Q&A Q&A
HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUITY
AN INTERVIEW WITH MOSAIC OF COLOUR CAUCUS CHAIR HARWINDER SANDHU BCNU’s MOSAIC OF Colour caucus is a safe place where members of colour can address the effects of racism and discrimination in their community and their practice. The caucus meets twice a year, bringing together representatives from each BCNU region. Caucus members identify and tackle issues affecting workers of colour in BC and strive to affect positive change and respect for their backgrounds and experience. Harwinder Sandhu was recently elected as chair of the caucus. She works at Vernon Jubilee Hospital and has served as a BCNU steward since 2013. Prior to this she worked at Mills Memorial Hospital in Terrace. Born and raised in Punjab, India, Sandhu graduated in 1999 from the Dr. Anil Baghi Memorial Hospital and School of Nursing in Ferozepur, Punjab and came to Canada in 2001.
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Update Magazine recently sat down with Sandhu to find out more about her and the Mosaic of Colour caucus’ plans for the coming year. UPDATE What does it mean to be a worker of colour? SANDHU As a group, we bring diversity and different experiences to our union. Being a worker of colour in Canada can be challenging at times. Even in this day and age we still have lot of people with a narrow mind-set and who are prejudiced. I’ve personally faced many challenges being a worker of colour, both in the community and at work, and some patients make assumptions just by looking at skin colour. This reality is especially pronounced in the north, where I worked for eight years and even in the Okanagan where I live now. People of colour cannot take their own safety for granted. When I’m door knocking [Ed. Sandhu is running as a candidate in the provincial general election] I can’t be alone
MAY/JUNE 2017 • UPDATE MAGAZINE
because you never know how you are going to be greeted. If a situation is dangerous for a woman to be alone, it’s even more so for a woman of colour. UPDATE What kinds of issues are workers of colour most concerned with today? SANDHU We are still facing direct and indirect discrimination at some level in the workplace and from patients. People still judge, generalize and make hurtful comments at times. Workers of colour can be shy, afraid and reluctant to bring forward the issues they face at work because they often believe they will lose the jobs as they can be unaware of their rights under the collective agreement. New nurse grads who are Mosaic
of Colour caucus members have frequently made me aware of these ongoing issues. UPDATE Why do you feel it’s important for the union to support the work of the Mosaic of Colour caucus? SANDHU Caucus members need lots of encouragement and support to develop and establish their confidence, because a large number don’t have English as their first language. Some are still struggling to establish themselves – both at their workplaces and in their communities. They need a safe place to share the issues, challenges and struggles they face. The caucus is also needed to help connect workers of colour to the wider union