panel on Alberta's Finances (PDF) (Report). p. 82. Retrieved November 1, 2019.