Dispatches June 2008

June 2008

Last summer Health Sciences Association members were holding meetings across the province to discuss the new tentative collective agreement with SAHO. HSAS president Chris Driol spoke at many of those gatherings and explained the improvements that had been bargained in the contract. Another message Chris imparted to those ratification meetings was to urge members to make use of the provisions we already have in our collective agreement. He often used the example of Family Responsibility Leave. In the past this contract provision, contained in article 11.06, had been rarely used; so much so that many union members were unaware of its existence. Apparently this encouragement found a receptive audience because numerous requests for family responsibility leave went to managers and supervisors in the weeks that followed and some of them were approved. Some were not.

Continued on Page 7

Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan

June 2008

President’s Message 2

Help Save Some Lives 3

May Day Rally in Regina 4

Life Beyond Lisping 5

EMS in Saskatchewan 8

Provincial Negotiating Committee 9

CHPS 9

Public Relations Slogan Contest 10

Upcoming Events 11

Our Trade Union Ancestors 13

Market Supplement Update 15

SHEA Awards 15

MADD / HSAS Launch 16

“Parallel” Health Care: The Wolf in Sheeps’ Clothing

17

Planning for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

19

HSAS Supports Education 22

Executive Council 23

Executive Officers 24

Board of Governors 24

Committees 24

HSAS Staff 25

Change of Address Form 27

Inside this issue: Winning Grievances R Us

Pictured: Sheila Dickie, Garnet Dishaw, Peggy Forsberg

Fair Day’s Work Pamphlet Insert

June 2008

It’s been an extremely busy winter and spring at HSAS and your staff and elected representatives are looking forward to the all too short Saskatchewan summer. I hope that the members of HSAS will enjoy some well deserved vacation this summer and take a break from the day-to-day challenges of your working lives. HSAS has been very busy over the last months lobbying our new government, advertising our Professions (click on Media Releases on our website at www.hsa-sk.com for more details) and attending to the administration of our Collective Agreement. We have also lent our support to the Saskatchewan Federation of

Labour’s campaign against Bills 5 & 6 and stood ready to assist SUN in their efforts to secure a fair Collective Agreement. With mandated Essential Services provisions hanging over their heads, the SUN membership gave their bargaining committee a strong strike vote which was vital in order to negotiate the gains which the nurses achieved. We continue to prepare for our bargaining next spring. It is our hope that our members will work with us in our ongoing advocacy work, raising awareness of the Health Sciences professions and the issues we face in the work place. Please be sure to read the insert in this edition of the Dispatches entitled “Fair Day’s Work, Fair Day’s Pay”. Best Regards - In Solidarity, Chris Driol President of HSAS

President’s Message

HOME EMAIL ADDRESS

If you haven’t already done so, please send us your home

email address to assist us in keeping you informed.

Please see Page 27 of this publication

for more information.

June 2008

Amnesty International estimates that 2,300 Colombian trade unionists have been killed or “disappeared” in the last two decades. These murders and kidnappings are carried out by paramilitary groups such as Frente Aguilas Negras (Black Eagles Front). Recently, death threats were issued by paramilitary groups against Javier Correa, Jose Domingo Florez and Luis Eduardo Garcia, leaders of Colombia’s food workers union SINALTRAINAL, which has been involved in labour disputes with large international companies such as Coca Cola bottling plants. Please consider signing and sending the adjoining letter. It may save a life. And consider joining Amnesty International and supporting its good work.

Help Save Some Lives

His Excellency Jaime Giron Duarte Ambassador for Colombia 360 Albert St, Suite 1002 Ottawa, Ontario K1R 7X7 e-mail: [email protected] Dear Mr. Ambassador: I write to respectfully request that you communicate to your government the urgent need to protect the lives, well-being and rights of Colombian trade union members and activists. As you will know, paramilitary groups have regularly intimidated, threatened, assaulted and killed officials of labour organizations in your home country. These illegal acts are intended to undermine the legitimate activities of union officials to improve working conditions and wages of Colombian people. I am aware of some of the efforts your national government has made to provide armed escorts and bullet proof vehicles to labour leaders. These measures are welcome and should be expanded. In particular I would urge you to recommend increased protection for Javier Correa, Jose Domingo Florez and Luis Eduardo Garcia, leaders of Colombia’s food workers union SINALTRAINAL. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Sincerely, ___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

Javier Correa

June 2008

May Day Rally in Regina

May Day, sometimes referred to as International Workers’ Day, is the day set aside to celebrate the social and economic successes of the l a b o u r m o v e m e n t internationally. On May 1, 2008, Natalie Horejda, Mario Kijkowski and Charlene Hebert joined hundreds of other union members gathered in front of the Saskatchewan Legislative Buildings in Regina to protest Bills 5 & 6. Bills 5 & 6 weaken workers’ rights to strike or for unions to organize workers. Please refer to the February 2008 edition of the Dispatches f o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n regarding the briefing note on these two Bills which was presented to the Honourable Rob Norris by HSAS.

June 2008

Being able to communicate thoughts and ideas to other people is a large part of what makes us human. Yet many of us experience difficulties when it comes to learning language and speech patterns. As part of celebrating May as Speech and Hearing Month in Canada, the Journal will focus on the work of Speech and Language Pathologists in our community over the next four weeks. SLPs, as they refer to themselves, are the people who deal with those who experience difficulty with communication and speech on a daily basis. A relatively new profession, what SLPs do, exactly, remains behind a veil of mystery for many, but the Journal hopes to lift the veil just a bit over the next four weeks, allowing the public a glimpse into this fascinating world. by Keri Dalman Journal Editor They’re not just concerned with sounds, but with communication. When many of us think of Speech and Language Pathologists (SLPs), we may think of the kind woman or man who helped us when we had trouble pronouncing our words correctly. They perhaps helped us say our ls properly, or our rs. But what SLPs do goes far beyond simple pronunciation. Their focus is actually much, much broader than that, and it all revolves around communication. “An SLP is someone who specializes in helping people learn how to communicate better,” said Helen Weyland, an SLP with the Horizon School Division, and Karen Wasylenko, an SLP with Saskatoon Health Region Public Health Services. Their work includes everything from helping their clients speak and use language correctly to helping them learn about things like turn-taking, and with their nonverbal communica-tion.

Life Beyond Lisping Communication skills at heart of speech-language pathology

“ We look at communication and how they interact with others, how they see the world, how they understand and comprehend situations and how they express themselves,” said Wasylenko. It’s a very specialized field, the two said, and a relatively young profession that came out for the first time after the Second World War. Soldiers were coming home with injuries, they explained, and needed help to learn to communicate again. Prior to this time, there were people who worked as elocutionists , Weyland said — basically helping people with the way that they spoke. But after these soldiers were experiencing these medically-based communication issues, people started looking at how the brain works and how language and speech could be rehabilitated. Since 1981, Canadian research into speech and language has really grown, the two added, and SLPs in Canada can now rely more on research done here, rather than American-based resources. But still, there are only seven universities in Canada that offer training in speech and lan-guage pathology, a profession which now requires a Masters degree to practise. SLPs currently coming out of training have spent six to seven years in school, and constantly upgrade in order to keep up with current research and practices. “It is a young profession. Things change substantially over a few years,” said Weyland. All this training is absolutely necessary when it comes to completing their work, as they try to identify the underlying cause behind each speech and language problem, and definitely come up with a strategy to try and relieve the problem.

June 2008

their job. The people they see — mostly children — are not all the same. Each has different challenges and they have to figure out new ways to get them to where they need to be when it comes to speech and language. Some of the children they see require just a simple strategy, just a little tweak, and they’re

on their way, they said. Others require more intensive therapy. The two SLPs also wanted to stress that it is not a parent’s fault if their child is having difficulty learning speech and language. Each child, as they’ve said, has a different learning style, and if your teaching style as a parent doesn’t quite match up with the learning style of the child, the SLP can be a resource to help them. “It’s not anyone’s fault,” Weyland said, when a child experiences difficulties. It just sometimes takes a little outside help to get parent and child on the same wavelength. Many times, parents don’t realize their child may have a problem until they compare the child to another in their family, or when they attend playschool or lessons where they are with other children, the two said. Speech and language issues can affect anyone, they noted — it crosses all cultures and economic levels. According to their national association, one in every 10 Canadians lives with a serious communication disorder. So looking for blame is nowhere near as impor-tant as trying to come up with a strategy to address the problem.

“Oftentimes we don’t know the cause (of an issue),” said Wasylenko. “It’s support for the child that’s important.” Their clients range from children who may have simple pronunciation issues to those who have more complicated problems with speech and language due to developmental delays to those who suffer from certain conditions which make communication difficult, such as cerebral palsy or even Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Other SLPs work with babies who may have swallowing or feeding problems, due to their oral structure, and still others work with adults who may be having problems with speech and language after an accident or stroke, or has a problem that extends back to childhood that was never corrected. Some SLPs even specialize in accent reduction, or work with singers or others who are experiencing voice strain. But most commonly, at least in the Humboldt area, SLPs work with children of pre-school or school-age. Oftentimes, when it comes to developmental delays, for example, an issue with speech and language is the reason the delay is diagnosed in the first place. Which is why it is so important for the parents of children who have speech delays seek help while the child is still quite young. With children, Wasylenko noted, it’s not immediately clear whether they are actually having cognitive difficulties, or just speech and language issues. Whether they are developmentally delayed or just having trouble communicating can’t really be separated in the first years of life. “They are very interrelated,” said Wasylenko. And, they stressed, every child learns differently. “You can’t find one child that’s the same as the next,” said Weyland, which means that, with each child that they see, they have to come up with a new strategy for working with them. That, they said, is one of the nice things about

June 2008

Chris Driol had promised members the union would support their requests and contest any denials of leave. Numerous grievances were filed in several health regions arguing for a reversal of the decisions to deny paid family leave. Two of the more prominent HSAS members to file grievances were Sheila Dickie and Peggy Forsberg who are both on the Executive Council of Health Sciences. Peggy and Sheila are physical therapists at the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre in Regina. They had each separately requested very brief periods of family leave to attend parent – teacher interviews for children in elementary school. The Wascana Rehabilitation Centre has some good, progressive managers (a number are former HSAS members) but having no template to follow in dealing with such requests, they turned them

Grievances - cont. from Page 1

down apparently out of caution. Sheila and Peggy didn’t accept these decisions. They contacted their union office and grievances were filed. Sheila Dickie and Peggy Forsberg attended their grievance meetings and helped their union rep present a solid, persuasive case. They won their grievances and had their time away from work covered by paid Family Leave. They didn’t have to use up vacation time, take unpaid leave, miss the parent – teacher conference or take pressing necessity leave. They received paid Family Leave as provided in article 11.06 of the contract. It was a fine display of leadership by a couple of highly motivated union leaders.

The Speech and Language field is definitely a complicated one. Everything to do with language is part of their job, Weyland noted. Vocabulary, semantics, word order, sarcasm, figurative language and body language are all involved in their job. And issues with speech and language can there-fore have a huge affect on your ability to not only communicate with others, but to learn — for as children get older, reading and communication is the medium through which they learn all other subjects. SLPs encourage parents to read to their children often, sing to them and play word-games with them. They also encouraged parents to engage their children in conversation, not simply have them instructing all the time. It has to be a two-way street for them to get the most benefit out of it, Weyland noted. The preceding article was published May 7, 2008

in the Humboldt Journal and reprinted with permission.

Another important point stressed by these two SLPs is when they are dealing with pre-school and school-aged children, they are dealing with the family as well. An SLP, they said, is someone the family goes to for help, for support, for strategies on how to help a child. However, because of the intensive work that is required to help children with even the most simple difficulties with speech and language, the family are the ones who work with the child on the exercises provided by the SLP. After all, Weyland said, “communication therapy doesn’t start in that room (with the SLP). It starts when they say good morning and ends when they say good night.” The onus really needs to be on the parents, on those who are caring for the child all the time, to help with any speech and language difficulties, Weyland said, as they are the ones who are in the best position to help the child. “We’re training therapists to become therapists in their home,” Wasylenko said.

June 2008

Saskatchewan EMS has come a long way from its owner and operator groups and its origins of community volunteers looking to help out in their communities and funeral homes that provided ambulance services. The ambulance service has evolved over time, from the horse and buggy taking patients with tuberculosis or other communicable diseases away to the infirmary, to its use in the military. Up until recent times, it consisted of no more than a fast ride to the hospital, with a limited amount of care given on the way. The growth and added scope of practice that has come into the industry has been dramatic over the course of the last twenty years. Today, we perform life saving treatments which before could only be performed by the hands of a physician. Meade (1998) explains, “…EMS expanded its practice to include on-scene interventions for victims of sudden cardiac death, including invasive procedures traditionally performed by physicians. Over the years, other milestone events and technology advances have helped expand the scope of EMS practice” (p.39). No other change in health care delivery has been more dramatic than that of the emergency medical service. This front line industry has become the gatekeeper to the entire health care delivery system. We have become an extension of the entire hospital, not just its emergency department. Pre-hospital emergency care reflects the entire continuum of patient care, treatment and transportation for patients outside the hospital environment. Patient care begins when the call for help is made and continues on when EMS practitioners make patient contact and decide what treatments should begin. The EMS practitioners either release the patient from their treatment or transfer the care onto the appropriate facility. Although the landscape is different from service to service, EMS practitioners are often the first visual impression that our patients see and our actions symbolize the values and mission statements the health region or organization they work for truly represents. When an organization and health region matches the

EMS in Saskatchewan

values of the community it is in, the mission statement set forth by them will have the greatest chance to achieve its goals. The best example I can think of is improved cardiac arrest survival rates as seen in communities where early CPR and AED accessibility are made available (American Heart Association, 2008). By building relationships and trust with other organizations and most importantly with the patients we care for, we together can build a strong foundation built on community values. I cannot stress enough that we, as employees and members of the same union, are the best public relations tool we have. Essentially, we are selling ourselves and what we do, so we should act accordingly. In Solidarity, Darcy McKay HSAS Executive Council Member representing Paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians and Dispatchers Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region References: American Heart Association (2008). Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Statistics. Retrieved May 19, 2008 from http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4483 Meade, D. M. (1998). Expanded-scope of practice: EMS at the crossroads of care. Emergency Medical Services: The Journal of Emergency Care, Rescue and Transportation, 27(5), 39.

June 2008

Provincial Negotiating Committee

Your Negotiating Committee wishes to thank the hundreds of members who took time to complete the Bargaining Survey and Workload Assessment which were sent out to the Membership in late April. In order to ensure that our bargaining proposals truly reflect the needs of our members, your on-going input and support are vital. Your Negotiating Committee encourages you to continue offering your ideas over the coming months as we begin the work of preparing our proposals package to be presented to SAHO

Canadian Health Professionals Secretariat (CHPS)

CHPS held their semi-annual meeting in Ottawa on May 1st and 2nd, 2008. HSAS was represented by Cathy Dickson, Debra Ginther and Chris Driol The Canadian Health Professionals Secretariat (CHPS) was formed by the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) to serve as a forum where health science professionals from across Canada could meet to discuss common concerns and take collective action to raise the profile of health science professionals across our nation. Currently, CHPS represents 60,000 professionals from all provinces in Canada with the exception of Quebec. Larry Brown, Secretary Treasurer of NUPGE spoke to our group about issues surrounding publicly funded health care sustainability, ethical pension investment philosophies and practices. He also highlighted concerns regarding the formation of Enterprise Saskatchewan and how this relates to the Trade Investment, Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) and legal challenges being mounted across the country against Essential Services legislation. We heard a report from CHPS leadership who had initiated a meeting with the Federal NDP

early next year. We are committed to providing regular updates to you as we move through this process through mail outs and home emails. If you would like to be added to our Members home email database, please contact our Saskatoon Office at 955-3399 or (toll-free) 1-888-565-3399 or email [email protected]. Your Negotiating Committee, Bill Fischer (Chair) Warren Chykowski Cathy Dickson Chris Driol Debra Ginther Natalie Horejda Marcel Shevalier

Health Critic and also heard details about a similar meeting initiated by the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals which HSAS President Chris Driol attended at their invitation. Our group also heard from a representative of “Canadian Doctors for Medicare” and discussed initiatives to partner with this group and others who support and wish to improve the publicly funded health care system. The second day of our meeting was dedicated to receiving reports from across the country on issues related to health care funding, collective bargaining, health care re-organization and challenges faced by health care professionals in other jurisdictions. Our meeting concluded with a lively update and round table discussion regarding best (and worst) practices for Market Supplement which are in place or being initiated across the country. The struggle to retain and recruit health care professionals is clearly national and even international in scope. Market Supplements appear to be the choice of employers in their efforts to address critical shortages of health care professionals.

June 2008

Public Relations Campaign Slogan Contest HSAS will be mounting a major multimedia public relations campaign this fall and winter. Research has shown that the public has limited insight into who health sciences professionals are and the functions they perform. It is worthy of note, however, that those same people, once they are made aware of our professions and what we do give us an extremely high respect and approval rating. The essence of our campaign will be to increase public awareness of who we are, what we do and the challenges and issues we face in the workplace. HSAS is seeking member input for a slogan or “catch phrase” for our public relations campaign. Please email your ideas to [email protected] or call 1-877-889-4727. If your idea is chosen for our campaign slogan by our distinguished panel of judges, then you will win a prize. Contest closes on August 29th, 2008.

Slogan New HSAS

Historical Insults

“I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play, bring a friend... if you have one.” – George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill “Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second... if there is one.” – Winston Churchill “Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go.” – Oscar Wilde “His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork.” – Mae West

June 2008

A. Meeting of Executive Council The next HSAS Executive Council meeting will be held Thursday, June 19, 2008 in Davidson. B. Silver Anniversary Scholarship Fund The deadline for applications to be received by the Saskatoon HSAS office for the Silver Anniversary Scholarship Fund is August 15th. Application forms and details are available at the Saskatoon HSAS office and on the HSAS website. C. HSAS Bursary The deadline for applications to be received by the Saskatoon HSAS office for the HSAS Bursary is August 15th. Application forms and details are available at the Saskatoon HSAS office and on the HSAS website. D. HSAS Annual Convention The 36th HSAS Annual Convention will be held Friday, November 21st at the Travelodge in Saskatoon. We have a welcome social planned for Thursday evening and an action packed morning and afternoon of activities planned prior to the Annual Convention Business Meeting on Friday afternoon. Expenses, including wage replacement for delegates, will be reimbursed by HSAS. (a) Resolutions To Be Considered At The Annual Convention In order for resolutions from the membership to be considered at the Annual Convention, the

following conditions must be met: (i) each resolution must be submitted by ten (10) active members of the union and (ii) each resolution must be received by the Secretary of the union at the Saskatoon HSAS

office no later than September 17, 2008. (b) Delegates to the Annual Convention

Any HSAS member may attend the Annual Convention but only elected delegates will be entitled to vote. HSAS members in each Health Region can elect delegates to the Annual Convention based on one (1) delegate for every 100 members or portion thereof in their Health Region. Information on delegate nominations was mailed to each HSAS member’s home the beginning of May. Nominations were to be received in the Saskatoon HSAS office no later than May 29, 2008. Here is a breakdown on the number of delegates each Health Region may send to the Annual Convention and who has been nominated.

Allotted Nominations Received Health Region Delegates As of May 29/08 __ Cypress 2 Ralph Aman Five Hills 2 Heartland 2 Keewatin Yatthé 1 Kelsey Trail 1 Mamawetan Churchill River 1 Prairie North 3 Lynzie Rindero

Upcoming Events

June 2008

Allotted Nominations Received Health Region Delegates As of May 29/08 __ Prince Albert Parkland 2 Regina Qu’Appelle 8 Gail Beggs-LaRiviere Jean Coleman Natalie Horejda Saskatoon 10 Glenda Brown Warren Chykowski Terry Dodds Bill Feldbruegge Karen Kinar Allan Morrissette Tina Peyton Jennifer Skakun Sun Country 2 Mary Deren Lisa Johnson Hallberg Rod Watson Sunrise 2 Tracy Erickson With the exception of Sun Country Health Region, fewer nominations have been received than seats available, therefore, nominations received prior to May 29th shall be considered acclaimed for those seats. Any nominations received after the deadline will be considered in the order that they are received, as acclaimed until all vacant seats are filled. Nominations received after all seats have been filled, will be considered as alternates. Should any acclaimed delegate be unable to attend the Annual Convention, the alternates shall be approached to fill the vacant delegate seat, based upon the receipt date of their nomination. Nomination forms can be obtained by calling the HSAS Saskatoon office at 955-3399 or toll-free at 1-888-565-3399. Health Region Vacancies Cypress 1 Five Hills 2 Heartland 2 Keewatin Yatthé 1 Kelsey Trail 1 Mamawetan Churchill River 1 Prairie North 2 Prince Albert Parkland 2 Regina Qu’Appelle 5 Saskatoon 2 Sun Country 0 - An election will be held Sunrise 1 Total 20 Responsibilities of Delegates: 1. Required to attend the entire Annual Convention. 2. Read material sent out prior to the convention.

June 2008

Victorian England was a fine place if you were part of the landed gentry or the newly rich mercantile class that had acquired wealth in manufacturing and trade. The business class practiced a form of laissez-faire capitalism that was renowned for its ruthlessness towards working people. It was the kind of free enterprise that regards workers as expendable inputs in the production process. The owners of retail shops, warehouses, factories and mills paid wages scarcely high enough to keep workers from starvation. As late as the 1880s the work day could stretch from 6 AM until 9 PM with an unpaid half an hour for lunch. In slack periods excess employees were kicked out of their jobs, and fended for themselves in a society with no unemployment insurance and only a rudimentary church run welfare system.

Workers mangled in unguarded machines were commonly fired w i t h o u t a n y c o m p e n s a t i o n whatsoever. Trade union supporters could be legally fired and blacklisted to insure they didn’t work elsewhere. Organized labour in the 1880s was pretty much l imited to ski l led tradesmen such as machinists, mechanics,

Our Trade Union Ancestors

the building trades, the running trades on the railway and coal miners in northeast England and Wales. Attempts had been made in the 1830s to organize lesser skilled workers. Robert Owen, the first British socialist, led a huge drive to unionize everyone from foundry hands to farm labourers (including the famous Tolpuddle Martyrs). But the effort failed badly with many of the leaders sentenced to long prison terms or exiled to the penal colony in Australia. For half a century after the 1830s unskilled and semi-skilled workers in Britain and other industrialized countries were considered impossible to organize, and they were left at the mercy of the bosses. Then an unlikely group of workers took a brave stand in 1888, and in doing so changed the course of history for the working class.

Match-girls take a stand The poorest, hungriest and most ill-treated people in the working class slums of east end London were the match-girls. 1,400 girls and young women, ranging in age from eight to early adulthood worked for the giant Bryant and May Company making wooden matches. Some toiled dawn to dusk in the cramped, dungeon-like factory that reeked of sulphur, sweat and bad plumbing. Others sold matches on the street for pennies in all kinds of weather. Health problems related to malnutrition plagued many match-girls.

The Match-girls’ Union – and the strike that changed

the labour movement

June 2008

She organized her friends and readers to raise funds for the strikers. She also crusaded non-stop in print and in speeches to arouse public opinion on behalf of the match-girls.

Annie Besant also persuaded the London Trades Council to promise the combined support of all the unions in London for the fight with the well financed aristocrats who controlled Bryant and May. Gradually the sympathies of the general public moved to the side of the match-girls. A boycott of Bryant and May products was proposed as the strike approached its third week. The company realized it was beat, and proposed settling. The girls agreed, but first met and formed the Match-girls Union with Annie Besant as the Secretary. The new union signed a contract for higher wages, an end to the system of fines and the reinstatement of the fired girl. The match-girls returned to work in triumph. For some of them winning the strike was the

Wages at Bryant and May’s ranged from four to nine shillings a week, which permitted an employee to buy barely adequate food and a rat and bug infested place to stay. There was also a system of fines for spoiled product. The match-girls typically dressed in cast-off clothes and walked to work bare-footed and unwashed, due to the brutal poverty in which they lived. While employers and politicians ignored the plight of such wage earners, there was a small group of social reformers who tried to get conditions improved. One of these was the writer Annie Besant, who wrote an article for a small left-wing newspaper about the terrible exploitation suffered by the match-girls at Bryant and May.

White Slavery The article was entitled “White Slavery – in London” and it so angered Bryant and May company directors they began preparing a libel suit. To support the lawsuit the managers circulated a petition to employees asking them to declare they were well treated and perfectly satisfied with their conditions. A group of girls refused to sign the document, and the supposed leader of the group was fired as a warning to others. News of the firing spread quickly and within hours the 1,400 match-girls at Bryant and May walked out in sympathy with the fired girl. “It just went like tinder”, one of the strikers said, “one girl began and the rest said ‘Yes’ so out we all went.” A delegation of the strikers went to see Annie Besant to ask for her help. Ms. Besant was more than willing to be part of the fight.

June 2008

Saskatchewan Healthcare Excellence Awards

Mission Statement “To provide a venue to promote success in Saskatchewan healthcare a n d p r o f i l e t h o s e individuals demonstrating excellence in their field.”

HSAS would like to congratulate the following HSAS members who were recognized for their achievements: Bruce Lang Pharmacist Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region Marg Petty, Lindsay Walker and Mary Ross Mental Health and Addiction Services Saskatoon Health Region

For more information on the awards, please

visit their website at sheawards.ca or call them at 1-877-210-7623.

A Market Supplement hearing was held on April 29th, 2008. The results of that hearing follow: Occupational Therapist HSAS had proposed a 6% increase SAHO had proposed a 1.8% increase Decision of Adjudicator - 1.8% increase Respiratory Therapist HSAS had proposed a 8% increase SAHO had proposed a 3.56% increase Decision of Adjudicator - 3.56% increase PhD. Psychologist HSAS had proposed a 8% increase SAHO had proposed a 5% increase Decision of Adjudicator - 8% increase More information can be found on the HSAS web-site at www.hsa-sk,com by following the links un-der Agreements & LOUs—Market Supplement Program.

Market Supplement Update

only good thing that had happened to them in their entire lives. In summoning the courage to strike, and stay on strike until they won, the London match-girls sent a clear message to the rest of the unorganized

working class in Britain and beyond. Lesser skilled workers could successfully form unions and improve their lot. And in the years following the match-girls strike of 1888, that is exactly what tens of thousand of wage earners did.

June 2008

The 2008 MADD/HSAS “Signs of Summer Campaign” was launched at a press conference at 11:00 am on May 16th held in Saskatoon Royal University Hospital’s main lecture theatre. HSAS was pleased to see that newspaper, television and several radio stations were in attendance and provided coverage of the event. The “Signs of Summer Campaign” runs until the September long weekend and consists of radio ads, bus boards in Saskatoon and Regina and promotional materials (posters and fridge magnets) aimed at raising awareness of the dangers and tragedies associated with impaired driving. Members who wish to assist in the distribution of campaign materials in their workplace or elsewhere in their community can order the materials from our Saskatoon or Regina offices. HSAS is proud to partner with MADD Canada in this important initiative.

MADD / HSAS Launch “Signs of Summer” Campaign

Sample of Poster

Sample of Fridge Magnet

June 2008

From the February 28, 2008 Fast Facts article published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives This Fast Facts was published in the Winnipeg Free Press on February 19th. Coincidentally, the following day, the media reported on the release of the Castonguay Report in Quebec. This report responded to last year’s narrow majority ruling of the Supreme Court of Canada which opened up the possibility of a parallel health care system, at least for Quebec. The proposal to enable a parallel system is at the core of the report, and it is the one which will have the most serious implications for a universal system where service is based on need. For this reason, Michel Venne, one of the three members of the Castonguay task force, dissented from the core recommendations. Those who promote further privatization of Canada’s public-private mix in its health care system ignore comparisons with the USA, since its largely private system is so terribly flawed with high costs and limited access. Instead they use comparisons with other countries to propose a bewildering array of variations on privatization. A recent one is the “parallel” system variation which exists in some other countries, especially in Europe. This system allows private, for-profit facilities to operate alongside public ones, so that well-to-do patients can jump the queue into the private clinic. Proponents argue that this practice frees up places in the public queue so that everyone can get faster treatment. There are two barriers in Canada to this happening. One is the Canada Health Act which prohibits doctors from extra billing for insured services. This does not prevent doctors from setting up privately, but it does act as a disincentive to do so. The other is that six provinces, including Manitoba, prohibit doctors from practicing simultaneously in the public and private system. Canada is not the only country to “ban private health care”; Sweden, Greece

“Parallel” Health Care: The Wolf in Sheeps’ Clothing

and Italy also prohibit practice in both systems. Other countries use different ways to achieve the same results. Holland has a parallel system, but patients can’t move between the two systems. France prohibits doctors in private practice to charge more than they would get in the public system. All these prohibitions are there because their removal does NOT ease wait times in the public system. Furthermore it leads to an expansion of the private system AT THE EXPENSE OF those in the public system. A 2006 study estimated that wait times in England, which has a fully developed parallel system, were 3 times longer than the most exaggerated wait times in Canada. Australia and New Zealand also have parallel systems. Their public system wait times are also longer than in countries which inhibit the growth of the private system. When cataract surgery was being done in Manitoba in private clinics, the shortest wait was for patients paying for private care. In the middle were patients whose doctors practiced only in the public system. The longest wait times occurred in the public queue where doctors were also in private practice. This is consistent with the evidence from England where doctors are offering patients more timely treatment in their private practice to the neglect of patients who cannot afford the fee. They have what economists call a “perverse incentive” to keep public waiting lists long, to encourage patients to pay for private care. Since health care professionals can’t be in two places at once, it’s hard to see how their movement from the public to the private system is going to help the public system. In fact, studies in Belgium and Australia have identified the tendency of private facilities and insurers to leave the more expensive cases to

June 2008

the public system and “cherry pick” the healthier and least expensive to treat. The parallel system puts other pressures on the public system. A fee-paying patient who jumps the queue for say an MRI, also jumps the queue into follow-up treatment in the public system if something is found amiss. This backs up the queue further for the public patient who hasn’t even got the MRI yet. Even worse, research in England found that there was an astonishingly high rate of complications (around 20% compared to between 1 and 2% in the public system) from hip surgeries done in private clinics. These patients all ended up in the public system for restorative work. The case for a parallel system is based on the myth that everybody wins. But the parallel system clearly compromises access to care for those often most in need who cannot afford private care. Health care based on need, not ability to pay, is one of the features of our current system which most Canadians wish to preserve. Regrettably evidence such as that presented here doesn’t deter the proponents of privatization. Likely this is because the major proponents will profit from further privatization. For example, a recent conference sponsored by owners of private clinics in Canada was entirely about how to convince a skeptical public of the “benefits” of a

greater role in health care for the private sector. Presenting a parallel system as saving universal access was proposed as one strategy to do this. We are spending far too much energy defending the public system at the expense of addressing the real issues. These include increasing demands, shortages of personnel, access to primary care, paying attention to the prevention of ill-health, the need for a national pharmacare program, and the absence of democratic debate from an informed public. Since 30% of Canada’s total health care expenditures are already paid to the private sector, perhaps a good place to start is to look at ways to improve Medicare, not deal off more of it. And it can be done. For example, in Alberta, hip and knee replacement times were reduced from 19 to 11 months by centralizing wait lists. In Sault St. Marie, heart re-admissions were reduced by 50% by using a team-based approach. In Manitoba, an experiment to encourage more group, multi-disciplinary practice is starting to make a difference in timely access to primary care. Let’s get on with the task of implementing the many proven policy ideas that will strengthen our public system. Pete Hudson is a Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives – Manitoba Research Associate and a Senior Scholar, University of Manitoba, Faculty of Social Work.

Do you have a story or article that you would like to share with your fellow HSAS members in the Dispatches?

If so, please email your story to President Chris Driol at

[email protected]

or send it via regular mail in care of the HSAS office in Saskatoon. Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan #42—1736 Quebec Avenue Saskatoon, SK S7K 1V9

June 2008

By Rupal Bonli, Ph.D., Pediatric Health Psychologist for the Saskatoon Health Region. This paper is being written

at a time when the terms autism and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are ubiquitous in the media. ASD is a term used by professionals to encompass three diagnostic categories defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR), namely Autistic Disorder, Asperger Disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified. 1 These disorders are most often diagnosed in childhood. Individuals with ASD have qualitative impairments in social interaction and communication as well as restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behaviour, interests and activities. Despite these commonalities, individuals on the autism spectrum are heterogeneous with varying degrees of pervasive impairments that range from mild to severe. While between 30 and 50% of these children have coexisting intellectual impairment, approximately 10% have spectacular “islands of genius” or savant skills in areas such as art, music, calculating and visual and spatial skills. 2 There is growing consensus that ASDs are biologically based, neurodevelopmental disorders that have a high heritability factor, with their phenotypic expression modulated by environmental factors. 3 Knowledge about ASDs seems to be increasing daily. In the last few weeks, evidence has emerged that for about 1% of individuals with ASD, there are different flaws in a single gene on chromosome 16 which may significantly raise the risk of autism. 4 Scientists suggest that this discovery may pave the way for the first DNA test to reliably predict who will develop the disorder. Individuals with ASD also suffer from comorbid mental health and/or medical illnesses which are not well understood and are often not addressed in standard therapy. 5 6 Once thought of a rare disorder, ASD is now considered the most prevalent neurological disorder among children, with the current rate cited in Canada at 6 per 1000 or 1 in 165. 7 This represents a 600% increase in prevalence over the past ten years. Some have labelled this

Planning for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) in Saskatchewan: Issues and Challenges for the Next Decade.

increase as constituting a health care “crisis” or refer to it as the “autism epidemic” and one of the most challenging public health issues today. 8 In the past, ASDs were considered untreatable. Now there is ample evidence to suggest that these children benefit from intensive early intervention and given proper supports during the school-age years, can have a good quality of life as adults. The increase in diagnoses of ASD in Canada (a phenomenon reported worldwide), coupled with the evidence of effective interventions, have spurred parents and professionals throughout the country to demand more action from all levels of government to establish a comprehensive autism strategy and guarantee that children with ASD receive the services they need in a timely fashion. The issues at the crux of the treatment debate is what types of interventions should be funded and to what degree (some of the intensive approaches cost up to $60,000 per year per child) as well as who should be funding treatment for children with this diagnosis? At the current time, even though all provinces and territories, with the exception of Nunavut, provide some public funding for effective treatment, there is no national program to ensure uniform and equitable access to therapy. 9 While some argue that more funding should be available to all families for specific treatment approaches, others argue that more federal funding should be devoted to research to improve knowledge about treatments and their effectiveness prior to funding specific treatments. 10 In the past two decades, most of the research on intervention strategies for ASD has focused primarily on those targeting early childhood with the recognition that the brain has the most neural plasticity at a young age and that intensive intervention in the formative years may result in a different developmental trajectory. Proponents of early intervention, while often disagreeing as to the exact format of program delivery, agree on the important components for effective intervention. These include early admission (some suggest even prior to a definitive diagnosis and ideally before the age of 45 months); a rich ratio of adults to children (1:1 up to 1:3); intensive programming (minimum of 25 hours/week); planned and repeated professional development; a family education and training

June 2008

component; opportunities for interaction with typically developing peers and mechanisms for ongoing assessment and program evaluation. 11 Others argue that since ASDs are not degenerative in nature, these individuals can continue to make gains in communication and social interactions throughout life without intensive early programming. 12 They emphasize that the primary goals of treatment at all ages are to minimize the core features and associated deficits, maximize functional independence and quality of life and alleviate family distress. Many contend that government’s role is to allocate more resources to ensure that multidisciplinary teams of professionals (i.e., medical practitioners, psychologists, psychiatrists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists and special educators) are in abundant supply and easily accessible to families. Understanding the debate regarding funding options is important as governments at all levels come under more pressure to develop policy pertaining to ASD. Clinicians are acutely aware that each individual on the autism spectrum is unique and presents with a unique set of strengths and challenges. The majority of professionals also contend that there is no one treatment approach that will work well for every child on the spectrum and that individuals with ASD benefit from a combination of effective approaches for the variety of challenges that they present. In the past two years, a number of organizations, such as the Canadian Pediatric Society, the Canadian Association of Speech and Language Pathologists and Audiologists, and The American Academy of Pediatrics have forwarded similar arguments in separate position papers. 13 14 15 Despite the unequivocal evidence that there are numerous effective treatment approaches for this population, the only provincial government that has adopted policy that truly reflect this understanding is Alberta. In this province, funding is based on the needs of the child and family and programming is highly individualized. 16 Other provinces have opted for funding a specific type of approach, primarily Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) or Intensive Behavioural Analysis (IBI). In most provinces, other treatment approaches, although recognized as being effective, are not necessarily publicly funded. The result is that there is a lack of equity across the country and many families have actually chosen to move to provinces with better funding in the hopes of substantially improving the lives of their children. This has resulted in staffing shortages in some provinces and growing wait lists for specialized services throughout the

country. In the province of Saskatchewan, the former NDP government released a significant pool of money for autism training in their 2007/2008 budget. Over the past six months, and for the next six months, professionals, paraprofessionals and parents all over the province have had and will continue to have access to a variety of educational opportunities to learn about numerous ASD treatments. The government concurrently released bursaries for individuals interested in pursuing training in various occupations. By all accounts, this has been a tremendous year of growth in knowledge about ASDs. The current Saskatchewan government has agreed to honour the former government’s funding commitment. Policy makers in the province of Saskatchewan face many challenges in planning for individuals with ASDs over the next decade. They have the challenge of critically appraising the vast literature on early intensive programs in order to make informed decisions about service provision. With the unique population demographics in Saskatchewan (approximately half the population living in two major centres, and a rural population spread over a vast area), the current government will be well advised to utilize and expand on programs that already exist (e.g., Autism Resource Centre in Regina and Autism Services in Saskatoon). Another challenge policy makers will have is to not simply adopt what other provincial jurisdictions have done, but rather develop an approach that is both comprehensive and feasible for the Saskatchewan reality. This will include strengthening existing Early Childhood Intervention Programs (ECIPS) that are province wide, as well as continuing to build capacity and expertise at a school-based level. Continuation of ongoing training opportunities for personnel already working with these individuals as well as incentives to train more professionals to serve on both diagnostic assessment and intervention teams is also critical. Given the cultural diversity in the province, any programs that are designed must be sensitive to, and feasible within, aboriginal frameworks. In conclusion, children, youth and adults with ASD are amongst the most vulnerable members of our society. The most significant challenge for policy makers will be to decide how we collectively treat these individuals. In his story about his handicapped son, Walker, journalist Ian Brown suggested that the real challenge of a society lies in the willingness to accept that a handicapped life has real value. He cites Dr. Blumberg, a geneticist who states, “How we treat handicapped individuals says something about the

June 2008

place we have reached as a society…it’s just a mistake to think of them (handicapped children) as less than. There’s no lesser than. There’s just different from. It isn’t just great minds that matter. It’s great spirits too”. 17 As we plan for individuals with ASD over the next decade in this province, the challenge will be to create policy that recognizes these great spirits and celebrates the gifts that these individuals offer us. ____________________________________ 1American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing, 2000. 2 Treffert, D.A. The autistic artist, “special faculties”, and savant syndrome. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 161 (4), 323, 2007. 3 Johnson, C.P., Myers, S.M. American Academy of Pediatrics, Council on Children with Disabilities: Identification and evaluation of children with autism spectrum disorders. Pediatrics. (2007): 120: 1183-1215. 4Abraham, C. Research paves way for predicting autism. Globe and Mail, Jan.10, 2008. 5Gaziuddin, M. Mental Health Aspects of Autism and Asperger Syndrome. PA: Jessican Kingsley Publishers, 2005. 6Simpson, R.L. & Myles, B.S. Educating Children and Youth with Autism. Texas: Pro-Ed, 1998. 7The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology. Pay Now or Pay Later: Autism Families in Crisis. March, 2007.

8Ibid 9Ibid 10 Ibid 11Myers, S., Johnson, C.P. Management of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Pediatrics.10.1542 Published online October, 2007. 12The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology. Pay Now or Pay Later: Autism Families in Crisis. March, 2007. 13Canadian Pediatric Society Position Statement: Early intervention for children with autism. Pediatrics & Child Health, 9(4), 267-270, 2004. 14Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists. CASLPA Brief to the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology. Funding for the Treatment of Autism, Nov. 2006. 15Johnson, C.P., Myers, S.M. American Academy of Pediatrics, Council on Children with Disabilities: Identification and evaluation of children with autism spectrum disorders. Pediatrics. (2007): 120: 1183-1215. 16Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists. CASLPA Brief to the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology. Funding for the Treatment of Autism, Nov. 2006. 17Brown, I. Boy in the Moon. The Globe and Mail, December 1,8,15.2007.

June 2008

C. Continuing Education Fund The Continuing Education Fund was established at the October 1990 Annual General Meeting with the purpose of promoting continuing education in areas directly related to one’s present position. A lottery system is used to select fifteen (15) applicants with names drawn on October 1st and on May 15th of each year. Successful applicants are eligible for a maximum of $500.00. It is the position of HSAS that the responsibility for assuming costs associated with continuing job related education resides with the employer. To ensure our fund is not treated as a primary source, the Education Fund Committee requires members to apply to their employer or other sources prior to making application to the HSAS Education Fund. Failure to do so will result in the disqualification of the applicant.

A. Silver Anniversary Scholarship Awards

Every year HSAS awards ten (10) $500.00 scholarships to a spouse or dependent of an HSAS member enrolled in full-time studies at a post-secondary educational institution leading to a degree, diploma or certificate in an area of study represented by HSAS. These scholarships were established in 1997 to mark the 25th anniversary of our union. Completed applications must be received in the Saskatoon HSAS office no later than August 15 each year. B. HSAS Bursary Every year HSAS awards ten (10) $500.00 scholarships to a spouse or dependent of an HSAS member enrolled in full-time studies at a post-secondary educational institution leading to a degree, diploma or certificate. These scholarships were established in 2007 at the Annual General Meeting. Completed applications must be received in the Saskatoon HSAS office no later than August 15 each year.

HSAS Supports Education

Those chosen were for the May 15, 2008 for the Continuing Education Fund draw were: Name Profession Health Region Lisa Bouchard Physical Therapist Saskatoon Lynne Brochu Physical Therapist Five Hills Laura Carney Speech Language Pathologist Saskatoon Gilbert Combres Public Health Inspector Sunrise Lisa Cooper Dietitian Regina Qu’Appelle Karin Diedrich-Closson Occupational Therapist Saskatoon Jennifer Fairbairn Physical Therapist Saskatoon Rhonda Gough Psychologist Saskatoon Holly Mansell Pharmacist Saskatoon Twyla Markham Nutritionist Saskatoon Laurie McAulay Recreation Therapist Saskatoon Gwen Miller Moyse Social Worker Five Hills Faith Norton Assessor/Coordinator Sunrise Anne Robins Recreation Therapist Saskatoon Sharon Walker Dietitian Regina Qu’Appelle

June 2008

Executive Council is the governing body that conducts the business of the union between Annual Conventions.

Representing Seats Elected E-mail Address Term Ends

Addictions Counsellors/Therapists

1

Dave Tillusz Sunrise Health Region

[email protected] Nov. 2009

Social Workers 2

Joanne Schenn Prince Albert Parkland Health Region Cathy Dickson Prince Albert Parkland Health Region

[email protected] [email protected]

Nov. 2008 Nov. 2009

Assessor/Coordinators 2

Vacant Debra Ginther Saskatoon Health Region

[email protected]

Nov. 2008 Nov. 2009

Speech & Language Pathologists, Audiologists, Orthoptists, Music Therapists

1

Karen Wasylenko Saskatoon Health Region (Speech & Language Pathologist)


Respiratory Therapists, Perfusionists

1

Debbie Morton Saskatoon Health Region (Respiratory Therapist)


Emergency Medical Technicians, Dispatchers, Paramedics

2

Bill Fischer Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region (Paramedic) Darcy McKay Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region (Paramedic)


Nov. 2009 Nov. 2009

Physical Therapists, Prosthetists, Orthotists, Exercise/Conditioning Therapists

2

Peggy Forsberg Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region (Physical Therapist) Shelia Dickie Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region (Physical Therapist)


Nov. 2008 Nov. 2009

Public Health Inspectors, Infection Control Practitioners, Dental Hygienists/Therapists and Health Educators

1

Valerie Stopanski Heartland Health Region (Health Educator)


Pharmacists 1

Vacant


Occupational Therapists 1

Mary Spurr Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region


Recreation Therapists, Mental Health Therapists

1

Anne Robins Saskatoon Health Region (Recreation Therapist)


Psychologists, Psychometritians

1

Rupal Bonli Saskatoon Health Region (Psychologist)


Dietitians, Nutritionists, 1

Vacant

Nov. 2008

Messages for Executive Council members may also be left at either of the HSAS offices.

Executive Council

June 2008

Committees

Executive Officers The Executive Officers are elected from and by Executive Council for a one (1) year term except the President, who is elected for a two (2) year term by the general membership.

The Board of Governors provide guidance and counsel to Executive Council on all matters regarding administration of the Union. Any member having served at least four (4) years on Executive Council, at least two (2) of which were as an officer, shall be eligible for election to the Board of Governors for a seven year term. The current Governors are: Warren Chykowski Natalie Horejda Ted Makeechak Respiratory Therapist Physical Therapist Physical Therapist [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Board of Governors

2008 Annual Convention Deb Ginther (Chair) Glenda Brown Deb Morton Constitutional Deb Morton (Chair) Shelia Dickie Debra Ginther Natalie Horejda Val Stopanski Mary Spurr Dave Tillusz Education Fund Rupal Bonli Ted Makeechak Colleen Lieffers - staff Finance Karen Wasylenko (Chair) Ted Makeechak Darcy McKay Anne Robins Jeff Dmytrowich Warren Chykowski Colleen Lieffers - staff

Emergency Fund Deb Ginther Dave Tillusz Grievance Debbie Morton (Chair) Tracy Erickson Deb Ginther Brad Mee Maynard Ostafichuk Anne Robins Dave Tillusz Regional Council Development Cathy Dickson (Chair) Sheila Dickie Tamara Dobmeier Chris Driol Dot Hicks Lynzie Rindero Joanne Schenn Rod Watson Colleen Lieffers - staff

Charitable Donations / Professional Contributions Peggy Forsberg (Chair) Bill Fischer Communications Rupal Bonli (Chair) Ralph Aman Deb Ginther Natalie Horejda Darcy McKay Deb Morton Dave Tillusz Charlene Hebert - staff Garnet Dishaw - staff Provincial Negotiating Bill Fischer (Chair) Warren Chykowski Cathy Dickson Chris Driol Debra Ginther Natalie Horejda Marcel Shevalier

Treasurer Karen Wasylenko - [email protected] Speech & Language Pathologist Secretary Mary Spurr - [email protected] Ooccupational Therapist

President Chris Driol - [email protected] Mental Health Therapist Vice-President Cathy Dickson - [email protected] Social Worker

June 2008

Garnet Dishaw Direct Line: (306) 585-7753 Cypress Sun Country Regina Qu’Appelle · Alcohol and Drug Services · Child and Youth · Community Health Centres · Hearing Aid Plan · Healthline · Mental Health Clinics · Public Health Services · Randall Kinship Centre · Wascana Rehabilitation Centre

Mario Kijkowski Direct Line: (306) 585-7754 Crestvue Ambulance Services Five Hills Sunrise Regina Qu’Appelle · Al Ritchie Centre · Cupar and District Nursing Home · Emergency Medical Services · Extendicare · Home Care/SWADD · Lumsden and District Heritage Home · Pasqua Hospital · Regina General Hospital · Regina Lutheran Home · Regina Pioneer Village · Santa Maria Senior Citizens Home

We encourage members’ concerns and questions be directed to the staff person assigned to their Regional Health Authority/Worksite.

#180 - 1230 Blackfoot Drive Regina, SK S4S 7G4 Phone: (306) 585-7751 Toll-Free: 1-877-889-4727 Fax: (306) 585-7750 E-mail: [email protected]

Garnet Dishaw Labour Relations Officer [email protected] Mario Kijkowski Labour Relations Officer [email protected] Charlene Hebert Administrative Assistant [email protected]

HSAS Staff

Regina LRO Assignments

June 2008

Kevin Glass Labour Relations Officer [email protected] Kate Robinson Labour Relations Officer [email protected] Colleen Lieffers ** A/Administrator [email protected] Joylene Mora Administrator [email protected] Colette Duffee Administrative Assistant [email protected] Crystal Larson Administrative Assistant [email protected] ** Colleen will be covering Joylene’s position while Joylene is on a maternity leave.

Kevin Glass Direct Line: (306) 955-5712 Heartland Keewatin Yatthé La Ronge EMS Mamawetan Churchill River Prairie North Saskatoon · Idylwyld Health Centre - Public Health

Services · Kinsmen Centre · McKerracher · Parkridge · Royal University Hospital · Sherbrooke · Stensrud Lodge · Youth Services

Kate Robinson Direct Line: (306) 955-3454

Kelsey Trail Prince Albert Parkland Saskatoon · Calder Centre · Idylwyld Health Centre - Client/Patient

Access Services · Larson House · Mental Health Services (Nurses

Alumnae Wing) · Saskatoon City Hospital · St. Paul’s Hospital · Sturdy Stone · rural areas

#42 - 1736 Quebec Avenue Saskatoon, SK S7K 1V9 Phone: (306) 955-3399 Toll-Free: 1-888-565-3399 Fax: (306) 955-3396 E-mail: [email protected]

Saskatoon LRO Assignments

We encourage members’ concerns and questions be directed to the staff person assigned to their Regional Health Authority/Worksite.

June 2008

Change of Information Form

Name of Regional Health Authority

Example: Heartland Health Region

Member Name

Previous Name (if changed)

Home Address

Home Phone Number

Home E-mail Address

Place of Employment

Work Phone Number

Work Fax Number

Work E-mail Address

Status

Classification

Job Group

Date Changes In Effect

After completing, fold the form where indicated, secure edges and mail.

Please keep us informed so we can keep YOU informed!

If you change your name, address, home e-mail address, telephone number, work site, etc., please share this information with us so we can keep our database current. Please complete the information below and forward it to the Saskatoon HSAS office. The address and fax number are as follows:

Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan #42 - 1736 Quebec Avenue Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7K 1V9 Fax: (306) 955-3396

Please call the Saskatoon office, toll free 1-888-565-3399 or directly (306) 955-3399 if you have any questions. Thank you. We are especially interested in obtaining members’ home e-mail addresses as we are updating our database which we use to provide timely union updates to our members.

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June 2008

Dispatches is published for the information of members of the Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan.

Note: If any of your colleagues express concern about not receiving their

newsletter, please have them call the Saskatoon Office.

#42 - 1736 Quebec Avenue Saskatoon, SK S7K 1V9

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Dispatches June 2008

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