Guardian HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES’ UNION
Long-term care needs a long-term fix.
IN THE HOUSE
RETURN TO The Guardian 5000 North Fraser Way Burnaby, B.C. V5J 5M3
A big win as workers in hospitals return to health authorities Thi Vu PHOTO
AGREEMENT NUMBER 40007486
FALL 2021 • VOL. 39 • NO. 2
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Guardian HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES’ UNION
FEATURE
FALL 2021
Health care team reunited! Contracted hospital workers to be brought back in-house
Challenging times A look back at how HEU’s equity standing committees came to be | 7
NEWS
Pandemic response New orders require all health care workers to get vaccinated | 3
Life on high alert In wildfire crisis, health care workers are on the frontlines of safety | 5
Not just personal Paid sick leave is an important preventive measure for public health | 11
Josh Berson PHOTO
TOGETHER AT LAST | HEU members working for private contractors in hospitals celebrate the announcement that after almost 20 years, their jobs will return to the public sector.
7 12 COLUMNS Viewpoint Bringing contracted-out workers back in-house is a victory to celebrate | 6
President’s Desk We’ve sacrificed so much — let’s find ways to support each other | 6
Voices Sounding the alarm on violence in the health care workplace | 11
“I’M CLOSE to retirement, and people ask, ‘Why do you stay?’ I stay because I know we can make things better for those who come behind us. For the people who will need to do this job in the future – so they can support their families while doing this work.” Those are the words of HEU activist Catalina Samson, a food service worker, whose job was contracted out in 2004. Samson shared the stage at an August press conference, where the B.C. government announced thousands of hospital housekeepers and dietary workers – employed by private multinational companies – would return to health authority jurisdiction. Workers will be covered by the facilities subsector collective agreement once the transition back in-house occurs. This is an emotional victory for many HEU members, who fought long and hard for fairness and justice for all health care workers. In 2002, the B.C. Liberal government introduced legislation that stripped health care workers’ collective agreements of job security provisions, and excluded them from the full protection of provincial labour laws. More than 8,000 health care workers – mostly women and highly racialized – were fired, as health authorities contracted out hospital support services. Those
workers were invited to reapply for their jobs, at half the wages, by the private corporations that won lucrative service contracts with the BC Liberals. HEU immediately launched a massive organizing drive, including the Living Wage Campaign. Within three years, thousands of support service workers had rejoined the union. The hard work of negotiating first contracts with the private employers began. Three more rounds of bargaining followed, with slow but steady gains. In 2018, the B.C. legislature voted unanimously to repeal the 2002 law (Bill 29) that enabled contracting out, paving the way for the recent announcement. “This is a significant act of solidarity with a group of workers who’ve been pushed to the margins by 20 years of privatization,” said HEU secretary-business manager Meena Brisard. “It’s a move that will improve recruitment and retention rates for these critical jobs, and will ensure greater worker and patient safety.” There are 21 commercial contracts that will be cancelled, representing more than 4,000 regular and casual workers (2,900 fulltime equivalents). The transition process will begin this fall on a site-by-site basis.
“This has been decades of injustice that health care workers have gone through. Of not being treated fairly, of not being given benefits consistent with being someone who serves the public in a public health care system, and not recognizing the profound value of their work. This [change] will allow health care workers affected by these contracts to receive the same wages and benefits as other health care workers in other health authorities, who are paid to do exactly the same work. So, this is about better care. This is about justice for people. This is about fairness, and this is about building a health care system that will continue to serve people in the decades to come.” B.C. Minister of Health Adrian Dix, speaking at the announcement to bring privatized hospital workers back in-house.
FALL 2021 | GUARDIAN 1
COMMENT Meena Brisard | Secretary-Business Manager Reversing this privatization is a good start, but we still need to restore wages and working conditions for thousands more contracted-out workers in our hospitals and in long-term care and assisted living.
Members’ health and safety at work is top priority
THROWBACK HEU HISTORY
I’M HONOURED to contribute this first column to the Guardian as HEU’s new secretary-business manager. This union and its members have a well-deserved reputation as fighters for social justice, and I’ve witnessed that many times during my first few months. While getting to know some of you at virtual conferences and meetings, and other events, I’ve been struck by the respect, compassion and commitment you bring to the care and support of British Columbians who access health services. In the face of a deadly pandemic and devastating wildfires, you’ve taken extraordinary steps to keep patients, elders, your families and co-workers, and our communities safe. But this pandemic is now being measured in years, not months, and a dangerous fourth wave of COVID-19 is pushing health care workers to the very brink. As a result, nearly one out of four HEU members are considering leaving the health care system in the next two years. I want you to know that your health and safety at work, including your mental health, is a top priority for your union. We’ll do everything we can to secure the resources and support you need to stay in your jobs. Your work matters, and you are an integral part of the health care team.
Government and health employers must pull out all the stops to support you. That means improving terms of employment, training more staff, and investing in mental health supports. We are making progress. On August 30, I was so proud to join the Minister of Health Adrian Dix and VGH dietary worker Catalina Samson to announce that more than 4,000 contracted-out cleaning and dietary workers would be reunited with the rest of the health care team and covered by the facilities subsector collective agreement. Reversing this privatization will reduce turnover and improve health care delivery. It provides better wages and benefits to workers like Catalina, and others, who have campaigned with their union for nearly two decades to right this wrong. It’s a good start, but we still need to restore wages and working conditions for thousands more contracted-out workers in our hospitals and in long-term care and assisted living. I want to thank all of you who have welcomed me to HEU. I am truly excited to work with such a vibrant, progressive and resilient union, and I look forward to what we’ll accomplish together.
WE WIN WHEN WE STAND TOGETHER In 2016, HEU launched its United for Fairness campaign to build solidarity for an upcoming round of bargaining for more than 4,000 contracted support service workers in hospitals. Members from 11 different work sites joined together to coordinate job actions against multiple employers. Actions included a 98 per cent strike vote, an overtime ban, sticker-up and T-shirt days, and a “march on
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the boss” tactic that saw teams of HEU members file into their employers’ offices to present signed petitions and voice their bargaining demands. This year, the fight that began in 2002 ended in a win, when the BC NDP government announced that thousands of hospital housekeepers and food service workers would begin to be transitioned back in-house.
NEWS
Your union. Your paper.
COVID-19
Vaccine required for all health care workers
ONE IN FOUR health care workers is more likely to consider quitting their jobs within the next two years as a direct result of the pandemic, finds a Viewpoints Research survey exploring the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on HEU members. While the survey explored many aspects of working in health care during the last 18 months, the most concerning findings point to significant mental health impacts. “The pandemic has been very hard on health care workers,” says HEU secretary-business manager Meena Brisard. “This survey reflects what members have been through and their resulting burnout.” Other survey findings include:
and make a decision that allows them to remain in the workplace as part of the health care team,” said Meena Brisard, HEU secretary-business manager. Under the provisions of the Public Health Act, the PHO has broad powers to deal with health hazards, especially when a public health emergency has been declared. And the facilities subsector collective agreement and others include provisions under which employers can require workers get vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccines have proven to be safe and effective in reducing the severity and transmissibility of the virus.
In a video message to more than 20,000 members, HEU president Barb Nederpel said that getting vaccinated is an act of solidarity. “You’re protecting your community from the devastating impact of COVID-19. You’re keeping your patients, residents and clients safe. You’re protecting your co-workers and your families. You’re protecting the medically vulnerable – and those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons.” Nearly 90 per cent of HEU members had received at least one dose of the vaccine as of June 2021, according to the union’s own polling. Visit the HEU website for the latest updates at <www.heu.org/ news>.
LORETTA LAURIN
• A majority of members feel their workload (60 per cent), mental health (67 per cent), family (58 per cent), and sense of personal safety (56 per cent) were negatively impacted by COVID-19. • A third of those polled reported feelings of depression (37 per cent) and lack of concentration (34 per cent). • Six in 10 members expressed concern about their ability to meet the emotional and social needs of those in their care during the pandemic (58 per cent), with almost half saying they’re concerned about the level of physical care (46 per cent) they’re able to provide. The province-wide telephone survey of 801 HEU members was conducted in June, and is considered accurate to within 3.3 per cent, 19 out of 20 times.
YOUR UNION Bargaining launches with fall conferences
HEU members bargaining with Revera at Lakeview Care Centre, Holyrood Manor, Arbutus Care Centre and Capilano Care Centre met at HEU Provincial Office in August to hammer out their strategy.
Collective agreements for HEU members in the union’s three public sector bargaining associations are set to expire in March 2022. Bargaining conferences will be held this fall for about 41,000 HEU members covered by the Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA), about 1,500 under Community Social Services (CSS), and 2,300 in Community Health (CH). HEU is the biggest union in the FBA and leads the negotiations, while the CSS and CH sectors include members in other unions
like CUPE and BCGEU. The CSS conference on October 13-14 and the CH conference on October 14-15 will be held online. Currently, the FBA conference on November 29 is scheduled to be held in-person, but updates will be provided closer to the date. At the conferences, delegates elect HEU members to sit on the bargaining committee, and vote on proposed demands they would like to see brought to the table. The priorities set at the bargaining conferences will determine the direction of this year’s talks. To find out more about bargaining, see page 4 of this
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Caelie Frampton PHOTO
COVID-19 vaccinations are now required for all health care workers in B.C., under public health orders issued by the Provincial Health Officer (PHO). Workers in long-term care and assisted living were required to have received two doses of approved COVID-19 vaccines before October 12. A further order October 4 offered staff an opportunity to continue to work if they commit to getting vaccinated under strict timelines. The deadline in hospitals, community health services and other health care workplaces is October 26. PHO Dr. Bonnie Henry stated that vaccination would be considered a condition of employment for health care workers, with exemption requests considered for “medical contraindications” only. “Rising case numbers, the prevalence of the Delta variant, and the trend we are seeing of health care workers not yet fully vaccinated getting COVID-19 means that we must take this step to protect them, those we care for, and the broader community,” said Dr. Henry. HEU has advocated for education and information as the preferred route to improving COVID19 vaccination rates among health care workers. “But the provincial health officer has determined that the risk is high, so we encourage workers who are hesitant to seek vaccine information from credible sources
Member survey reveals stresses
IT’S THE LAW
Disciplining workers for off-duty conduct MANY EMPLOYEES mistakenly believe that their off-duty conduct can never result in workplace consequences – that their activities outside work are, by definition, none of their employer’s business. In fact, however, arbitrators have long recognized that an employer may have the right to discipline an employee for off-duty conduct if it harms the employer’s legitimate interests. In deciding whether discipline (up to, and including, dismissal) should be upheld, arbitrators typically consider whether the off-duty conduct has done any of the following: • damaged the employer’s reputation; • rendered the employee unable to satisfactorily perform their job; • caused other employees to be reluctant, or refuse, to work with the employee; • damaged the employer’s ability to efficiently manage the workplace; or • constituted a serious violation of the Criminal Code. (Note: for health care occupations covered by the Criminal Records Review Act, employees have an ongoing obligation to inform their employer if they are charged with, or convicted of, certain offences). Often, a central question is whether an employer can show a real causal connection between the employee’s off-duty conduct and the alleged impact (or potential impact) on the employer’s operation or reputation. The answer to this question will always depend on the facts of each particular case, including the nature of the employer’s business, the type of work the employee does, and the specifics of the offduty conduct at issue. JOHN MOSCA
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
Why collective bargaining matters The right to collective bargaining is protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which is part of the Constitution of Canada, the “supreme law” governing our nation. Collective bargaining rights are at the core of our democratic union tradition. And they give unions power in the negotiation of fair and reasonable contracts with employers to protect workers’ rights. That’s why HEU took the B.C. Liberal government to court in 2002 when thenPremier Gordon Campbell shredded the union’s collective agreements and began privatizing health care services under Bill 29. The contracting out of support services was devastating to HEU members and the health sector. But in 2007, the Supreme Court of Canada found key sections of Bill 29 were unconstitutional, and ruled in HEU’s favour, enshrining collective bargaining as a Charter-protected right for all Canadian workers. It was a historic victory for Canada’s labour movement.
How does bargaining work?
A collective agreement establishes wages, benefits, working conditions, and other matters that are negotiated between unions
and employers. Regardless of which collective agreement you’re covered by, all HEU members have a voice in the negotiating process – through your elected bargaining committee members – and you have a choice to reject or ratify a contract that’s presented to you for a vote. Before contracts expire, HEU begins preparations that may include pre-bargaining surveys, meetings and other member communications, and bargaining conferences, where delegates pass bargaining demands, elect a bargaining committee, and set the membership’s priorities. HEU is part of five public sector, multiunion bargaining units that cover members working in the facilities, community health, and community social services subsectors. The biggest is the Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA), representing about 41,000 HEU members. HEU is the lead union and our secretary-business manager is the chief negotiator during FBA contract talks. The union also negotiates more than 100 independent contracts. Once a tentative agreement is reached, members review the proposed settlement and take part in ratification votes. If ratified, it becomes your current collective agreement.
YOUR UNION issue, and visit the landing page for your sector under heu.org/ collective-agreements and scroll to “Bargaining Updates”.
New HEU collective agreements reached Many HEU locals have been in bargaining this year and we’ve seen a number of new or renewed collective agreements ratified. We celebrate the hard work and determination of our members and bargaining teams, who have signed agreements in recent months.
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Congratulations to members at Willingdon Care Centre (CareCorp), Brocklehurst Gemstone Care Centre (Marquis), and members employed by Pro Vita at Foyer Maillard, Lynn Valley Care Centre, Simon Fraser Lodge and Chartwell Malaspina Care Centre. HEU members have also ratified contracts with four Revera sites – Lakeview Care Centre, Holyrood Manor, Capilano Care Centre and Arbutus Care Centre. SimpeQ sites Augustine House and Maplewood House also recently achieved collective agreements. Congratulations to all!
Welcome new members With the ongoing stress of the pandemic on health care workers, more workers are turning to HEU for representation, as our organizers find safe and creative ways to organize non-unionized employees. We warmly welcome 159 new members from Wexford Creek Seniors Community, and 100 new members from Agassiz Seniors Community – all of whom work for SimpeQ Care Inc. We also welcome 108 new members working for Pro Vita at Hamilton Village Care Centre.
Seniors’ care campaign pushing for change Good, quality seniors’ care requires adequate staffing. That’s why our province has levelled up wages during the pandemic, and is training and hiring thousands of new care aides and other staff. For members working shortstaffed for years with heavy workloads, it’s a relief to know help is on its way. But for real, substantive change, the sector’s deeply rooted inequities must be addressed. The next phase of HEU’s Care Can’t Wait campaign will push for the restoration of common wages,
B.C. WILDFIRE EMERGENCY
Health care workers on fire’s front line
Many health care workers lived on alert this summer, waiting to move residents and patients to safety. The Interior Health Authority offered to redeploy Spinks to the Lower Mainland to work, but he needed to stay in Lytton to care for his son, family and community. “I couldn’t go,” he said, after watching his town disappear in flames. “It was too much.” Spinks is just one of many health care workers impacted by this year’s wildfires, putting them on the front lines of both a pandemic and a climate emergency. “The devastating wildfire season in B.C. this year put additional strain on health care workers across the province, but they handled it with care and compassion,” says HEU secretary-business man-
benefits and working conditions that existed before the BC Liberals were elected in 2001. For nearly 20 years, privatization has hurt care, and created a two-tier system where workers are run off their feet. This fall, HEU launches social media, print and television ads calling on government to: fix the staffing crisis by ensuring common standards for better wages; providing new long-term care spaces that are public and non-profit, not private; and demanding increased transparency and more stringent rules and regulations for private operators.
ager Meena Brisard. “I know that this summer many of you lived on alert, waiting to move vulnerable residents and patients to safety.” At least 10 long-term care homes and a hospital intensive care unit in the Interior had to evacuate to other communities, some more than once, and for weeks at a time. When an evacuation is ordered, staff help confused and anxious residents get ready. Trucks are packed with personal belongings, medications and supplies. Buses and ambulances are arranged to transport residents, and care homes must be found in safe communities. Care aides travel to the new facilities to help residents get settled. Some remain and work with the staff at the new site. Some may stay at their facility doing non-care work. Others choose to redeploy closer to home while their own sites are closed. Mill Site Lodge and Fischer Place in 100 Mile House evacuated twice. The first time, residents were relocated in and around Salmon Arm, about 250 km southeast. When the alert was finally lifted several weeks later, they returned – only to be issued a new evacuation order just four days later. This time, they were relocated to the Lower Mainland. Angie Hatch, a care aide, stayed with the residents during both evacuations. She remembers the anxiety and confusion of the crisis, but praises the staff at the Coquitlam care home, where most of the residents were housed. “They opened up their hearts,
they treated our residents like their own,” said Hatch. “We worked as a team.” By the end of the fire seasons, thousands of people in B.C. faced evacuation orders or alerts, and hundreds of blazes scorched more than 8,600 square kilometres of land. Spinks hopes he’ll have his position to return to when the health
ELAINE LITTMANN
HOLDING HOPE | When HEU care aide Jordan Spinks looks out his front window, he can see what’s left of his hometown of Lytton, B.C. “It’s sad,” he says, “but everyone’s slogan is, we’ll build back better and stronger.”
Three Links members brought in-house
Watch for new online, print and TV ads for HEU’s Care Can’t Wait seniors’ care campaign.
centre and Lodge are rebuilt. In the meantime, he has taken a job with his band, managing the community centre and grocery store. “It’s hard,” said Spinks. “I have to drive through town every day.” But he says the residents of Lytton have hope. “It’s burned down before and we rebuilt. We’re saying we’ll build back better and stronger.”
Jordan Spinks PHOTO
CARE AIDE Jordan Spinks’ workplace is gone. In late June, his hometown of Lytton, B.C. was destroyed by a fast-raging fire. The Spintlum Lodge assisted living facility, where he worked, burned to the ground. Spinks had just finished an afternoon shift, and was heading to his home on the Lytton First Nation, when he spotted the blaze. He raced back to the Lodge, along with his teenaged son. They helped the residents out of their rooms, and fled to a safe spot up the highway. Witnesses say it took only 15 minutes for the entire town to be engulfed.
All HEU members at the Three Links long-term care centre in Vancouver will now be covered by the facilities collective agreement, after the employer ended a private care contract earlier this year. Food service workers and housekeepers at Three Links had long been covered by the facilities collective agreement, but care aides and recreation and rehabilitation assistants were contracted out to Pro Vita. All of the approximately 80 HEU members at the facility are now
employed directly by Three Links Care Society. Under a labour adjustment agreement, members who were Three Links employees before the contracting out will retain their entitlements based on years of service. The facilities agreement provides improvements to benefits, pension plans, training, and wages that are not linked to the province’s Single-Site Orders, as well as higher standards of care and increased staffing levels. HEU members and management hope this move improves working conditions, and addresses recruitment and retention issues.
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Elaine Littmann PHOTO
WORKING FOR YOU
KEEPING IT CLEAN JIMS, ANDREW AND LESTER are the team that keeps the HEU Provincial Office clean – an extra-challenging job during COVID-19. They also set up rooms for meetings and events, manage supplies, and maintain the heat and ventilation systems. From assembling and moving office furniture, to washing windows, to filling the coffee urns, HEU’s building services staff keep the office humming in every way.
Betty Valenzuela | Financial Secretary
VIEWPOINT
The time has come. These workers had a union who supported them, who never wavered.
I HAVE SEEN a lot of things in my life.
I’ve experienced adversity, loss and pain. I’ve experienced kindness, love and joy. But the recent B.C. government announcement to bring privatized support services back in-house is truly a highlight. I couldn’t contain my excitement. At long last, we have fairness and justice. When I was a full-time shop steward at VGH, I moved around the hospital. And even though contracted support service workers were not part of the Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA), I saw them outside the union office, where they were lying down on benches and sleeping on their breaks, so exhausted. Others told me their stories. It was heartbreaking. I knew what a heavy load they had, and the benefits and wages were outrageous.
These workers deserved better
I witnessed their pain and hardship. They were over-fatigued, overstressed, over-worked. I felt disgusted for the abuse they were suffering. They deserved better. Many members travelled from near and far for a better life in Canada, and then they encounter these inhumane working conditions. That really angered me. But they remained consistent and faithful because patients are coming to the hospital to get better – so they need nutritious meals and a safe, clean environment to heal. And now, the time has come. These workers had a union who supported them, who never wavered on our principles of justice and fairness. We were steadfast. And the provincial government delivered on their promise to end contracting out. This is one of HEU’s many victories. It was a collective effort by the members, the union, and the NDP government. We persevered. We stayed there till the very end.
Celebrating a difficult journey
Once these members transition into the FBA, they’ll receive what they deserve – decent wages, benefits and a pension plan. What they had to go through to get here, it’s not for the faint-hearted. They struggled, they sacrificed, and they were resilient. For two decades, we fought a war with these private contractors. It was a long journey. There was no shortcut. It was a rugged path to get to where we are. And we will celebrate. It is the contracted support workers who are the true heroes, just like the frontline workers during this pandemic. We can now rejoice because these members are coming home.
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Barb Nederpel | President
PRESIDENT’S DESK Getting vaccinated is an act of solidarity. It’s how health care workers support one another.
THIS FALL will go down as one of the most difficult times for health care workers in B.C. As we stare down a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re encountering a lot of fear, anxiety and anger from some members of our communities. Many, albeit a minority, chose to voice their anger at hospitals, health care centres, and schools. But it struck me that despite the displays of intimidation at their work sites, HEU members and other health care providers continued working. As they do every day, they carried on delivering, without judgement, the quality care and support that we all rely on. This is what being a health care hero looks like. Strong support from community
In my hometown of Kamloops, our community had been tackling the twin crises of surging COVID-19 numbers and record-breaking wildfires that chased people from their homes throughout the summer. Challenging as the situation was, our health care workers were resolute in caring for those who most needed it. That’s why the community came out on Labour Day to show support for health care workers – as a counterprotest to the anti-vaccination rallies held outside of hospitals. Our community understands health care workers are at the end of their ropes, and they didn’t feel supported by these demonstrations. After 18 months of this pandemic, health care workers are exhausted. HEU members have sacrificed so much. As we tackle the current wave with a highly contagious Delta variant, and a strained health care system, it’s difficult to see a light at the end of the tunnel. So, at this point, the most important thing community members can do to support health care workers is to get vaccinated.
An act of caring for each other
And for health care workers, it’s an act of solidarity with one another. This is how we support and care for each other. The vast majority of HEU members know this, and that’s why more than 90 per cent have been vaccinated. We all face an uncertain future with this pandemic. But no matter what happens, HEU members will be there to look after British Columbians who need health care services. Thank you for all that you do, every day, in the most caring way.
Forging a way forward
HEU members recall the stormy convention that founded the union’s equity standing committees
By all accounts, HEU’s 1996 convention was contentious and stormy. Members of the union’s four equity caucuses, along with the Provincial Executive, prepared for months to rally support for a motion that would enshrine these “working groups” as standing committees, and empower them to make formal and lasting change within HEU.
THE CONVENTION FLOOR
Mary Lee Jetko remembers the tears she shed at that convention. A care aide at the time, Jetko took to the mic to speak in favour of the motion, and shared her experiences of racism with those in attendance. “This became a long, emotional battle,” she tells the Guardian, 25 years later. “A lot of members came to the mic, and told their stories of how they were discriminated against at the workplace.” But not everyone saw eye-to-eye, and some delegates were enraged by the idea of HEU
dedicating resources toward marginalized groups. “Some of the members were opposed to the idea,” Jetko recalled. “Some members were saying that we were just another ‘special interest’ people.” Jetko, who is Chinese-Filipina Canadian, was a member of the Ethnic Diversity working group. Other caucuses, at the time, included Gay Men and Lesbian, First Nations, and People with disAbilities. By passing a motion to enshrine these working groups into permanent standing
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“Some of the members were opposed to the idea,” says Mary Lee Jetko. “Some were saying that we were just another ‘special interest’ people.”
“THEY TAUGHT ME A LOT. IN PARTICULAR, THEY TAUGHT MYSELF AND OTHERS ABOUT BEING RESPECTFUL.” MARY LAPLANTE
committees in HEU’s Constitution & By-Laws, these committees would be eligible for funding and to send a delegate to future conventions. Their mandate would be to increase the participation of marginalized members within HEU, and to advise on programs and policy to eliminate inequality within the union and the workplace
“I realized when I came to Canada, about all the racism I was getting,” she said. “If I didn’t join the union, I still wouldn’t have known it.” Despite the need for action against racism and discrimination, passing the motion to formalize the equity groups wasn’t easy.
NAMING RACISM
ENDLESS DEBATE
Jetko got involved with HEU after moving to Canada with her husband in the 1980s. At her workplace, Mount St. Mary’s Hospital in Victoria, she faced bullying and slurs from patients and colleagues. In one instance, a patient hit her repeatedly, yelled racial slurs, and told her to “get out.” In another, Jetko says a colleague double-parked her car, and refused to move her vehicle until two hours after Jetko’s shift had ended. Growing up in Philippines, Jetko faced racism and bullying for being half-Chinese, but says the discrimination was far worse when she came to Canada. She credits the HEU for empowering her with the words to describe her experiences.
Mary LaPlante, who was HEU’s financial secretary at the time of the 1996 convention, remembers the horror of watching delegates on the floor heckle the equity committee members as they spoke in favour of the motion. “Some of our members weren’t very respectful when these committees were being created,” said LaPlante. “People were up at the mics screaming at them, other people were crying. It was quite an emotional time.” While LaPlante wasn’t directly affected by issues of racism, ableism and homophobia, she knew the equity committees were needed, and was tasked with making sure equity-seeking members were able to access the convention.
TAKING THE FLOOR | “Everybody looked at me and said, “Mary, you should go up there and tell them about your stories,” recalls Mary Lee Jetko.
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“IT WAS A LOT OF EXPLAINING, INTRODUCING
Donna Dickison says the equity committees gave her freedom to speak. “I didn’t have to be ashamed of who I was.”
OURSELVES AND WHO Caelie Frampton/HEU archive/ Kate Williams PHOTOS
WE ARE AS A PEOPLE AND AS NATIONS, AND WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR US GOING THROUGH RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL.” DONNA DICKISON
Debate on the floor over the motion felt endless, she said. “We went through many, many hours and re-tabling it and bringing it back, changing it in some little form.” LaPlante also remembers the restlessness away from the floor. “I can clearly remember, I can hear people screaming at one another in the hallway on a break, because they didn’t support what was going on.”
SUCCESS IN UNITY
Ultimately, the motion to establish permanent equity standing committees was passed by a two-thirds’ majority. Roger Kishi, a member of the Ethnic
Mary LaPlante, HEU’s former financial secretary, knew the equity committees were needed.
Diversity committee from its founding, can clearly recall the chaos of the 1996 convention. He said it was a “rollercoaster” because even after the motion passed, some delegates introduced a motion of reconsideration. This meant the motion came back the next day for debate and another vote. “It was a very restless night, I didn’t get very much sleep,” said Kishi. Unity between the four committees is what pulled them through, recalls Kishi, who is Japanese-Canadian and worked as a security supervisor at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver from the late 1980s to the early 2000s. “The caucuses were working together to achieve this goal,” he said.
SHARED TEACHINGS
After the motion to formalize the working groups as standing committees passed, the committees’ influence increased, and in the years that followed, their messages became part of shop steward training. A quarter century on, LaPlante still remembers the teachings she learned from the First Nations Standing Committee (now the Indigenous Peoples Standing Committee), and the stories of workplace discrimination she heard from members of the People with disAbilities Standing Committee. “They taught me a lot,” said LaPlante. “In particular, they taught myself and others about being respectful.” In the 1990s, for example, many nonIndigenous people didn’t understand the impacts of residential schools. “The HEU First Nations group was very, very vocal,” recalled LaPlante. “They taught our other members what it was like to go through some of this hell that they went through, and what their parents went through.” They also shared ceremonial practices, and opening prayers at various HEU events. Donna Dickison, a member of the St’Atl’Imx Nation, was part of the First Nations Standing Committee in the 1990s, and remembers the hard work of educating members about the past and present of Indigenous Peoples. “It was a lot of explaining,” said Dickison, a former Vancouver-based care aide. “Introducing ourselves and who we are as a people and as nations, and what it was like for us going through residential school.”
HARMFUL MISUNDERSTANDINGS
Dickison, a residential school survivor, says that a major land claim in B.C. had been settled around the time of the 1996 convention. She remembers how the settlement increased animosity toward First Nations Peoples because some non-Indigenous people seemed to think it meant all First Nations
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George Le Masurier / Decafnation.net PHOTO
Although Roger Kishi hasn’t been involved with HEU in nearly two decades, he still sees room for growth among the equity committees.
people in B.C. had received large chunks of money – and undeservedly. That resentment, said Dickison, spilled over onto the convention floor. “They figured that we all had the money and we all were rich, and it wasn’t that way,” she said. “We had to explain to them that we’re all different nations and we all come from different places. And it was just the one nation that got everything (in the settlement).” Dickison also remembers that she and other equity committee members were accused of seeking out more than they deserved at the convention. “It was really hard actually because a lot of the members thought we were ‘special’.” But when the motion finally passed, it was a relief, Dickison said. “They accepted us, it was nice.”
FINDING A VOICE
Dickison says that discovering there was space for her experiences within HEU was pivotal. “We were able to talk. It gave me the voice to talk and to know that I didn’t have to be ashamed of who I was.” At residential school, Dickison had been taught to dislike the colour of her skin. But through the equity committees, she says she became proud of herself, discovered her voice, and began meeting new people. “It gave me freedom, freedom to speak.” Jetko also remembers how the equity
committees helped empower her. In the years that followed the convention, she learned how to speak out against racism, homophobia and ableism. Specifically, she remembers being betterequipped to correct others’ misconceptions about First Nations Peoples and people with disabilities. “Some people, when I can hear them talking about them, I always go and tell them that, ‘No, don’t do that. You shouldn’t be saying that because we should all work together,’” said Jetko.
LOOKING AHEAD
Although Kishi hasn’t been involved with HEU in nearly two decades, he still sees room for growth among the equity committees. Back in 1996, Kishi says that members of the equity committees had discussed lobbying for seats dedicated to equity-seeking members on HEU’s Provincial Executive. At the time, the 21-member executive was nearly all white, and more than half were men. “We came to consensus that what we really wanted first was to establish the caucuses formally within the structure of the union, and then try and move forward to gain equity seats on the executive,” Kishi recalls. “It was a goal, way back before the convention in 1996. It was, in the minds of some people, myself included, that there should be equity seats on the executive.”
LEADERS UNITED | Secretary-business manager Chris Allnutt, financial secretary Mary LaPlante and HEU president Fred Muzin stood with members in challenging times at the 1996 convention.
Doing the work HEU equity standing committees and activists take on the fight for social justice The Indigenous Peoples Standing Committee has worked to raise awareness on Indigenous issues, including residential schools, clean drinking water in First Nations communities, and missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. Their Red Dress ceremony in Surrey is now an annual event. The Ethnic Diversity Standing Committee has been actively involved in the community supporting migrant workers’ rights campaigns, sponsoring refugee families, and organizing on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The Pink Triangle Standing Committee: LGBTQ2s+ activists in HEU were tireless in promoting and supporting same-sex spousal benefit resolutions at conventions and bargaining tables, which led to HEU winning medical coverage for samesex partners through the B.C. Supreme Court. The People with Disabilities Standing Committee initiated the Blue Poppy Campaign to commemorate workers killed or injured on the job. They also won an LTD top-up for members for two collective agreements, by intervening during facilities bargaining to speak directly with the employer. The Women’s Standing Committee, established in 2008, successfully advocated for “Women in Leadership” courses to be offered by HEU’s training programs, to enhance women’s leadership within the union and in the community.
10 GUARDIAN | FALL 2021
LABOUR
News from here and around the world
BCFED PAID SICK LEAVE CAMPAIGN
Government seeks public input on new provincial paid sick leave options
THE B.C. government is developing a new paid sick leave plan to allow workers to stay home when sick or injured without losing wages, for a set number of days each year. This move addresses fears workers without sick leave have about choosing between public health concerns and making ends meet during the pandemic. In May 2021, the government mandated that up to three paid sick days be available for workers who do not already have sick leave, and need to stay home due to COVID19 infection. But this temporary policy will end in December. “We’ve had two outbreaks,” said Kendra Dell, an HEU care aide who contracted COVID-19 at her work site in Kamloops. “I was off for 24 days. Having no income... it was a very stressful time.”
“Workers without paid sick days are 150 per cent more likely to go to work with a contagious illness.” Once she was able to return to work, Dell said she had to put in extra hours to help support her family. “We need to address this health care system. And if it starts with more days off to give us the ability to recharge, I think that is the first step. Everybody is burning out.” B.C. currently does not man-
date employers to provide sick pay. Nearly nine in 10 low-wage workers – predominantly women and racialized workers – and 53 per cent of all workers in B.C. currently have no paid sick leave. The B.C. Federation of Labour (BCFED) recently published a research report showing that paid sick leave should be a right. “Workers without paid sick days are 150 per cent more likely to go to work with a contagious illness,” said Jonathan Sass, BCFED communication director. “Those who stay home when sick recover more quickly and access medical care more promptly, preventing more serious and costly illness.” A recent survey of HEU members found that one out of six workers used up all their paid sick time during the pandemic. More than half of members who exhausted their sick pay, and then became sick, stayed home and lost wages. And about one-third used other types of leave. But 16 per cent reported going to work. The BCFED report recommends the province guarantee 10 days of employer-paid sick leave that is seamless, applies to all workers, replaces full wages, and ensures sick workers can’t be fired for staying home. Research found that 86 per cent of British Columbians surveyed support the 10-day plan. In August, the B.C. government
A SIMPLE MATTER | Workers should never be forced to choose between their health and their financial well-being, says the B.C. Federation of Labour report advocating for mandatory paid sick leave for all employees.
sought public input on the new legislation from both workers and employers. They released three options for consideration – three, five or 10 paid sick days per year – but details are lacking. It’s unclear whether the plan would cover temporary, casual, and part-time workers. “It would be a real win for everyone in B.C. if 10 or more paid sick days were available to all workers,
regardless of job type,” said Meena Brisard, HEU’s secretary-business manager. British Columbians have until October 25 to view and submit feedback on the options at <engage.gov. bc.ca/paidsickleave>. The new model for sick leave entitlement would come into effect on January 1, 2022. LORETTA LAURIN
VOICES
The epidemic of violence in health care HEALTH CARE WORKERS experience some of the highest rates of violence and sexual harassment of any occupational group. Yet, this issue isn’t brought into the light nearly enough. As occupational health researchers, we have spoken with hundreds of health care workers in hospitals and long-term care facilities across Ontario. It may be no surprise to you, as health care workers, but we were shocked to learn how many are suffering in silence from widespread violence. And employers regularly threaten to discipline or fire workers for talking about it publicly. Violence against health care workers seems to be increasingly viewed as “part of the job”. A cleaner told us he had suffered a severe blow to the back of his neck from a patient. He was in pain for weeks, and left feeling very shaken. He told us, “After 11 GUARDIAN | Fall/Winter 2018
that, I found my anxiety level was really high. It took me about a year to feel comfortable again. I didn’t like anyone coming up from behind me.” Violence can be prevented with protective strategies, such as adequate staffing, and respect for the well-being of staff. As we wrote in our recent book, Code White, “We can’t ignore this issue any longer, just as we can’t ignore domestic assault, discrimination, harassment, or sexual assault. “Violence against health care staff is a human rights issue that we are all being challenged now to address.” MARGARET KEITH and JAMES BROPHY are long-time occupational and environmental health researchers and advocates, and co-authors of Code White: Sounding the Alarm on Violence Against Health Care Workers.
FALL 2021 | GUARDIAN 11
ANGIE HATCH has worked as a care aide at Fischer Place and Mill Site Lodge in 100 Mile house since 2009, and is chief shop steward and secretary of her local. She says that being a care aide “still fills my soul every time I see a smile or hold a hand that reaches out.”
HEU member Jo Owens discusses her new book A Funny Kind of Paradise, published by Random House. Owens has worked as a care aide for more than 20 years at Mount St. Mary’s Hospital in Victoria.
A care aide’s story of loss, love, and life’s purpose Who is your book about?
A Funny Kind of Paradise is about a strong woman named Francesca, who is absolutely leveled by a debilitating stroke, and ends up in extended care. At first, she’s angry with her situation. But over time, she becomes interested in what’s going on around her. She thinks a lot about what’s under her control, and what she can do about her future. When former B.C. Liberal Premier Gordon Campbell slashed health care workers’ wages in 2004, we were all so angry. We would say, “Those people in government have no clue what we do in our job.” To make myself feel better, I began taking notes about what I did at work. All of the characters in my book are fictional, but my book is based on my work experience. I also was thinking about how to be a better care aide. I wanted to imagine myself as one of my clients, to increase my empathy.
Do your characters talk about their union?
The care aides in the book talk about their jobs and the union. I’m grateful that I have a union that supports me and helps me have a living wage. I’m a big believer in public services, including in long-term care. When you’re dealing with people in need, you shouldn’t have profit involved. We hear all the time about terrible places to
Don Craig PHOTO
What made you want to write it?
work, and it’s doesn’t have to be like that. We can do so much better.
Has your work as a care aide helped you as a writer?
When I found my job as a care aide, I found what I’m supposed to be doing in life. My work has made me a better person in every way, including as a writer. Writing is my passion, but it’s not my bread and butter. Being a care aide is my passion and my bread and butter. To my fellow HEU members, I want to say thank you so much for everything you do. Thank you for the heart that you put into your job. Health care workers are amazing people.
From A Funny Kind of Paradise “Let’s see what we can do with this hair, Francesca. You look a little wild.” I let the tears fall. “It’s not just the clothes, is it?” said Lily, reading my mind. “It’s everything, isn’t it? Being here, not being home, losing your mobility, not having any privacy … it’s so hard, isn’t it?” Brush, brush, brush. Lily leaned in and whispered in my ear so privately I almost thought I imagined it. “Hold on, Francesca,” she said. “There are angels everywhere. Hold on. You’ll be okay.” Surprised, taken aback, my breath burst out.
NEWSBITES Appeal continues in public health care case In 2020, after a 10-year battle, the B.C. Supreme Court ruled against the Cambie Surgeries Corporation’s legal challenge to strike down key sections of Medicare Protection Act. This ruling will ensure patients’ access to medical care is based on need and not the ability to pay. The Court’s decision was more than 880 pages long, and is considered one of the most significant in Canadian legal history. Despite this decision, Dr. Brian
Day (CEO of the Cambie Surgeries Corporation) and others still strive to undermine Canada’s public health care system. The B.C. Court of Appeal heard the Cambie case’s appeal in June. A decision is expected early next year. Regardless of the outcome, this case is likely to proceed to the Supreme Court of Canada. If it does, HEU will continue to support the efforts of intervenor groups to defend public health care. Get updates on the Cambie case at <savemedicare.ca>.
DEI project leads to proposals at convention This spring, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Working Group concluded its work consulting broadly with members about equity and inclusion in HEU. The consultations included inperson and online sessions with members across the province, an online survey, and sessions for members from HEU’s equity standing committees (Indigenous Peoples, Women, Pink Triangle, Ethnic Diversity, People with Disabilities) and young workers.
Following the working group’s report and recommendations, HEU’s Provincial Executive (P.E.) is proposing DEI amendments and resolutions at the 2021 convention in November. The amendment speaks to the finding that members want a “Made-in-HEU” strategy to strengthening equity in our union’s P.E. The resolutions propose to advance the important DEI work that was initiated in 2018. For more information about the DEI project, visit <www.heu.org/ dei>.
FALL 2021 | GUARDIAN 13
COFFEE BREAK
Job search! HEU members work in more than 270 different job classifications. How many words can you find in the puzzle that relate to the jobs we do? S T O R
E S X Z W Y
C O U N
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The Langley Fulfillment Centre hosts warehouse operations that distribute supplies and PPE to every hospital, community health site, long-term care home and hospice in the Lower Mainland.
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HEU MEMBERS: Send us your answer! We’ll mail you a prize! Go to heu.org/coffeebreak and submit your answer online by December 1, 2021. 14 GUARDIAN | FALL 2021
Nina Rafols, a supervisor and chief steward, was a labour lawyer in the Philippines and arbitrated cases. “Being a steward is a way to practise my passion and advocate for our members. I like to help members who are shy or can’t express themselves. We have to support each other. Let’s be patient, tough and enjoy every moment that we can.”
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Constancio Castaneda is a warehouse attendant and steward. He uses jacks and forklifts to move and organize supplies. “We deliver all the medical products to the hospital. I encourage everyone to give support and encouragement to frontline workers.”
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Caelie Frampton PHOTOS
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Jonathan McCurrach is a warehouse operator and first aid attendant. “I prepare the orders to be shipped, and I get put on special projects for the ventilators we need during COVID19. If I can’t get this stuff out the door, no one else gets to do their job. I want to make sure everyone gets the help they need.”
HEU PEOPLE RETIREMENTS HEU activist Julie Chmielewski retired in July. She started in health care right out of high school in 1983, beginning her career in Dawson Creek as a care aide. She continued working for Northern Health as a staffing clerk, and in sterile processing, before returning to the role of care aide at Rotary Manor. Julie was a highly respected trade union activist, and held many roles at her locals, including shop steward, chief shop steward, chair, vice-chair and secretary-treasurer. Colleagues say Julie’s work ethic and dedication to excellence was unsurpassed. She will be greatly missed. Retirement plans include kayaking and camping with friends and family. Nursing unit assistant Terry Methven has retired from Lions Gate Hospital, where she worked for more than 40 years. Active in her local, Terry held various trustee positions over many terms. She was also active in the Lynn Valley Gardening Club. “I loved helping patients and their families,” says Terry. “I will miss that contact. I will also miss all my friends and fellow staff that I have met over the years.” In retirement, Terry plans to travel once it is safe to do so. In the meantime, she has been keeping busy doing many puzzles, and has bought a vacation home. After 32 years, Jodi George retired from Surrey Memorial Hospital as a renal dialysis technician. A strong union activist, Jodi served her local as a shop steward, OH&S steward, chair, treasurer, EDMP steward and conductor, as well as being on the labour-management committee and served as a strike captain. For several years, Jodi represented HEU members on the Provincial Executive as 2nd vice-president and was regional vice-president for the Fraser Region. Jodi was active in her community,
50,000 members in 296 locals
participating in the Red Dress Gathering, Surrey Pride, and Farmers’ Lives Matter. She volunteered at the Surrey Food Bank and with the NDP. “Being an advocate for patients and co-workers was the best part of my job,” says Jodi. “I will miss all the wonderful friendships I have made over the years.” Retirement allows Jodi to focus on many social justice issues close to her heart. She will always be an activist, but says she also plans on “living her life” and doing more of what makes her happy.
Equity matters
Did you know that HEU has five 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 • Women
Guardian HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES’ UNION
IN MEMORIAM Sadly, Rody Boulton passed away this June after more than 46 years of service. Rody began as a transport driver at Riverview Hospital before transferring to SSF as a warehouse operator. Co-workers say Rody was well-loved. They remember him as very kind and as someone who always listened to others, doing his best to help and find solutions to their problems. He had great stories to tell with a quirky sense of humour. If an employee hadn’t worked with Rody, they certainly knew of him. Married for more than 50 years, Rody always spoke highly of his wife Lorraine. Rody will be missed dearly by his co-workers, family and friends. Tragically, 34-year-old Leah Richardson suddenly passed away this past April. She was a revenue billing clerk at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria. Leah joined the Island Health family in November 2019, when she transferred from Beacon Community Services, where she had worked for five years. Colleagues remember Leah as having a generous nature and kind heart. She would always help others, disliked gossip, and chose to see the best in people. Those Leah worked with were inspired by her optimism. She had a great sense of humour, a bright and cheery demeanour, and never let anything get her down. Leah will be dearly missed by her co-workers, family and friends.
“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, Mike Old, Betty Valenzuela, Ken Robinson, Bill McMullan, Talitha Dekker 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 KEN ROBINSON 1st Vice-President BILL MCMULLAN 2nd Vice-President CHRIS BATTING 3rd Vice-President TALITHA DEKKER Senior Trustee KEN BENNETT Trustee STEPHEN ARISS Trustee
Dress up your local with our new T-shirts, pullovers, hoodies and hats! And get the little ones started early with our Union Made onesies! Check out our boutique online at www.heu.org/heu-boutique. We’ll be adding new items as they come in!
HEU
SHOW OFF YOUR UNION PRIDE!
JOANNE WALKER Regional Vice-President Fraser DAVID JOHNS Regional Vice-President Fraser SCOTT McKAY Regional Vice-President Fraser RHONDA BRUCE Regional Vice-President Interior DONNA THIBEAULT Regional Vice-President Interior MONICA THIESSEN Regional Vice-President Interior
EDNA RIVERA Regional Vice-President Vancouver Coastal LOUELLA VINCENT Regional Vice-President Vancouver Coastal KAREN MCVEIGH Regional Vice-President Vancouver Coastal LISA CREMA Regional Vice-President North TERRESSA JAMERSON Regional Vice-President North CATHY BLACK Regional Vice-President Vancouver Island CHARLOTTE MILLINGTON Regional Vice-President Vancouver Island BARBARA RIGGS First Alternate Provincial Executive
HEU OFFICES PROVINCIAL OFFICE 5000 North Fraser Way Burnaby V5J 5M3 604-438-5000 1-800-663-5813 EMAIL heu@heu.org WEB www.heu.org REGIONAL OFFICES
Vancouver Island VICTORIA 201-780 Tolmie Avenue Victoria V8X 3W4 250-480-0533 1-800-742-8001 COMOX 6-204 North Island Highway Courtenay, V9N 3P1 250-331-0368 1-800-624-9940
Interior region KELOWNA 100-160 Dougall Rd. S. Kelowna V1X 3J4 250-765-8838 1-800-219-9699 NELSON 745 Baker St. Nelson V1L 4J5 250-354-4466 1-800-437-9877 NORTHERN 1197 Third Ave. Prince George V2L 3E4 250-564-2102 1-800-663-6539
FALL 2021 | GUARDIAN 15
Guardian HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES’ UNION
Long-term care needs a long-term fix.
IN THE HOUSE
RETURN TO The Guardian 5000 North Fraser Way Burnaby, B.C. V5J 5M3
A big win as workers in hospitals return to health authorities Thi Vu PHOTO
AGREEMENT NUMBER 40007486
FALL 2021 • VOL. 39 • NO. 2
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