CAOT-BC Meets with Union

CAOT-BC joined members from multiple other allied health and related disciplines for a meeting of Professional Associations with Health Sciences Association (HSA) on Thursday December 13th, 2012. The meeting addressed current union activity and provided a sharing roundtable update from all of the members present.

Reid Johnson, HSA President gave an overview of recent Strike action as well as explanation of the union's perspective on the government's latests offer. Johnson also provided a strong argument for a wage increase (despite government's resistance) by looking at other unions such as BCGU, Public Transit in South Vancouver, and Nurses union, which have all received increases in wages in recent collective agreements. As occupational therapists we are generally excellent at working collaboratively and creatively, we are resourceful in working with what we have, this is a good reminder that it is important to maintain our position among other professionals.

HSA represents the majority of publicly funded occupational therapists working in British Columbia. They also represent professions such as Speech Language pathologists, pharmacists, Physiotherapists, Respiratory therapists, Ultrasound technicians, Dieticians, Biomedical Engineering Technologists, Recreation Therapists, Music Therapists and Social Workers.

Representatives from each professional group updated on issues related to forming colleges, need for increased workers (with, for example, professional drain to Alberta or Ontario), and lack of benefits for our own professions.

CAOT-BC provided information on the Workforce Collaborative Project, which addresses the discrepancy between the need for Occupational Therapists in British Columbia and the number of seats available to train them. We also shared information on CAOT's national conference in Victoria, the transition from separate provincial and national professional representation to a joint model and our need for Occupational Therapy service in our benefit packages (advocated through the national Ask For It campaign).

The meeting provided a positive opportunity to be updated on HSA activity and share information among professional colleagues.

-Mary Glasgow Brown