Guardian HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES’ UNION
Long-term care needs a long-term fix.
SPRING 2022 • VOL. 40 • NO. 1
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THE VALUE OF CARE
RETURN TO The Guardian 5000 North Fraser Way Burnaby, B.C. V5J 5M3 Chelsey Ellis PHOTO
AGREEMENT NUMBER 40007486
What health care workers need as we emerge from the pandemic
Guardian HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES’ UNION
FEATURE
SPRING 2022
At the breaking point - poll
One in three health care workers likely to quit in next two years
Overworked and undervalued As bargaining continues, health care workers are falling behind | 7
NEWS
Help on the way Training program to recruit 5,000 new care aides | 3
Growing together HEU locals welcome contracted workers back in-house | 5
Hand over hand Equity conference explores steps to allyship | 11
ALARMING NEWS | Pressures on frontline workers have taken a toll, new survey of HEU members reveals.
A RECENT telephone survey
7 12 COLUMNS Viewpoint
Recalling our losses, celebrating our wins | 6
President’s Desk
Strong leaders, strong locals make a powerful union | 6
Voices
Health care needs cultural safety commitment | 11
of more than 800 HEU members in the facilities subsector paints an alarming picture of the pressures facing frontline workers, with one out of three respondents reporting they’re likely to leave health care in the next two years. HEU commissioned the survey of facilities members, as contract negotiations entered their second month. Results show workers are struggling with mental health, and worried about making ends meet at their current pay rates. HEU secretary-business manager Meena Brisard, lead negotiator and spokesperson for the multi-union Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA), says members have endured risk and uncertainty, and shown incredible courage and commitment throughout the pandemic. “There’s no question that many health care workers are at their breaking point, exhausted by all they’ve been through,” says Brisard. “And we should all be very concerned about what that means for our health care system going forward.” She says the poll confirms what members have been saying at meetings, conferences, and in their locals. And it’s crucial health employers listen and understand. Brisard told health employers during bargaining that protecting wages against rising costs will be critical to achieving a renewed facilities collective agreement, which covers more than 58,000 workers in nine unions. HEU represents the
vast majority of those workers. In an opinion piece published in daily newspapers in Vancouver and Victoria, Brisard writes: “Health care workers have carried the weight of this pandemic on their shoulders for all of us. Now is the time to recognize these workers with a wage and compensation package that puts them ahead and not behind.” In HEU radio ads airing across the province, a health care worker says: “We do it because we care. But the pressure? It’s adding up. With rising costs, we’re falling behind. Too many of us are leaving the jobs we love.” HEU also united with other public sector unions to create a series of ads featuring vivid portraits of frontline workers. “They’ve seen it all. But they’re being left behind.” The message, Brisard says, is clear. “If we want our health care system to survive and thrive in the face of public health emergencies, climate disasters and growing demographic pressures, we must act boldly to retain today’s skilled and experienced health care workforce, and to attract the next generation of workers.” As the Guardian goes to press, negotiations are still uunderway to renew the collective agreement, which expired on March 31. HEU’s bargaining team continues to press for significant improvements to the compensation package, and other meaningful measures to relieve the staffing crisis and support workers.
BY THE NUMBERS A phone survey of more than 800 HEU members in the facilities subsector reveals some disturbing truths about working in health care. • Three-quarters (75.2 per cent) experienced pandemic-related burnout. • One in three (32.9 per cent) do not believe there are adequate mental health supports in the workplace. • Nearly two-thirds (64.1 per cent) say their workloads have gotten worse over the last two years. • One-quarter (24.9 per cent) report their employer rarely or never backfills positions left vacant by illness or vacation. • More than a third (35.8 per cent) say they are less financially secure than two years ago. • More than a quarter (26.1 per cent) are concerned that their housing is currently at risk.
SPRING 2022 | GUARDIAN 1
COMMENT Meena Brisard | Secretary-Business Manager This ensures that the positions we take reflect the direction established at our bargaining conference, and the day-to-day experiences of our members on the front lines of health care.
Centering members’ voices in bargaining
THROWBACK HEU HISTORY
AS THE Guardian goes to press, we’re entering our seventh week of negotiations for a renewed collective agreement covering more than 58,000 health care workers in the facilities subsector – including more than two-thirds of the HEU membership. And at the heart of negotiations are your elected bargaining committee members. As we’ve prepared our bargaining proposals for discussions with the employer, these members are providing important context for our demands, based on their frontline expertise. This ensures that the positions that we take reflect the direction established at our bargaining conference and the day-to-day experiences of our members on the front lines of health care. I’m so impressed by your bargaining committee’s dedication, determination and hard work on behalf of members – not just at the facilities negotiating table, but at the community health and community social services tables as well. In a recent bargaining prep session, one committee member shared a story of the stress of working with dementia patients during COVID-19, and how lack of resources has resulted in care aides quitting or going on leave. Another told us how health care workers – and union stewards – need more mental health supports to deal with the trauma and violence experienced on the job.
We’ve also heard from a committee member worried about housing security in the face of rising costs and tight supply. Her situation reflects the affordability crisis facing our members across the province. Examples like these will help us underscore the importance of addressing recruitment and retention measures at the bargaining table, including higher staffing levels, stronger health and safety language and a compensation package that addresses rapidly rising costs. We’ve tabled more than 120 proposals on the priority issues identified by our members, and are waiting to hear back from the employer on most, so we’ve got a lot of important bargaining ahead of us. But the initial wage position coming from health employers and government is disappointing. It fails to address the affordability crisis facing members, and it falls short of what we need to retain skilled workers and attract the health care workforce we need going forward. It’s the same story at other public sector bargaining tables. That’s why we’ve joined with other unions to demand compensation packages that recognize those who work the front lines of COVID-19, climate emergencies and a poisoned drug crisis. Whether it’s members supporting their bargaining committees, or our unions supporting each other, it is our solidarity that will secure the best agreements for our members.
A TIME FOR PEACE Vancouver’s legendary Walk for Peace attracted 100,000 people at its height, many HEU members among them. United against the threat of nuclear weapons, protesters also drew connections between liberation movements, ecology and equity. Carmela Allevato, later HEU’s secretary-business manager, was one of the 1986 organizers, and she called it an amazing day.
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“It was such a unifying event,” she recalled in an interview. “All of the political parties, trade unions, the Vancouver and District Labour Council, churches, student movements, people representing tenants, community groups all took part.” The focus of the peace movement has evolved over the decades, but the message remains the same: there is no health in a world of war.
NEWS Care aide program brings relief Your union. Your paper.
HEU members looking to change their career path are among thousands of care aides graduating through the province’s new Health Career Access Program (HCAP). Hope Wason was a hospital housekeeper for two years, before enrolling in the program last year. “It was a nice opportunity because financial restraint was a barrier for me going into further schooling,” she says. “It was nice to be able to do it without having to work a full-time job and go to school full-time.” HCAP aims to increase the number of care aides working in B.C., and to remove financial barriers to health care assistant education. The program provides on-the-job training and education in partnership with established post-secondary institutions. Participants receive paid employer-sponsored training for a period of 12 to 16 months, and also work as health care support workers in their facilities, providing nondirect care. Upon successful completion of the program, they will be qualified as a provincially recognized health care assistant (HCA), or care aide. Chrystal Rose, an HEU care aide, has been providing mentorship to Wason and other HCAP students at Priory Hospital in Langford, near Victoria. “They’ve been a great support,” she says. “They are extra eyes and ears on the floor. They provide
Vivienne McMaster PHOTO
Extra support on the floor aims to address workload
HELPING HANDS | Care aide Chrystal Rose, with new grad Hope Wason, hopes the Health Career Access Program will help address workforce shortages at their facility, and across the province.
lots of one-on-one contact with the residents, and all the little things that we often don’t have time to stop and do, because we’re run off our feet. “I think everybody should welcome the program. HCAP is one way that we can work with recruitment, and trying to get people interested in coming into our career.” Many health care workers hope the program will help address the crisis of workforce shortages in long-term care, assisted living, and home support.
“HCAP is a start,” says HEU secretary-business manager Meena Brisard. “And it’s only one of many initiatives that will be needed to transform the work shortage issues that we are seeing in long-term care.” The 2022 B.C. budget includes $25 million to support an additional 2,000 seats for HCAP training. With the previous 3,000 who have already been selected for the program, this will result in a total of 5,000 new care aides. Rose is looking forward to her site taking on a new set of stu-
dents this year. “Let’s teach them all the things that we wished, and are grateful, that we were taught,” she said. “I would tell anyone who is considering taking the program to absolutely take the opportunity,” says Wason, who will be among the first graduates of the program this year. “It’s a really good experience. And it definitely helped us to feel a lot more prepared for going into the real world as an HCA.” LORETTA LAURIN
YOUR UNION Pilot project supports health and safety
LABOUR OF LOVE | HEU president Barb Nederpel joined other union leaders and community members in Vancouver February 21 for the Gratitude Gathering, organized to honour frontline workers.
Two HEU members will be hired in a new full-time role as prevention stewards, under a pilot project beginning in the Vancouver Coastal and Vancouver Island health authorities this spring. Funding for this project was negotiated by the Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA), and allows for one steward position in each of the two health authorities for a two-year period, with a possible extension of an additional year. Stewards will work with, and
support, FBA members on Joint Occupational Health and Safety committees, including inspections, investigations, and connecting with members about OH&S concerns and solutions. They’ll also work with FBA members to provide information, and promote learning opportunities through resources on resolving health and safety problems, OH&S rights, and OH&S reporting.
All about your pension Enrolment in the Municipal Pension Plan (MPP) can be the most valuable asset from your
SPRING 2022 | GUARDIAN 3
IT’S THE LAW
New sick pay rules a win for B.C. workers AS OF JANUARY 1, 2022, all workers covered by B.C.’s Employment Standards Act (ESA) are entitled to take five paid sick days and three unpaid sick days each year, after 90 days of employment. In the ESA, this new leave is called “illness or injury leave”. This does not affect any HEU member, who is already entitled to at least five paid sick days and three unpaid days a year through their collective agreement. The new ESA sick leave will assist newly organized HEU members, who don’t yet have a collective agreement. It should also assist members, including part-time and casual workers, whose collective agreements do not already provide them with five paid and three unpaid sick days. For these workers, the employer must pay an “average day’s pay” for each sick day. This is calculated by adding up their pay (excluding overtime) for the 30-day period before the sick day, and then dividing it by the number of days worked during that time. Workers can only get ESA sick leave when they are ill on a scheduled workday. Employees who work for more than one employer are entitled to sick leave at each job. The ESA sick days cannot be carried over to the next year, if a worker does not use them. Employers have the right to ask for proof of illness. And workers should notify their employer of their absence as soon as possible. Workers should contact their shop steward, if their employer denies them a minimum of five paid and three unpaid sick days per year. For more information, visit the B.C. government website at gov.bc.ca and search for “paid sick leave.” SAM BLACK
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
Reducing your risk THE POINT OF CARE Risk Assessment (PCRA) is a tool used by health care workers to assess their risk of exposure to COVID-19. Recent updates will now require employers to secure an adequate supply of N95 respirators, and ensure workers are trained to do PCRAs, and are fit-tested for N95s. The new guidelines, published by the Ministry of Health and the B.C. Centre for Disease Control on February 2, include examples of scenarios that may elevate risk of airborne or aerosol transmission, and support expanded access to N95 respirators for health care workers. Risk scenarios include: working in a room or unit with multiple patients who are suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19; where frequent or unexpected Aerosol Generating Medical Procedures (AGMPs) may occur; if there is prolonged close proximity (more than 15 minutes of face-to-face contact) to the patient; if the patient has excessive and sustained coughing without wearing a medical mask for source control; and if it’s anticipated that the patient will be doing an activity with heavy expiratory exertion (such as shouting).
Many HEU members work in these types of scenarios, but have been limited to droplet and contact precautions, and not provided access to N95s. Employers are required to develop and update exposure control plans that identify potential for exposure to COVID, such as the scenarios outlined in the PCRA, and implement control measures to protect workers from transmission, including the provision of N95s. HEU urges these plans be enforced by WorkSafeBC, and that the PCRA process be accessible and taught to all health care workers to maximize their safety. Workers who identify on-the-job hazards they believe increase the risk of COVID-19 aerosol transmission should speak with their supervisor. Workers can also connect with their Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee representative and/or shop steward for assistance. Members can also contact HEU’s occupational health and safety department at ohs@heu.org, or 604-456-7236 (toll-free 1-855-456-7236), Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. BRENDA WHITEHALL
YOUR UNION working life, second only to the wages you earn. With more than 4,000 contracted-out housekeeping and dietary workers coming back into the public system this year, HEU is hosting information sessions for those returning members to learn about the Municipal Pension Plan. Many of the members will be new to the pension plan, and some will be re-joining it after nearly 20 years of working for private operators. Sessions are being held over Zoom, and offered as each work site comes back into the public system. Returning HEU members 4 GUARDIAN | SPRING Fall/Winter 2022 2018
who want to learn more, can email members@heu.org.
Make meetings better with online resources Are you active in your local and running online meetings? HEU’s new series of instructional videos covers all the basics of planning and hosting virtual union local meetings. Get started with the basics of Zoom and hybrid meetings, walk through the steps to starting and running the meeting, and go over the HEU meeting template. We’ve also created resources
like downloadable templates for posters, sign-up sheets and slideshows, instructions on how to set up a Facebook or an email account for your local, and information on more advanced Zoom tools, like meeting reports, polls and breakout rooms for small discussions. Find everything on our website at heu.org/resources-for-onlinemeetings.
Bursaries for members Members can apply for HEU bursaries for the upcoming academic year beginning May 27.
Bursaries can be used at any post-secondary educational institution, and are awarded to students who need financial assistance and demonstrate satisfactory academic standing. They can be used by HEU members; their children, stepchildren and legal guardians; and spouses, including common-law and samesex partners. Bursaries range from $350 to $1,000 and are administered by a bursary committee under the direction of the HEU Provincial Executive. Visit heu.org/bursaries to apply.
REUNITING THE HEALTH CARE TEAM
Reunion strengthens HEU locals
Benefit improvements for FBA members Significant improvements to extended health and dental plans for HEU members covered by the facilities subsector collective agreement came into effect January 1. The changes mean substantial cost savings for health care workers and their dependents. The $100 annual deductible on extended health or dental claims to Pacific Blue Cross has been eliminated, and annual eye exams will now be reimbursed up to $100 per calendar year for mem-
the government announcement in HEU negotiated this process August 2021. Fraser Health and the with health employers as part of Provincial Health Services authori- the Labour Adjustment Transfer ties began bringing Agreement to ensure the workers back in April. transfer in-house is as Vancouver Coastal fair as possible. Health Authority and HEU members, who Providence Health are already part of the Care workers will start facilities subsector, are returning this summer. also excited to welcome Over the last few these members back months, workers have into their ranks withbeen steadily preparin the same collective ing for their transfer agreement. REBOLLEDO by attending informa“It’s such an inspiration sessions organized by health tion for members of our local to authorities and HEU, and sharing see our colleagues gain so much,” information about their current says Barb Owen, a carpenter at shifts and rotations with the health Royal Columbian Hospital and authorities. vice-chairperson of her local. “Our
locals will be stronger, we’ll have more people, more energy and more boots on the ground.” There is still much to be done. Hundreds of workers at publicprivate partnership (P3) sites are still waiting to hear when they’ll be brought in-house as well. Last December, VIHA decided to bring Acciona workers at the Royal Jubilee Hospital P3 site inhouse. “Our hope is that other health authorities will follow suit,” says Brisard. “Our union will not stop until all contracted workers, regardless of their site’s funding model, are reunited with the health care team.” THI VU
THINGS ARE LOOKING UP | HEU members at Burnaby Hospital, along with others in the Fraser Health and Provincial Health Services, saw their jobs returning in-house in April.
Thi Vu PHOTO
MYRNA REBOLLEDO is looking forward to the future. She’s worked as a hospital housekeeper in the Vancouver Coastal Health region for 17 years. Her employers have always been private, multinational companies, whose for-profit business models have resulted in low-paying jobs with few benefits for Rebolledo and her co-workers. With the Lower Mainland’s high cost of living, she had to supplement her hospital work with two or three other jobs. “It’s tiring,” she says. “My grandkids always ask me: ‘Why are you always working?’” But soon, Rebolledo’s job, along with thousands of other housekeepers and food service workers in health care, will be transferred back to the public health authorities. “Every member of the health care team has a critical role to play in protecting public health,” says Meena Brisard, HEU’s secretary business-manager. “Bringing these workers back will not only make a difference for workers, it will also better protect public health.” Housekeepers and food service workers will rejoin nearly 50,000 HEU members under the facilities collective agreement. For many, this will mean significant improvements to their wages and benefits, including access to a pension plan. “With the higher wages I’ll get,” says Rebolledo, “I can finally think about leaving one of my jobs so that I spend more time with my grandkids.” Island Health (VIHA) was the first health authority to start bringing workers back in-house, after
bers and their dependents. Drug coverage now includes contraceptives listed in the BC PharmaCare formulary. Since 2017, the Joint Facilities Benefits Trust (JFBT) has been responsible for administering extended health and dental, insurance, and long-term disability benefits for facilities members. The labour-management trusteed plan was ratified as part of the 2014-2019 collective agreement. These changes are part of an ongoing review that will include consultations with members, to ensure the plan meets their needs. Find out more at jfbt.ca.
PUSHING FOR ACTION | HEU members Sara Mann, Mark Williams and Kathleen Cahill shared their pandemic experiences at a roundtable with NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh at Port Moody’s Eagle Ridge Hospital in March. Fall/Winter SPRING 2022 2018 | GUARDIAN 5
WORKING FOR YOU
A WARM WELCOME
Caelie Frampton PHOTO
IF YOU PHONE OR VISIT HEU’s Provincial Office, you’ll probably be speaking with Cathy, Rowan or Morgan. As front desk reception staff, they greet visitors, direct phone calls, emails and faxes, keep track of daily itineraries, and book meeting rooms in our conference centre.
Betty Valenzuela | Financial Secretary
VIEWPOINT
As we merge facilities and CSSW locals, we have a vast pool of talent to tap into with a wealth of diverse lived experiences.
ONE OF THE BEST days of my life was August 30, 2021. It’s when the BC NDP announced plans to repatriate more than 4,000 HEU members working in privatized housekeeping and food services back into the public sector. It was very emotional. A stark contrast to the shock, anger and sadness of 2002 when the BC Liberals passed Bill 29, shredded our contracts, and fired thousands of hospital support services members – mostly racialized workers and women. A devastating loss for members
Those jobs were contracted out to multinational companies, who paid poverty-level wages and minimal benefits. Many workers reapplied for their same positions, having lost their seniority and job security, and had to take second jobs to make ends meet. They were further marginalized and mistreated with unsafe workloads. It was devastating. At the time, I was a shop steward at Vancouver General Hospital and witnessed the heartbreak, deteriorating working conditions, and the dismantling of our health care team. I shed many tears, and had many sleepless nights. Now, in 2022, we celebrate bringing those workers back home to the facilities subsector where they belong. This happened because dedicated activists – contracted support service workers (CSSW) – bravely took on those for-profit corporations, organized into the union, lobbied government, and pushed for justice. As we merge facilities and CSSW locals, we have a vast pool of talent to tap into with a wealth of diverse lived experiences – as women, as racialized workers, and as immigrants. Recruiting and developing activists is how we promote diversity and inclusion, engage and empower our members. And our work is just beginning.
Our union is re-emerging stronger than ever
Another memorable day was when 2021 convention delegates passed a constitutional amendment to add six diversity seats to our Provincial Executive. This act of solidarity shows us who we are – as a social justice union, as members, as activists. We’re a strong union with resilient members – that’s part of our history. Many repatriated housekeepers and dietary members are from marginalized groups. It’s essential we create space and opportunity in our facilities locals for these activists who held the line, pushed the limits, and won. We’re only a united and effective union if every HEU member has a voice. So, let’s welcome these valued members, encourage their activism, and hear their stories.
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Barb Nederpel | President
PRESIDENT’S DESK With newly elected executives taking the helm, and as we start to emerge from the pandemic, let’s celebrate with events that bring us together.
I’VE BEEN SO inspired in recent weeks and months, talking with many HEU members as they decide to run in their local’s elections. These leaders, both new and returning, are motivated to make change and stand up for fairness. The union gives all of us that opportunity. All HEU members have the power to create change and improve working conditions. Every member who notices and reports a potential hazard, who takes a moment to double-check the collective agreement, who helps a colleague solve a problem or calms a conflict – every one of you is a building block in the foundation of a strong local. “It’s all about relationships and support,” one member told me. “It’s so important to keep each other informed and know who to reach out to for questions.” Local leaders step up in challenging times
Strong locals involve and engage their members and provide healthy leadership. Whether helping members to file a grievance to enforce their rights, or running a campaign to support the community, strong locals help members feel they are a part of something bigger. This vital work became even more challenging throughout the pandemic. But thankfully, many local activists continue to step up to the plate. HEU members have been through so much, providing the best care and services in impossible circumstances. We need to be looking out for each other now more than ever. Do you see opportunities to strengthen your local? What can you do to build support and connection among your colleagues? If you don’t know who to reach out to, contact your HEU office, and we’ll connect you to others who are already active in your local.
There are many ways to bring members together
If you are on the local executive, check out the HEU Local Building Fund, which provides support for events and projects that engage members. We are also at an exciting milestone where contracted support service workers are coming back in-house. If you’re in a facilities local, organizing a repatriation event could be a great way to build solidarity. With newly elected executives taking the helm, and as we start to emerge from the pandemic, let’s celebrate with events that bring health care workers together in solidarity. The strength of our union is built in our locals.
Lindsay at Endless Expressions Photography PHOTO
HEU members work in some of B.C.’s most dangerous workplaces, with injury rates twice the provincial average.
Overworked and undervalued Health care workers were hailed as heroes during the pandemic. Today at the bargaining table, unions are calling for employers to walk the talk. Bargaining is underway for a renewed collective agreement for HEU members in the facilities subsector – more than twothirds of the union’s membership.
IN A JOB MARKET THAT’S SEEN STEADY
Staffing levels, health and safety, and wages are always priority issues, but they’ve been made even more urgent because of pandemic-related stress and rising costs.
GROWTH IN WAGES, HEALTH CARE WORKERS ARE FALLING BEHIND.
In a recent survey of FBA members, one in three said they were considering leaving health care in the next two years because of their experiences through COVID-19. HEU members work in some of B.C.’s most dangerous workplaces, with injury rates at twice the provincial average – four times higher in long-term care. Health care workers are being called on for staggering amounts of overtime, putting them at risk of physical injury and mental burnout. And like all workers in B.C., members are struggling to keep a roof over their heads in one of the most expensive housing
markets in the country. They’re worried about the cost of groceries, child care, and transportation in the face of inflationary pressures not seen for 30 years. In a job market that’s seen steady growth in wages, health care workers are falling behind, says Meena Brisard, HEU secretarybusiness manager. And this impact will be felt across the health care system. Brisard is sounding the alarm for employers in this round of bargaining, and following up with a strong solution: “Investing in our health care workers today, will help us build the sustainable health care system we all want for the future.”
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Lindsay at Endless Expressions Photography PHOTO
Monica Keogh says she’s worried about the psychological health and safety of staff, who have been living in a state of hyper-vigilance.
STRONGER MEASURES NEEDED TO KEEP WORKERS SAFER
“WHAT DO WE DO IF ONE OF THESE PEOPLE DECIDES TO GET VIOLENT? WHAT DO WE HAVE IN PLACE?” MONICA KEOGH
Food services worker Monica Keogh, from the 100 Mile District General Hospital, says health, safety and violence prevention are issues she hopes the new collective agreement will address. The hospital’s rural setting – it’s about 200 km northwest of Kamloops – means health and safety needs differ from urban centres. Some supports are slow to reach them, Keogh says. “We’re so rural, we don’t have everything in place,” she says, “and then, when I walk into a hospital in the Lower Mainland, I’m like, ‘Wow, they have stuff here.’” For example, Keogh says it was only last year that the nurses’ station at her workplace was provided with a Plexiglas barrier, even though it’s been the norm at city hospitals for years. But what concerns Keogh the most are
aggressive members of the anti-vaccine movement, which she sees as more numerous in her part of B.C., coupled with an absence of security guards at the hospital. Keogh is a member of her local’s Joint Occupational Health and Safety committee. “We started realizing we had a problem when we had some major disruptions at the vaccination centre in the hospital. “For the potentially unpredictable behaviour of very, very irate and frustrated patients or people coming in, there was no stopping them. So, we sat down, we said, ‘What do we do if one of these people decides to get violent? What do we have in place?’ “We have a bunch of nurses behind desks, giving the vaccinations, and you have some greeters at the front door. We have absolutely no security. We had managers accosted. We had some very serious situations.” Keogh says she’s worried about the
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Chelsey Ellis PHOTO
Terri-Lynne Huddlestone thinks the health and safety challenges she and others face intersect with recruitment and retention issues.
HEALTH CARE WORKERS ARE BEING CALLED ON FOR STAGGERING AMOUNTS OF OVERTIME, PUTTING THEM AT RISK
Better recognition of care work is something Ruby Bhandal wants to see.
OF PHYSICAL INJURY AND MENTAL BURNOUT.
psychological health and safety of staff, who have been living in a state of hyper-vigilance for two years. Through her advocacy, she has been “putting a light on where we need to improve and close the gap.”
WORK-RELATED TRAUMA AND STRESS DEMAND IMPROVED MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS Terri-Lynne Huddlestone, a clerk at Acropolis Manor in Prince Rupert, says that after two significant COVID-19 outbreaks at the long-term care home, she and her colleagues are still grieving. “There were many of our residents [who passed] that were with us for quite a long time, and we had all formulated relationships with them in different ways,” she said. As the person at the front desk, Huddlestone says some of her connections with residents were limited to a passing hello, but others were deeper. One resident, who died of COVID-19, used to come and sit across from her in the lobby, and they would have long, meaningful conversations. “Every one of them touched my heart,” she said. Huddlestone thinks the health and safety challenges she and others face intersect with recruitment and retention issues. She recently attended a mental health training program through HEU, but found it difficult to be absent from her job because the home is so short-staffed. The course was helpful, but she “almost felt guilty taking it.” She says, “We need the acceptance and the acknowledgement that these types of workshop sessions are really important to our mental health. “We need to start to bring more of those types of workshops in for our staff, because if we don’t start to support our members in
Joshua Berson PHOTO
that way, I think, as much as the burnout is out there, it’s going to be even worse.” Struggling with the cost of living adds significant pressure to workers already facing stress in their jobs. Food prices in Northern B.C. are high, and housing costs are rising even in smaller communities. “Wage increases will really make a difference for me and my colleagues,” she said.
HEALTH CARE WORKERS NEED ACCESS TO REGULAR AND MORE STABLE EMPLOYMENT Ruby Bhandal works in an acute care unit at Richmond Hospital, where she is the only full-time care aide on staff. The unit frequently has unfilled positions for care aides, which she believes is due to the high intensity of the workload and because the other positions don’t offer fulltime hours. “On my unit, they haven’t been able to retain [care aides] other than myself,” she says. “Every now and then, somebody will apply and they will stick around for two weeks
or three weeks, and then, they will quit because it’s only 20 hours a week. “It’s a very busy unit. There’s always tests and stuff happening, so we are always ‘Go, go, go.’ It’s not like other units where you see the same patients. It changes daily.” Bhandal believes if two of the part-time positions were combined into one full-time position that it would be easier to fill, and she’s been asking managers to make this change, but says they tell her they’re waiting on funding. Better recognition of care work is something Bhandal wants to see. During the height of the pandemic, she worked in a COVID-19 ward, and says the intimacy and emotional stress was staggering. “Lots of people, who were very sick, were praying and thanking us because we were there to feed them,” she says. “You’re sitting there holding that iPad for them as they speak to their loved ones. Can you imagine the emotions we are going through at that point? What do we have to do to prove that we are equal staff here?”
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Making our communities stronger Health care workers in the community are at bargaining tables this spring
Wage levels linked to recruitment woes
Marie Bradley provides cognitive behavioural therapy through the Canadian Mental Health Association in Prince George. She says fair pay is top of mind. “We want raises that match the increases in the cost of living,” she says. Bradley is one of about 2,300 HEU members covered by the community health collective agreement, which includes more than 21,000 workers from eight different unions. During the pandemic, many
workers in her sector switched from working in offices to working at home. As a result, Bradley says it’s been hard to feel like part of a team, which doesn’t bode well for attracting new staff and retaining them long-term – another issue her sector faces. Bradley says a few positions at her workplace were recently posted externally, and there were few to no applicants. “Is it just a matter of people not wanting to do this type of work anymore?” she asks. “Or is it because they feel it doesn’t pay enough?”
Safety and training key to retaining workers
Olga Torres Andino is a community support worker in Victoria, and part of the community social services (CSS) sector. She says people who work in settings such as hers don’t earn as much as they would in a hospital. “A lot of people come into this field, but they move on very quickly,” she says. “We don’t have a lot of casuals, the permanent staff are overworked. There’s always overtime offered, and so there’s high burnout.” About 1,500 HEU members work under the CSS agreement and are among 17,000 unionized workers in jobs like community support, residential support, mental health and counselling. Torres Andino also wants to see investment in safety training.
Vivienne McMaster PHOTO
ALTHOUGH many people think of health care being delivered in hospitals and care homes, almost 40,000 health care workers in B.C. work in community settings. They work in group homes and day centres, addiction services and transition houses, and other locations where they support families, communities and individuals inneed. The two multi-union bargaining groups that represent these workers – the Community Bargaining Association (representing community health workers) and Community Social Services Bargaining Association (CSSBA) – are at the bargaining table this spring. Workers in these sectors share many of the same concerns about the conditions and future of their work.
AN ESSENTIAL RIGHT | Maria Batocabe, a community support worker in Victoria, says improvements to sick leave are a priority for her and her colleagues. “The sick pay that we get isn’t good enough.”
Community support workers often interact with individuals who have behavioural challenges, raising the risk of physical and psychological injury. “Sometimes, I feel like there is a lack of training to protect the worker, so when we’re training a brand new hire, and a client’s specific behavioural goals aren’t being met,
the new workers sometimes leave, because it’s intimidating.” she says. “There used to be workshops and extra training,” she says. “I’m not sure if, in the past couple of years, they’ve had a cut in some budget, but the training doesn’t meet our needs. It needs significant improvement for us to feel safe at work.”
The amendment to the Labour Relations Code removes the requirement for a secret ballot, and certifies any workplace where 55 per cent or more of workers sign up. If sign-up is between 45 and 55 per cent, a secret ballot will still be required. Tes Estilo, an HEU care aide, spoke at the press conference. “As a care aide, our union means more stability for our residents in seniors’ care. Unions create balance and fairness in the workplace. It’s important to remove barriers that make it harder to become a union member.”
Lab assistants pilot project inadequate
NEWSBITES Fewer barriers for union organizing
HEU care aide Tes Estilo spoke at the government announcement April 6.
Organizing a workplace in B.C. got easier this month, with a change to how workers vote to join a union. Since 2001, when the B.C. Liberal government eliminated what was known as the “card check” system, workers have had to not only sign a union membership card, but also take part in a second “secret ballot” vote. Employers can use this delay to engage in anti-union tactics, labour organizers say.
The Interior Health Authority (IHA) recently announced plans to run a pilot training program for seven dedicated phlebotomist positions under the Lab Assistant II benchmark. Introducing lab positions with such a narrow scope, and at a lower wage rate, will not address unsustainable workloads and excessive overtime in IHA labs, or elsewhere in B.C. HEU wrote to the IHA and the Ministry of Health opposing the CONTINUED on PG 13
10 GUARDIAN | SPRING 2022
HEU EQUITY CONFERENCE
Moving members forward “HOW DO WE build allyship within our own union? We do it by talking, listening, and educating one another.” HEU secretary-business manager Meena Brisard spoke these words to more than 200 members, facilitators and staff at the union’s equity conference in March. Throughout her career, Brisard said, she’s experienced barriers, racism and discrimination. “I survived because people mentored, empowered and encouraged me. They believed in me and gave me a chance. They helped move me forward rather than holding me back. That’s how I developed as a leader. And that’s what allyship looks like.”
Equity committee members elected
Participants took part in workshops and presentations, and elected several members to HEU’s equity standing committees – 2-Spirit, Women & Non-binary, Ethnic Diversity, Indigenous Peoples, People with Disabilities, Pink Triangle, and Young Workers. Discussions focused on HEU’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion project, and on the constitutional amendment passed at 2021 convention to add six new diversity vice-presidents to the union’s Provincial Executive. Those seats will be elected at HEU’s next convention this October. President Barb Nederpel reflected on the union’s groundbreaking equi-
How to get to HEU convention Held every two years, convention is HEU’s parliament. Your union’s 33rd biennial convention will take place in Vancouver October 17-21. To be a delegate, members must have attended 50 per cent of regular local meetings in the 12-month period leading up to delegate elections. But there are exceptions – such as illness, vacation, working, or conducting union business – that allow members to be credited as attended as long as they send their local executive a letter of regret no later than 10 days after the meeting.
BOLD MOVES | HEU members at the March equity conference hope to bring knowledge and power back to their locals.
ty achievements, the unprovoked attack on Ukraine, and the alarming rise in the far-right movement cloaked in anti-vaccine protests that has targeted frontline workers. “Health care workers and their supporters do have the overwhelming support of British Columbians every day,” says Nederpel. “And our
“Our solidarity, our strength, in pushing back against hate, can only get stronger and bolder.” solidarity, our strength, in pushing back against hate, can only get stronger and bolder. “Our communities will continue to provide refuge for one another. And in doing so, provide all of us
with hope too.” Financial secretary Betty Valenzuela described her challenges as an immigrant, the freedoms Canadians often take for granted, and how she recently experienced blatant racism as a result of growing anti-Asian hate which surfaced during the pandemic. “Because I faced stiff and unequal barriers to get to where I am, I know the pain is just as intense for the other equity groups – not just for me as a woman of colour,” says Valenzuela. “Now that I’m in a leadership position, I am determined to make this work a priority so that the path is not so rocky for those coming up behind me.”
Another exception is if no one eligible is nominated, or if a local doesn’t have enough eligible members to fill the seats it’s been allotted. Delegate spots are then open to “ineligible” members – which means any HEU member may be elected at a local meeting. Six new diversity vice-president seats will be elected at HEU’s convention this fall to represent the union’s equity-seeking groups – Indigenous Peoples, people of colour, women, LGBTQ2S+ members, young workers age 33 and under, and people with disabilities. All delegates to the 2022 convention who identify as a member of a designated equity group will have the opportunity to run for one of those positions and/or vote for candidates.
BRENDA WHITEHALL
VOICES
Cultural safety is a community commitment INDIGENOUS peoples have different viewpoints when it comes to health. We’re more holistic and rely a lot on traditional knowledge. We’re also hyper aware of racism in the health care system. Racist stereotypes of us are often related to drugs and alcohol, how we abuse the system, how we’re unintelligent, and how we’re terrible parents. Those are very strange generalizations that we unfortunately have to push against. Those generalizations can happen in a number of places within the health care system, which can mean there’s less effort, misdiagnosis, improper treatment or lack of treatment, delay or denial of service, and withholding of medications that literally scar our bodies, our minds, and our spirits. But many health care organizations have accepted a declaration of cultural safety and humility, in which
We need to bring more than skills to our workplace. We must bring a great humanity.
health professions are required to seek equity of service and outcomes. Cultural safety means to not diminish, demean or disempower the well-being of individuals based on their cultural inheritance or their racial origins. We are committed to open and safe work environments, but we need to bring more than skills and western training to our workplace. We must bring a great humanity. We have agreed collectively that “it starts with me.” We will commit to cultural safety and humility, and bring respect into the workplace, to our colleagues, and to our patients, residents and clients. DR. EVAN ADAMS Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Public Health, Indigenous Services Canada
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GLENYS MORRISON works as a food service worker at Priory Hospital. Her job returned in-house under Island Health in November 2021. She’s a shop steward at her local, and she loves helping her coworkers. 12 GUARDIAN | SPRING 2022
Standing up for people’s rights doesn’t end when his shift is over. HEU shop steward Brandon Houston builds solidarity with his community.
Brandon Houston grew up in a union household and credits his mother, an HEU care aide and activist, with providing a strong moral compass. “Being a social justice union was kind of put into the vernacular pretty early on in our family – how we feel politically, and what’s right and wrong.” So, when Brandon took a job as a receiver at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, he soon ended up becoming a shop steward in his Seven Shining Stars local. As a steward, Brandon says, “there’s a lot of wrongs that need to be righted on a daily basis.” His passion for fighting injustice isn’t confined to his workplace. And working at St. Paul’s in the heart of downtown, he sees the effects of social inequality every day. “One of the biggest problems we have in this city is a lack of housing. The working class are kind of getting pushed out of the city. And beyond Vancouver, the whole province is struggling to get by. If you’re a regular working class person and you have some mental health issues or addiction issues, then it’s been hard.” Brandon’s community activism centres around supporting residents of “tent cities” to organize themselves and fight for change. He admits it can be a polarizing issue, but believes housing is a basic human right. Working at St. Paul’s, Brandon and his co-workers see the impact of poverty every day, from the tent communities around the building, to patients with complex issues related to substance use and mental health.
Joshua Berson PHOTOS
Making connections
TAKING IT TO THE STREET | Hospital worker Brandon Houston knows the power of people standing together in the union and in the community.
“If someone’s homeless, obviously they’re more vulnerable to the elements. They get sick. They come to the hospital. It makes work harder for all our members. So, there is a very plain-sight correlation. “They’re sick from the conditions of being homeless, and now they’re in the hospital. If we can set up systems in place to prevent that, we’ll see our workload and stress levels come down.” Brandon is one of more than 4,000 hospital support workers returning in-house this year. When that happens, he’s considering applying for a job working directly with patients. When asked about a common thread between his activism in the union and in the
NEWSBITES move as it devalues the work of medical lab assistants, who play an important role in supporting the diagnosis and treatment of patients in their health care journey. Medical lab assistants have been central to B.C.’s public health response to COVID-19 and efforts to address surgery backlogs. In continuing talks with health employers and government, the union is advocating for investments in the training of fullscope medical lab assistants and better compensation packages for all health care workers.
community, Brandon describes it as solidarity. “I learned that word in the union. When I’m talking to community members or people that are organizing, I always try and preach that solidarity is the way to go. This is a very human thing. When we get together, we create a bit of an energy and people can hear us louder. “When police are showing up and you’re sitting in solidarity with unhoused people and Indigenous Elders, the police can look pretty threatening. But you kind of look around and sit in solidarity with all those people. You gain strength from it.” ELAINE LITTMANN
CONTINUED FROM PG 10
Immigration rules for care aides eased Care aides from outside Canada are now eligible to work in B.C. through a provincial immigration program for skilled workers. The Provincial Nominee Program Skills Immigration stream permits employers to recruit skilled workers from outside the country, providing those employees a pathway to permanent residency. Care aides, or health care assistants (HCAs), along with early childhood educators, will now be
given priority access, and a better chance for acceptance under the program’s eligibility criteria. This will increase the number of people nominated in these occupations for permanent residency status. Changes also immediately provide a pathway to permanent residency for people already living in B.C. and working in these sectors. The move was supported by HEU in a joint proposal on recruitment and retention of care aides submitted to the B.C. Ministry of Health.
“A significant portion of the HCA workforce are racialized women educated in health care in their home countries,” the proposal stated. “Anecdotally, we know that they often enter Canada as live-in caregivers, rather than as health care providers. This tenuous immigration path has been a common trajectory for many HCAs. “We must attach pathways to permanent residency to HCA jobs when recruiting international workers.”
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COFFEE BREAK Nearly 1,400 HEU members work at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster. The local is preparing to welcome back 162 repatriated support service workers this year.
Safety first! Every employee has the right to a safe work environment. Can you find at least 30 words that relate to workplace health and safety?
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Barb Owen is a carpenter and HEU shop steward. “We are responsible for the maintenance and repair of all the buildings. Being a shop steward is a lot of work, but you get a lot more back than what you give.”
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Dean Callard is a plumber and HEU labour council delegate. “I take care of the medical gases, and any plumbing issues. I’ve been at the hospital for 20 years. We are lucky here, HEU is a very strong union.”
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HEU MEMBERS: Send us your answers to be entered to win a prize! Go to heu.org/coffeebreak and submit your answer online by May 30, 2022. 14 GUARDIAN | SPRING SPRING/Winter 2022 2018
Joshua Berson PHOTOS
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Jean Chao is a secretary and timekeeper. “I assess how important building maintenance requests are and distribute them to different shops, and I also do payroll. I really appreciate the health care team.”
HEU PEOPLE RETIREMENTS Long-time activist Adella Eliuk retired after almost 40 years working as a cook at Prince Rupert Regional Hospital. She was the 2nd alternate for the HEU regional vice-president (North). Adella was very active in her local, serving in many positions including chair, vice-chair, secretary, trustee, warden and conductor. She also sat on various committees, including environment, resolutions and charges, and trials and penalties. “I have enjoyed being active in my union, and I will love to mentor our new local officers for the new year,” she says. Outside of work, Adella has been active in the Ukrainian Club for 25 years. Retirement plans include travelling, and spending time with children and grandchildren. Resident care attendant Mike MacDonald retired from St. Vincent’s Hospital-Langara after 36 years of service. Active in his local, Mike served as chief shop steward, secretary-treasurer, vice-chair and chair, and was an OH&S steward. “I have great memories of my years with HEU, including the strike in 1989, summer school, and the 1990 convention,” says Mike. “In my job, I was able to use the values instilled by my Mom and Dad growing up. “I’ve had the great honour of working with some of the best health care workers. I will miss the interaction with the residents.” In retirement, Mike plans to complete projects around the house with his wife, and enjoy some free time. Activity worker Trish Newell retired from Selkirk Seniors Village last December. Besides entertaining the long-term care residents, Trish helped at reception and assisted care aides when needed. “I enjoyed interacting with family members of the residents,” says Trish. “They became family to me. Oh, and of course, Bingo! I will miss the love, laughter and hugs.” After working 22 years in seniors’ care in Victoria, Trish is switching gears and volunteering at the local Rainbow community kitchen, and loving it. Other plans include travelling and photography, and spending time with family.
IN MEMORIAM Sadly, Alberta Dorval passed away in February. She began working at Fort St. John General Hospital as a physio aide, and moved into housekeeping where she became more active in the union. Alberta served many terms on HEU’s Provincial Executive, proudly representing members. She often mentored colleagues, helping them to build self-confidence and union pride.
50,000 members in 296 locals
After retirement, Alberta relocated to Richmond to enjoy milder winters. When she wasn’t travelling the world, she continued to advocate for others through her involvement with the Legion and BC FORUM. She will be missed by family and friends. Julie Eckert passed away in February after a lengthy illness. Julie worked for 20 years as a licensed practical nurse at Lions Gate Hospital, before joining the staff at HEU’s Provincial Office. Beginning at switchboard, Julie worked her way up to a classification rep, where she helped hundreds of members with classification appeals, winning them higher wages and recognition for the value of their work. She worked in human resources when she retired in 2003. Loved and respected, Julie had a great sense of humour and a big heart. Exceptionally generous, she always had advice or a story to tell. Julie will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Long-time activist Taso Kourtessis passed away in February. Originally a cook at Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Clinic, Taso became active in the union more than 10 years ago, acting as chief shop steward, chair and OH&S steward for his local. Continuing to advocate for members, Taso spent the last six years working as an HEU servicing representative. A very patient man, Taso had a big heart and always had a smile on his face. Family was very important, and he enjoyed cooking for them, and for his friends and co-workers. Taso was a beloved colleague, and will be deeply missed by friends and family. Tragically, Michelle Moreau passed away this past December. She worked almost 20 years for Vancouver Coastal Health as a rehabilitation assistant at Minoru and G.F. Strong. Co-workers fondly remember Michelle as happy, positive, enthusiastic and kind. She always took time to listen to her co-workers and clients, and took great pride in her work. A proud HEU member, Michelle served her local as vice-chair, secretary-treasurer and shop steward, and sat on the OH&S committee. Michelle was involved in many social and political issues, including the Red Dress Campaign, the Fill a Purse for a Sister Campaign, the Leash of Hope Assistance Dogs Society, and the Faceless Doll Project. Michelle will be dearly missed by her family, friends and co-workers.
Equity matters
Did you know that HEU has six equity standing committees? Working with HEU’s equity officers, they provide outreach and advocacy to HEU members, and work in solidarity with other social justice groups. To learn more, call 1.800.663.5813 to speak with Equity Officers Sharryn Modder and Jennifer Efting. Ethnic Diversity • Indigenous Peoples Pink Triangle • People with Disabilities • 2-Spirit, Women and Non-Binary • Young Workers
Guardian HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES’ UNION
“In humble dedication to all those who toil to live.”
EDITOR Caelie Frampton MANAGING EDITOR Elaine Littmann ASSOCIATE EDITOR Brenda Whitehall GRAPHIC DESIGNER Elaine Happer PRINTING Mitchell Press The Guardian is published on behalf of HEU’s Provincial Executive, under the direction of the editorial committee: Meena Brisard, Barb Nederpel, Betty Valenzuela, Bill McMullan, Charlotte Millington, Erica Carr, Ken Bennett HEU is a member of the Canadian Association of Labour Media PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE BARB NEDERPEL President MEENA BRISARD Secretary-Business Manager BETTY VALENZUELA Financial Secretary BILL MCMULLAN 1st Vice-President CHARLOTTE MILLINGTON 2nd Vice-President ERICA CARR 3rd Vice-President KEN BENNETT Senior Trustee TALITHA DEKKER Senior Trustee-Elect CATHERINE BLACK Trustee BONNIE HAMMERMEISTER Regional Vice-President Fraser SCOTT MCKAY Regional Vice-President Fraser MARK WILLIAMS Regional Vice-President Fraser HEIDI COLLINS Regional Vice-President Interior
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Guardian HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES’ UNION
Long-term care needs a long-term fix.
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THE VALUE OF CARE
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What health care workers need as we emerge from the pandemic