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HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES’ UNION
seniors protect
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SPRING 2016 • VOL. 34 • NO. 1
expand
End illegal fees Seniors’ strategy Canada Health Act Stop extra-billing
Renew public health care PROTECT
Mental health and addiction strategy
Universal pharmacare End privatization
CANADIAN
LEADERSHIP Now ENFORCE
PROTECT
Stop extra-billing
CANADA HEALTH ACT
enforce standards
standards
PUBLIC
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Canada Health Act
Now
New health accord
Maintain PUBLIC
DEMENTIA STRATEGY Now
FRONT COVER
Restore federal funding ACCESSIBLE Aboriginal health
Reduce wait times HOME CARE Standards expand pu bli
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VISIT: saveourhealthcarebc.ca/renewhealthcare TELL OTTAWA: reverse the cuts • stop privatization • invest in seniors’ care
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SPRING FORWARD! Caelie Frampton PHOTO
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Ambitious education program builds member activism.
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Guardian HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES’ UNION
12
SPRING 2016
Energized. Enthusiastic. Engaged. Building member activism in the workplace and the community
FEATURE
Contracted support services
Preparing to bargain | 8
NEWS
Staffing levels
Minimum guidelines not met | 3
Sanctuary Health
Supporting B.C. migrants | 11
First Nations
Missing and murdered women warrant national inquiry | 12 Caelie Frampton PHOTO
UNION TRAINING | Members from Augustine House and Surrey Hospital learn new skills at recent introductory course for shop stewards.
SPRING IS IN THE AIR,
8 11 COLUMNS Viewpoint
Breaking the silence on domestic violence in the workplace | 6
Presidents Desk
Engaging members in HEU locals and beyond | 6
After Shift
Member competes on Chopped Canada | 13
ON THE FRONT COVER: Members take a break from March 30 shop steward training session at HEU’s provincial office.
and with a new year in full swing HEU members are boosting their capacity to make a concrete difference in their workplaces and communities. Against a backdrop of rising injury rates, heavy workloads, and health care restructuring, HEU kicked off 2016 with a revitalized education program. Since January, more than 700 HEU members have participated in a range of workshops and union gatherings. Almost daily, new and seasoned activists are convening at Provincial Office or locally, to learn new advocacy and leadership skills. Alicia Gordon, a residential care aide at Holy Family Hospital, recently attended her first union event. It was an HEU Introduction to Shop Steward course that has armed her with the tools she needs to support her co-workers. “Hearing about other’s people’s problems at their workplaces gives you an idea of what might come up as a shop steward,” says Gordon. “Now I have the knowledge I need to help others when they have a problem.” Pamela Davies, a member who works in staff scheduling at Royal Inland Hospital, has been a shop steward for the past year. She has taken all three levels of the union’s shop steward training courses
and credits the education she has received with giving her invaluable know-how in the workplace. “Education is power,” she says. “Even if you’re inexperienced, if you have that knowledge behind you, you feel more confident.” Members like Davies and Gordon join a growing network HEU shop stewards, occupational health and safety stewards, and local executive members, who are the eyes, ears and advocacy voice in their workplaces. They’re the ones members contact and who they count on to make sure employers live up to their collective agreement responsibilities. “Investing in front-line activism is absolutely a top priority for the union,” says HEU financial secretary Donisa Bernardo. “Whatever the forum, every time members get together and connect, they are learning from each other and building the knowledge they need to make a difference on the ground.” HEU president Victor Elkins agrees. “Our locals are the building blocks of our union. Many of the members attending our recent training sessions for table officers learned as much from each other as from the front of the room about how to keep their locals accountable and better able to engage new members.” HEU has a full roster of work-
shops rolling out over the rest of the year. Two courses introduced last year, return for 2016. The first, – “Rank and File Occupational Health and Safety Training for Frontline Workers” – is open to any HEU member. The second equips participants to run a workload campaign and is open to local executives and other interested members. Locals can also ask their employer to sponsor an OH&S workshop, which members can attend on employer-paid time.
“Education is power. Even if you’re inexperienced, if you have that knowledge behind you, you feel more confident.” An HEU representative will hold either a four-hour or eight-hour session at the facility. As the Guardian goes to press regional meetings are set to begin. And at the end of May, HEU’s popular week-long Summer School returns. Held at the UBC campus, it will focus on equipping members with leadership skills that foster knowledge, inclusion, and activism. Check out HEU’s education program <www.heu.org/education/ workshops-and-training>.
Spring 2016 | GUARDIAN 1
COMMENT Jennifer Whiteside | Secretary-Business Manager Members work in residential and home care. They interact with seniors in labs, renal clinics, ERs and at the hospital bedside. So for all HEU members who provide this care, the need for change is up close and personal.
Meaningful change requires investment
THROWBACK HEU HISTORY
HEU MEMBERS’ WORK is tightly woven into the fabric of seniors’ care. Members work in residential and home care. They interact with seniors in labs, renal clinics, ERs and at the hospital bedside. So for the tens of thousands of HEU members who provide this care daily, the need for change is up close and personal. In residential care, seniors are frailer than ever while dementia and other cognitive disorders are also on the rise. For our members, there aren’t enough hours in the day or staff on the floor to provide the respectful, compassionate care seniors deserve. This puts seniors and their caregivers at risk from dementia-related violence. Care aides can’t spend the time they need with a senior who is confused, anxious or afraid. It’s little wonder that care homes are now considered some of the most dangerous workplaces in B.C., both in terms of violence and strain-related injuries. But the problem is not restricted to residential care. In fact the lack of residential care beds – and a shortage of home care hours – means that many seniors find their way into 24/7 care via a hospital ER. As a result, too many frail seniors are stuck in a hospital bed when a care home would better address their health needs and quality of life. And there are other consequences – congested ER rooms, hallway
2 GUARDIAN | Spring 2016
medicine, and longer surgery waits because beds occupied by seniors are unavailable for other patients. The provincial government has recognized that it needs to fix these problems and has launched a multi-year plan to do so. The idea is to build seamless health services around seniors and to avoid hospital visits that strand seniors in hospital beds. This approach promises a badly needed expansion of residential and other community care. These services should be publically delivered. But with health authority budgets unable to keep pace with either inflation, or with a growing and aging population, this new vision is at risk. Case in point is the plan by the Fraser Health Authority to add 403 badly needed residential care beds to improve seniors’ health services. But in order to pay for this expansion, the health authority has also put 80 beds in 12 hospitals on the chopping block. Sixty per cent of patients at Fraser Health hospital ERs wait more than ten hours to be admitted. It makes little sense to compound the problem by reducing the number of hospital beds. To support sustainable, meaningful change we need to make the necessary investments, especially in the short term. And we all have a stake in making sure that changes aimed at better supporting seniors can succeed.
THE GUARDIAN GETS A NEW LOOK Exactly 66 years ago, in the spring of 1950, the first issue of what would become the Guardian was printed on an HEU Gestetner machine. Since then, the tone and look of the union’s flagship publication has been through a series of transformations, beginning as a mimeographed news bulletin and evolving into various incarnations as a newsletter, a newspaper and a newsmagazine. Whatever the format, however, HEU’s Guardian has remained true to its historical roots as a strong union voice dedicated “to all those who toil to live.” With this issue we launch a new, full-colour design, which maintains the Guardian’s hallmark journalistic integrity and its commitment to bringing our readers progressive news and commentary.
NEWS
Your union. Your paper.
STAFFING LEVELS
Government orders review THE GROWING CRISIS in seniors’ care isn’t new. But after a week of sustained pressure in the media and the legislature in mid-April, B.C. Health Minister Terry Lake has ordered a review of staffing guidelines in the province’s residential care homes. HEU’s secretary-business manager Jennifer Whiteside is welcoming the review, and says the union will continue to call on government to legislate staffing levels that would ensure seniors get the quality and continuity of care they need. At the same time, B.C.’s Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie has also called for legislation that would regulate a minimum level of staffing in long-term care. A comprehensive directory of residential care facilities, released by the Office of the Seniors Advocate on March 18, shows the vast majority of the province’s governmentfunded care facilities do not meet the ministry’s minimum staffing guideline of 3.36 hours of care per resident per day.
Understaffing
“The Advocate’s report validates exactly what our members have been experiencing firsthand, on the ground. Our facilities are seriously understaffed,” says Whiteside. “Clearly, the government’s recommended staffing guidelines are not being met. But that’s only part of the story. We also know it has become common practice for many employers to make the problem even worse by refusing to backfill when workers are off sick or on vacation.” She says that without enough people on shift, staff simply can-
YOUR UNION Relationships key to better seniors’ care Is there a better way to provide residential care to B.C. seniors? The answer is yes. And many places around the world are showing how it can be done. That was the message to a jampacked forum co-hosted by HEU in late February. More than 200 people crowded into a room at Vancouver’s public library to hear how innovative practices are making a huge difference in the lives of seniors, their families and care providers. HEU’s first vice-president Carolyn
WHAT CARE STAFF ARE SAYING MY FACILITY HAS CHANGED from being a nice home for the residents into an overworked, cost cutting, insufficient machine that is just squeaking by. Duncan WE ARE SO UNDERSTAFFED that one night there were five of us for 104 residents. Cranbrook
SENIORS’ CARE | The vast majority of B.C.’s care facilities do not meet the ministry’s minimum staffing guidelines.
not provide the quality and level of care needed to keep themselves and their residents safe. But that’s not the only issue contributing to the growing crisis in seniors’ care.
Contracting out
Whiteside says the ongoing problem of contracting out and contractflipping continues to go unchecked. “Our members at Wexford Creek in Nanaimo were recently blindsided by an announcement that the owner – Good Samaritan – is selling the facility and contracting out the entire staff,” she says. “Yet again, we are seeing workers, seniors and their families thrown into chaos while government and its health authority ignore the devastating impact for everyone involved.” This is the second time in two years that the facility has fired its entire staff team. Whiteside says the union is demanding Island Health stop
the sale, stop the contracting out and bring the facility under direct administration. Wexford Creek is one of seven publicly funded long-term care facilities – owned and operated by private companies – that opened in 2008 as part of a major expansion of residential care on Vancouver Island. But in the last three years, five of those facilities, representing 85 per cent of the new residential care beds, have been sold to new owners. And at three of those facilities – Campbell River’s New Horizons Care Home, Duncan’s Sunridge Place, and now Wexford Creek – staff lost their jobs as a result of contracting out. “This health authority has been unable to ensure stability and continuity of care at many of the facilities that it funds,” says Whiteside. “It’s time for the health authority to step up and stop contracting out, and contract-flipping in seniors’ care.”
THERE IS NOT ENOUGH time to spend with people, no continuity for the seniors, nor is there proper supplies to clean seniors up. Facilities are even cutting back on food. Nanaimo WORKLOAD HAS TRIPLED since I started at the facility… and staffing hours have been cut. Invermere IT IS NO LONGER POSSIBLE to hold the hand of a scared resident. Surrey ONE OF MY TOP CONCERNS is that there is so little time spent with palliative care patients who I strongly believe deserve constant care and company. Richmond
PATTY GIBSON
More than 200 people attended a Vancouver forum which showcased innovative practices in long-term care. Unsworth, who spoke about the daily challenges workers face in understaffed facilities, and the union’s secretary-business manager Jennifer Whiteside, who moderated a robust question and answer period, were both inspired by the groundbreaking research presented, which demonstrates how to deliver care differently. That research is contained in a new book from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives – Promising Practices in Long Term Care: Ideas Worth Sharing, by Donna Baines and Pat Armstrong. It reports on the findings of an international team of 26 research-
ers and more than 50 graduate students, who went to six countries searching for concrete examples of how long-term care can be improved. “We saw alternatives big and small, but all require some basic ingredients,” says Armstrong in the book’s conclusion. “They all require public intervention and an end to privatization in all its forms, and they all pivot on the concept of care as a relationship that can be fostered and supported between well-trained, well-supported staff and residents, or lost in a sea of paperwork and restrictions.”
Caelie Frampton PHOTO
What’s needed is adequate staff and an appropriate staff mix; a stable workforce; time to provide care; standards that are enforced; training and education; appropriate working conditions; an integrated system, and the willingness to tolerate some levels of risk.
Spring 2016 | GUARDIAN 3
IT’S THE LAW
Domestic violence is a workplace issue WE’VE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME ABOUT the devastating impact of domestic violence on women and families. But until recently, researchers had not looked into its effects on the workplace. Some now consider it to be the fastest growing type of work place violence in Canada. The results of the first Canadian survey on the issue, conducted in 2014 by the University of Western Ontario with the Canadian Labour Congress, are sobering. One-third of workers surveyed had experienced violence from an intimate partner. Of those, more than half reported that at least one type of abusive act occurred at or near the workplace. And a staggering 81.9 per cent said the violence affected their work. Effects include lower productivity, higher absenteeism, and physical harm to employees, coworkers and clients when violent abusers enter the workplace. The Ontario government now explicitly recognizes the risk to workplace safety posed by domestic violence in its occupational health and safety legislation. And it requires employers to take every reasonable precaution to protect workers. In Manitoba, affected workers will soon be able to take leave from their work to seek medical attention or counselling, legal or law enforcement assistance, or to relocate. It’s the first law of its kind in Canada. Domestic violence isn’t explicitly recognized in B.C.’s occupational health and safety legislation, but employers have a legal obligation to protect workers when violence spills into the workplace. When a threat of violence emerges, employers must conduct a risk assessment, take steps to eliminate or minimize the risk, and inform at-risk workers about the hazard and how to protect themselves. Find out more at: www.canadianlabour.ca and <www.worksafebc.com>. KAITY COOPER
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
Reduce workplace bullying Stress leads to harmful health outcomes, injuries IN RECENT YEARS, employers and government have finally acknowledged that a socially toxic work environment – characterized by bullying and harassment – is a serious health and safety concern. Whether it’s disrespect among colleagues, dealing with a tyrannical manager, or facing workload pressures that can fuel short-tempers, research shows that longterm exposure to stress leads to harmful health outcomes (like high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes), higher risks of on-the-job injuries, and increased rates of sick leave. That’s why WorkSafeBC implemented three new policies in 2013 after province-wide consultation with unions and employers. Amendments to sections D3-115-2, D3-1161 and D3-117-2 of the Workers Compensation Act outline the responsibilities of employers, supervisors and workers to create respectful work environments. The goal is to prevent or reduce workplace bullying and harassment. To support compliance, WorkSafeBC updated its online Prevention Manual and issued guidelines with a resource toolkit. These amendments came on the heels of groundbreaking legislation – Bill 14, the Workers Compensation Amendment Act, 2011
– which extended compensation to include mental disorders caused by work (section 5.1 of the Workers Compensation Act). It reads: “Claims may be accepted where the worker’s mental disorder: is a reaction to one or more traumatic events arising out of and in the course of employment, or is predominantly caused by a significant work-related stressor, including bullying or harassment, or a cumulative series of significant work-related stressors, arising out of and in the course of employment.” The union encourages you to contact your local shop steward and/or health and safety committee representative if you are experiencing harassment or bullying at work. The issue may be addressed through the HEU grievance process (outlined in your collective agreement), by enforcing the employer policy on Prevention of Bullying and Harassment, or by contacting WorkSafeBC. For more information, email ssquery@ worksafebc.com, call the Prevention Information toll-free line at 1-888-621-7233, or page the Critical Incident Response line at 1-888-922-3700, or visit the WorkSafeBC website at <www.worksafebc.com/bullying>. BRENDA WHITEHALL
YOUR UNION Biennial convention in the works
HEU TRADES | On April 13, Pink Shirt Day, members Kevin Chau, Barb Matfin and Suzi Rothenburger showcased HEU and promoted the benefits of belonging to a union and working in health care during a trades competition held at the Tradex Centre in Abbotsford.
4 GUARDIAN | Spring 2016
The 30th HEU biennial convention will be held October 30 to November 4 in Vancouver at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Held every two years, HEU’s convention brings together province-wide delegates – elected by their locals – to collectively determine the union’s priorities and course of direction. This includes debating and voting on proposed resolutions and constitutional amendments brought forward by HEU locals. Delegates to convention also
elect the union’s 21-member Provincial Executive – including the president and financial secretary – and ratify the hiring, or reappointment, of the union’s secretary-business manager, who serves as HEU’s main spokesperson and also chief negotiator for the Facilities Bargaining Association. The Provincial Executive’s main role is to guide HEU according to the policies and directions determined by the union’s membership. The official “Call to Convention” is on May 2. A special convention package will be couriered to HEU local secretary-treasurers, and it
“Respect”
“Yahguudang” Haida
BARGAINING CONFERENCE
First Nations set new directions
OPEN AND MEANINGFUL conversation was the hallmark of HEU’s First Nations Bargaining Conference held March 31 and April 1 in the union’s Provincial Office. In addition to laying a foundation for future negotiations, delegates representing the Gitxsan, Skidegate, Nisga’a and Stz’uminus nations shared their knowledge and experiences to help the union gain a better understanding about First Nations culture and where members see themselves within the union. Over the two days, members talked about colonialism, oppression and segregation. And they highlighted the need to build strong, healthy relationships based on familiarity, understanding, respect and trust. Specifically, they asked their union to create “safe spaces” at HEU functions so that every member feels heard and to ensure all discussions are based on the principle of “speaking with” one another rather than “speaking to” someone. They also recommended ways the union can be more culturally responsive in the bargaining process and in the kind of language written into their collective agreements to make them easier to interpret and enforce. Participants included HEU First Nations Standing Committee cochairs Joanne Foote and Martin Mackenzie, secretary-business manager Jennifer Whiteside, financial secretary Donisa Bernardo, first vicepresident Carolyn Unsworth and second vice-president Barb Nederpel. “Unions are a pathway not only to better working conditions, but they
are also a pathway to healthier communities,” said Whiteside. “Unions fight poverty. We fight discrimination. We fight for Medicare.” New NDP MLA Melanie Mark shared her personal and inspiring story with members. “I didn’t grow up in privilege. I grew up groomed for poverty. I grew up groomed for failure. So, I’m honoured to be the first First Nations woman elected to the provincial legislature.” Mark said she’s proud to be a representative voice for First Nations. “You feel stronger when someone walks beside you. I’ve been standing up to bullies my whole life, and I deal with hatred and bigotry by fighting back with facts.”
includes criteria for electing delegates and the process for submitting resolutions and constitutional amendments. As per the union’s constitution and bylaws, original copies of delegate credentials, along with proposed resolutions and constitutional amendments are due by Tuesday, August 2 (5:00 p.m.) at the HEU Provincial Office.
Community Social Services (CSS) sector could allow regular employees to transfer their seniority, as it relates to wages and vacation, from one employer to another. The process is not automatic as employers can choose whether or not to participate in the portability program, and specific criteria must be met to apply. However, the Community Social Services Bargaining Association says the agreement is an important first step, and it will continue to pursue a more seamless process in future bargaining. For more information, mem-
Portability agreement reached in Community Social Services An agreement reached between unions and employers in the
Delegates highlighted the need to build strong, healthy relationships based on familiarity, understanding, respect and trust. Delegates also explained how First Nations have a holistic way of thinking, and why their traditional laws should always be included in contract negotiations. Canadian lawyer Shannon Bentley, who specializes in Aboriginal law, gave a firsthand account of such negotiations, giving examples of bargaining tables that broke from the conventional
BRENDA WHITEHALL
Caelie Frampton PHOTO
BUILDING BRIDGES | Members attending the two-day conference represented the Gitxsan, Skidegate, Nisga’a and Stz’uminus nations.
approach of the employer on one side and the union on the other with one spokesperson each. Instead, they incorporated traditional laws, invited an Elder to join the process, and focused on relationship-building. The bargaining teams sat in a circle where everyone could freely speak, including guests, and they brainstormed as a group to determine what their issues and core interests were. When talks would turn adversarial, “the Elder would tell us a story to remind us what our common interests were and get us back on track.” HEU currently represents about 170 First Nations health care workers covered by seven independent contracts at seven work sites across the province.
bers should contact their HEU steward.
Transfer agreement protects members in supply chain About 1,600 HEU members employed by Health Shared Services BC (HSSBC) transferred to a new organization – BC Clinical and Support Services Society (BCCSS) – in early April. The transfer includes all jobs in the supply chain, financial and employee services, and technology. The change is part of another round of restructuring in provin-
cial health services, which moves HSSBC services, a division of the Provincial Health Services Authority, to an independent, stand-alone society. In advance of the move, HEU negotiated a seamless transfer agreement with employers that ensures members retain all entitlements under the collective agreement with no interruption in pay, benefits or the approved vacation schedule. It also includes the right to port all benefits and retain seniority. Members who are currently on Long Term Disability will have the right to post into jobs at BCCSS.
Spring 2016 | GUARDIAN 5
WORKING FOR YOU
GETTING INFORMATION PRINTED and out to HEU’s 46,000-plus membership is an awesome task. Almost every document, poster, leaflet, special report, secretary-treasurer’s mailing, new members’ kit, item from HEU’s boutique, and more goes through the union’s busy mailroom. And that’s not including the extra demands that come with HEU conventions, bargaining and other special events. Behind the scenes, Donna Rennie and Micheline Colmor (right) take it all in stride and make it happen.
Caelie Frampton PHOTO
INSIDE OUR BUSY MAILROOM
Donisa Bernardo | Financial Secretary
VIEWPOINT
Women make up 84 per cent of the union’s membership. Let’s do our part to break the silence on domestic violence.
UNTIL RECENTLY, the issue of domestic violence hasn’t been a subject of focus for the Canadian labour movement. But thankfully, that’s changing. Research from CUPE National and the Canadian Labour Congress validates what women have known for years – that violence at home often follows women to their workplaces. As a feminist who’s advocated for women’s rights and safety, I’m very encouraged by labour’s recent steps to join the conversation and end the silence. Studies show job performance, absenteeism and mental concentration are all affected when workers experience domestic violence. Perpetrators often bring the abuse into the workplace (via threatening emails, phone calls, text messages) to sabotage their partner’s employment and her financial security, which could prevent her from leaving a violent relationship. The statistics are revealing
One in three Canadian women will experience a form of domestic violence during her lifetime, but only two-thirds will report it to authorities. In 2013, Stats Canada disclosed that police responded to about 90,300 cases of intimate partner abuse, which includes spouses and dating partners. This represents more than one-quarter of all police-reported incidents of violence. A 2015 Canadian Women’s Foundation survey revealed nearly 3,500 women and more than 3,000 children seek protection in emergency shelters on a daily basis. They also report more than 40,000 arrests are made each year resulting from domestic violence, and that spousal homicide occurs almost weekly. In 2011, 76 Canadian women were killed by an intimate partner.
The costs are high
Canada’s Department of Justice estimates $7.4 billion a year is spent as a consequence of domestic violence. This includes costs such as hospitalization, medical treatment, pharmaceuticals, psychological counselling, and loss of employment income. As trade unionists, we can play an important role in supporting our sisters who may be experiencing domestic violence. We can do this by advocating for workplace policies and legislation (see page 4), and recognize the issue in our collective agreements. Women make up 84 per cent of the union’s membership. Let’s do our part to break the silence on domestic violence. Resources: <www.worksafebc.com/domesticviolence>.
6 GUARDIAN | Spring 2016
Victor Elkins | President
PRESIDENTS DESK When a local steps beyond the confines of regular union business, members get more involved and new activists are developed.
FOR MANY OF US who become active
in the union, it starts at the local. Locals are the democratic building blocks that make our union function. They are the place where HEU members and the leadership of the union meet – to take on the challenges we collectively face in health care. And yet on average, fewer than one in seven members attends a local meeting, according to a recent survey by HEU. Let’s face it. Participation in locals, especially member meetings, is not for everyone. Members are busy. They have families, a second or even third job, and any number of life’s other demands on their time. That’s why it is so important locals find different ways to engage members – and at times the broader public. And to do that, we need locals to look beyond the basic mandate laid out in the four pages of HEU’s constitution.
Protecting the environment in 100 Mile
Members at the 100 Mile local established an environment committee, which decided to tackle waste and recycling issues, as there was no municipal or workplace recycling in their community. This grassroots program grew into a formal recycling program across the entire facility. At the same time, they ran campaigns to promote waste diversion and to raise workers’ environmental consciousness.
Helping Trail women in need
Responding to a challenge by the HEU women’s committee in the lead up to the December holidays, the Columbia View local in Trail sought donations from staff at the facility and the community. In the end, they filled 80 purses with an array of personal toiletries along with a gift of clothing, chocolate or makeup which were delivered to women’s shelters in the region.
Supporting the fight for safer work
And even when locals aren’t leading a project or campaign, there are ways they can contribute. Recently in Victoria, an HEU member co-organized a demonstration in support of restoring Grant’s Law – the legislation that provides protections for workers who pull late-night shifts at gas stations and convenience stores. To help spread the word, the local provided opportunities to promote the event at member meetings and through social media. In the end, when a local steps beyond the confines of regular union business, amazing things happen. Members get more involved. New activists are developed. And with a more active, re-energized membership taking on projects they are passionate about, the local can in turn depend on greater support from members. It’s a win-win for locals. And it makes our union even stronger.
CANADA’S DRUG COSTS NOW
27
$
BILLION
16
$
BILLION
UNDER A NATIONAL PHARMACARE PLAN Council of Canadians
COURT CHALLENGE
Fighting to preserve medicare Violations of the Canada Health Act continue unchecked across the country If we have ever needed the federal government to step up and enforce the Canada Health Act, now is the time. The Canada Health Act legislates the checks and balances that provinces and territories must meet to receive federal funding to deliver health care. The legislation states that “medically necessary care” should be provided publicly and accessibly, without user-fees or extra-billing. But over the past year alone, several provinces have failed to abide by the Act, including B.C. Extra-billing in Ontario, private MRIs in Saskatchewan and user-fees in Quebec are all
“We need a federal government that will stand up to the provinces. If you’re breaking the Canada Health Act, there should be financial consequences.” violations of the Act. And they are on the rise. “Every violation takes us one step closer to a U.S.-style health care system, and further away from a system based on need, not ability to pay,” says Adrienne Silnicki of the Canadian Health Coalition. “We need a federal government that will stand up to the provinces. If you’re breaking the Canada Health Act, there should be financial consequences.” Here in B.C., a Vancouver-based private clinic owner has been campaigning against public health care for almost a decade. Specifically, Dr. Brian Day wants to strike down four sections of B.C.’s Medicare Protection Act claiming that they violate the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Day officially launched his legal challenge to Canada’s public Medicare system in 2009, in response to receiving notification that his clinics would be audited. When the Medical Services Commission finally gained access to the clinics’ records, they uncovered illegal billing and overlapping claims to the B.C. Medical Services Plan. In a recent move that is being welcomed by public health care advocates across the country,
HEALTH CARE FOR ALL | Advocates are mobilizing support to ensure public heath care is available to everyone who needs it, regardless of ability to pay.
the federal government recently announced it will seek intervenor status in the court case, saying its role will be to protect the Act. “The evidence is on our side,” says Dr. Monika Dutt of the Canadian Doctors for Medicare. “If Dr. Day wins this case, it will create a health care system where medical care is provided preferentially to those who can pay for it, while waitlists grow longer for the vast majority of the population.”
“We are at an important crossroads for health care in B.C. …a large body of international research shows that private, for-profit delivery actually costs more, is lower quality and less safe, and that it destabilizes the public system.” BC at a Crossroads: Rethinking the Provincial Surgical Wait Time Strategy
As a member of the BC Health Coalition, HEU has been working with its union and community partners to mobilize support for the court case. “This case is pivotal to Canadians’ ability to preserve a strong public health care system that is not held ransom by private interests,” says Jennifer Whiteside, HEU’s secretary-business manager. CAELIE FRAMPTON
A BETTER WAY A new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, “BC at a Crossroads: Rethinking the Provincial Surgical Wait Time Strategy” argues that increasing privatization is the wrong way to tackle wait times for surgeries. Currently, 18 per cent of the province’s operating rooms are underutilized as a result of underfunding. The research report calls for public policy solutions that draw on successful innovations from B.C. and beyond. To see more, go to <www.policyalternatives. ca/publications>.
Spring 2016 | GUARDIAN 7
BRING it O Whether it was in the convention hall, or on the tained common standards in the industry and forced a
Members are getting ready to take on some of the biggest multinationals on the planet.
dance floor at the evening social, HEU members attending the union’s recent contracted support service workers bargaining conference made it clear they have the energy, experience and commitment to stand up to their corporate employers. From March 14 to 16 in Richmond, 111 members representing just over 4,000 housekeepers and dietary workers laid the foundations for contract talks with Acciona, Aramark, Compass-Marquise and Sodexo. They debated bargaining resolutions on fair compensation, job security and strengthening worker rights. They attended skills-building workshops to improve their effectiveness at the bargaining table and with mobilizing fellow members. They heard several speakers, drawn from the union’s leadership, address key issues ranging from pensions to health and safety. And they were reminded that without their work, the public health care system could not function. “I know how important your work is for the delivery of quality health care,” HEU secretary-business manager Jennifer Whiteside told members on the second day of the conference. “From the meals you prepare for patients and residents, to the clinics, operating rooms, medical floors, emergency rooms you clean, B.C.’s patients and residents depend on you on their journey through the health system.” She also emphasized that the power and unity that contracted support service workers have today is rooted in the gains members achieved collectively during the past 12 years. Over the last three cycles of bargaining members main-
bargaining history
common expiry date. Moreover, in both wages and benefits, compensation for members has increased by about 70 per cent since 2004. “The strength that members have built over the years is not only limited to what they’ve won at the negotiating table,” says Whiteside. “Between bargaining, members and their union have resisted multiple efforts to divide worker from worker – and ultimately HEU members from their union.” Time and time again, commercial contracts have flipped between the corporations – changing from one to another. In many cases, HEU negotiated a transfer agreement ensuring members kept their jobs and their seniority. However, in the past two years, two corporations have taken a new approach aimed at rolling back gains made in the sector, and forcing HEU to reorganize facilities to keep members united together in their union. “Just look at 2015,” says Whiteside. “HEU members in this sector went through the largest contract-flip and mass firing of health care workers in B.C. since the days of the Gordon Campbell government. But what happened in response was remarkable.” Over 10 months, through layoffs and rehirings, more than 800 workers in Vancouver Coastal and Providence Health Care organized and mobilized to secure a vote on union representation. By early January of this year, they were once again members of HEU and CUPE. For HEU president Victor Elkins, the future looks bright for members in this sector. “I have no doubt contracted support service members will – once again – show these big corporations that they can’t be pushed around,” says Elkins, who hosted the opening evening of the conference.
• Nearly 4,000 workers hired by Aramark, Compass and Sodexo rejoin HEU.
• Second ro concludes HEU secu with the t that impro and workp
• Sodexo members stage 51-day strike. • Housekeepers and kitchen staff help found HEU at Vancouver General Hospital. 1944
• HEU secures five first-time collective agreements – first with Aramark, and then with the other two multinationals. 2005
2002
• Campbell Liberal government passes Bill 29 to facilitate the contracting out of health support services and the mass firing of 8,000 HEU members over the next three years.
8 GUARDIAN | Spring 2016
2009 2007
• HEU’s five-year court battle sees Canada’s Supreme Court strike down much of Bill 29. The decision establishes collective bargaining as a charter-protected right for all Canadian workers.
S OTO Neil Monc kton PH
bargaining conference reflections
ON!
“We need a living wage, benefits and pension for all. Workload is a huge issue. And so is respect in the workplace.” VICKY TAKHAR Compass at Cowichan District Hospital
“It’s great to feel the positive energy from my sisters and brothers, and to feel the collective energy to fight to get what we deserve.” DEANNA SAUNDERS Sodexo at Vancouver Hospital
“The solidarity and strength of our members in this sector fills me with confidence. Because of that, we may be in the strongest bargaining position yet, as we head into talks with the four multinationals.” With all but two of the collective agreements for this sector set to expire in 2016, members can coordinate their actions to put the most pressure possible on the four foreign-owned corporations to settle. Conference delegates were also reminded that they will continue to have the full support of their union, including CUPE members across the country. “HEU and the other 42,000 members of this union will be there to back you up in your fight for a fair deal,” HEU’s financial secretary Donisa Bernardo reminded delegates. “And we will make sure the resources are there to support you.” As members filtered out of the hall to head home, the mood was upbeat. Despite all the attempts over the years by corporations, health authorities and the B.C. Liberal government to drive down wages and
“I’ve been working in my facility for 10 years and we only joined the union a couple of years ago. I learned a lot about my rights. It felt good to have the opportunity to learn and feel important. It was a good education, especially for those who are older and haven’t had a lot of education. It made me feel proud to be able to attend the conference.” SUKI BAHIA, Marquise at Elim Village
“HEU and the other 42,000 members of this union will be there to back you up in your fight for a fair deal. And we will make sure the resources are there to support you.”
“The best takeaway from the conference was I learned there is power in unity.” LEAH BUMPHREY Sodexo at Squamish General Hospital
take away job security, HEU members in this sector have learned that staying united is the key to winning a fair contract and securing their future in health care. As conference delegate and Children’s and Women’s Hospital housekeeper Mary Lyn Diana pointed out in her presentation to members, “We have to fight, fight, fight for our right to win better collective agreements. “Bargainers, get ready,” Diana urged as she wound up her address to delegates. “Be brave and courageous. And stand up for our rights – for the sake of every member.”
“For bargaining, my biggest hope is we get better wages. Health and safety issues are also very important – we need stronger language to protect us.” RAJ WALIA Compass at Victoria General Hospital
NEIL MONCKTON
ound of bargaining s without job action. ures a four-year deal three multinationals ove wages, benefits place rights.
• Contract-flipping hits the Island in the spring, when Compass loses contracts to Spanish-owned Acciona at Royal Jubilee Hospital and B.C.-based Marquise at seven other sites. • By fall, Compass buys Marquise and HEU has reorganized all seven work sites, while ensuring workers keep their jobs and seniority. 2011
2010
• Sodexo loses its housekeeping contract in Fraser Health to Aramark. • HEU successfully negotiates a transition agreement that allows workers to keep their jobs and seniority.
• Members working for Sodexo at two long-term care facilities lose their jobs after a contract-flip brings in Compass-Marquise. • Members at both sites rejoin HEU later that fall. 2014
2013
• Third round of bargaining wraps up with another four-year deal that boosts wages and benefits.
• Following a 10-month campaign by HEU, Compass housekeepers in Providence Health and Vancouver Coastal rejoin union. • HEU prepares to bargain 15 agreements covering 4,000-plus members at over 80 work sites across three health authorities. 2016
2015
• Compass takes over Aramark’s housekeeping contract in Providence Health and Vancouver Coastal prompting the mass layoff of nearly 900 members.
Spring 2016 | GUARDIAN 9
LABOUR
News from here and around the world
BANGLADESH
The B.C. Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) will be taking its lengthy legal challenge to the Supreme Court of Canada in an effort to restore critical collective agreement rights. In 2002, the BC Liberals’ Education Flexibility and Choice Act stripped key language from the BCTF contract, which prevented teachers from bargaining class size and composition. They sued the provincial government on the grounds that parts of the legislation were unconstitutional. In 2011, the B.C. Supreme Court ruled in favour of the BCTF. But a year later, the BC Liberals introduced The Education Improvement Act with similar language to the 2002 legislation. The BCTF filed another legal challenge, which they won in 2014. The court awarded them two million dollars in damages and the restoration of the contract language. However, in 2015, the B.C. Court of Appeal overturned that decision, and set aside the damages award. In January, the Supreme Court of Canada granted leave to the BCTF to challenge the appeal decision. A court date is pending.
Court lays murder charges A BANGLADESHI COURT has laid murder charges against 41 people – including government officials, five Rana Plaza garment factory proprietors and building owner Sohel Rana – for the deaths of more than 1,100 textile workers three years ago. The tragedy occurred when an eight-storey commercial building collapsed, trapping hundreds of employees in the rubble. Along with the 1,136 fatalities, there were nearly 2,500 workers seriously injured, some losing limbs. The original charges of culpable homicide were upgraded based on evidence that frightened workers, who fled the building when structural cracks appeared, were threatened by supervisors to return to work. In addition to murder charges, the owners were cited for a number of building code and health and safety violations, including illegally constructing extra floors to use as factories instead of office space, and locking doors so workers couldn’t leave. Following the tragedy, pressure from labour and human rights groups forced the government to take steps to better protect workers. Amendments included new safety regulations, the legal right to register unions, and a slight wage boost to about $100 CDN per month. In February, a union delegation, including CUPE National senior officer Archana Rampure, went to Dhaka, Bangladesh to tour garment factories and interview workers.
Weronika via Flickr PHOTO
TEACHERS TAKE CASE TO SUPREME COURT
RANA PLAZA | A relative holds a picture of a missing garment worker, who was working in the factory when it collapsed April 24, 2013.
In her observations, she says the normal workday is supposed to be eight hours, but is generally at least 10 and often 12 hours, with the extra hours being mandatory
In February, a union delegation went to Dhaka, Bangladesh to tour garment factories and interview workers. unpaid ‘overtime’. “Many workers told us about the pressure to meet quotas, not being allowed lunch, or even water and bathroom breaks.” Most have had their jobs threatened if they did not lie to outside auditors about working conditions. “Workers told us they were forced
to sign papers showing that they received amounts of money vastly inflated from what they were actually paid. One woman told us her story of being videotaped while receiving her maternity benefits and then having them forcibly taken away.” Bangladesh has an estimated 4.2 million workers – mostly women and young girls – employed in the country’s 5,000 ready-made garment factories. They make apparel for 29 global retailers, including Joe Fresh, Lululemon, Hudson’s Bay, the Gap and Walmart, in a multibillion dollar clothing industry. Rana Plaza owner Sohel Rana is currently in jail. The maximum penalty for murder convictions in Bangladesh is a death sentence. A trial date is pending.
NOTEBOOK
IHA footloose and fancy-free with finances EVEN AS THE INTERIOR HEALTH AUTHORITY (IHA) began its search for a private contractor, it admitted in-house hospital laundry services were efficiently run by HEU members. So, why contract out? After all, by the IHA’s own numbers, it would take a relatively modest investment of $10.5 million over a decade to upgrade or replace equipment. That investment would protect a quality public service and about 175 family-supporting jobs in several Interior communities. Yet, after a marathon 16-month search, IHA handed Ecotex Healthcare Linen Service a 20-year contract worth up to $266 million to take over laundry operations in Kelowna, Kamloops, Nelson, Vernon and Penticton, citing a $35 million savings. But these numbers don’t add up. 10 GUARDIAN | Spring 2016
After a marathon 16-month search, IHA handed Ecotex a 20-year contract worth about $266 million.
Clearly, IHA moved the goal posts. They “revised” their capital needs from $10.5 million to $35 million. Now, they’ll pay Ecotex $11.5 million the first year with annual increases of up to 1.5 per cent over the life of the contract. Under the facilities agreement, most laundry workers earn $18-$20 an hour – wages that support families and communities. And it’s important to note that the IHA has never cited wages as a reason to privatize. So, why is the IHA willing to ignore nearly 13,000 petition-signers and six local councils who oppose privatization, fire 100 hard-working people who are clearly doing a good job, and tie up health care budgets for two decades? Someone has a lot of explaining to do. And so far, nobody’s talking the straight goods. BRENDA WHITEHALL
Caelie Frampton PHOTO
Sanctuary Health Rally. March 21, 2016.
Sanctuary Health rallies support for B.C. migrants FEARING DEPORTATION should never be part of a hospital visit. But that’s the concern for many migrants in Metro Vancouver according to Alejandra Lopez of Sanctuary Health. “We know the families we support don’t access services like health care because they have uncertain status,” she says. “The fear of deportation is what they live with every day.” During the last two years, over a 22-month period, 558 people were turned over to the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) in the Fraser Health Authority (FHA).
In recent years, a move away from granting permanent residency has put many people in a perilous position, living in uncertainty, without access to basic services. Many of the patients at risk may be in Canada legally, but if they don’t have adequate private health insurance, a trip to the hospital could trigger a referral to CBSA – as has been the case with the FHA. Others may be at risk if they’re appealing a deportation order, or have overstayed a work visa. There are also temporary foreign workers who sever their relationship with their employer; those needing to
separate from a spouse in the case of a sponsorship breakdown; and families with a failed asylum claim, but who have Canadian-born children. Lopez stresses that these are people working in and contributing to our communities. “These migrants are taking care of our children, growing our food, building our public transit and cleaning our buildings.” In response to a strong challenge from Sanctuary Health, Lopez says the FHA will change its policy and stop reporting people to the CBSA. It’s the right choice, says Lopez. “Denying health care and other
basic services to vulnerable people reinforces the idea of good and bad immigrants. And we end up denying people their basic human rights.” Given FHA’s intention to change its current policy, Sanctuary Health will monitor the situation to ensure hospital personnel are aware of the new practices. Sanctuary Health is part of the “Sanctuary Cities” movement, which has been organizing community support to ensure people with precarious immigration status are able to access public services without fear. Toronto, Hamilton, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Vancouver and others have all endorsed Sanctuary City principles. And recently, HEU’s Provincial Executive passed a motion supporting the principle that public services be determined by need and not by immigration status. CAELIE FRAMPTON
NEWSBITES Meet B.C.’s new MLAs
SWEARING IN | BC NDP leader John Horgan with Melanie Mark, her mother and daughters (left) and Jodie Wickens, her husband and children.
Following February’s by-elections, the legislature has two new women MLAs. Melanie Mark, the new NDP MLA for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, has made history as the first woman from a First Nation to be elected to the B.C. Legislature. She is of Nisga’a, Gitxsan, Cree and Scottish descent and a former associate deputy representative for B.C.’s Representative for Children and Youth. Jodie Wickens, the new NDP MLA for Coquitlam-Burke Mountain, is the former executive director of
the Autism Support Network. She is the mother of a son with autism and a strong advocate for the right of every child to get the education they deserve, and schools to get the resources they need.
Canada’s mandatory census is back In 2010, the Conservative government’s decision to cancel the mandatory long-form census was met with a major backlash from a wide range of Canadians. That’s because every department, at every level of governSpring 2016 | GUARDIAN 11
Reconciliation to me is about not having to say sorry a second time. CINDY BLACKSTOCK First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada
MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN
Caelie Frampton PHOTO
Ottawa to launch national inquiry
FIRST NATIONS | Between 1980 and 2012, there were 1,017 Aboriginal women and girls murdered and another 164 reported missing.
After years of public pressure and political debate, the federal government announced in early December that it would launch a National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Led by the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, the Minister of Justice, and the Minister of Status of Women, a pre-inquiry began immediately with a series of interviews with survivors, victims’ families, provincial and territorial representatives, indigenous leaders, frontline community agencies and national Aboriginal organizations. Over the next few months, the ministers and
their team toured from coast-to-coast conducting regional meetings, analyzing data from online surveys, and collecting telephone and written submissions – all with the objective of gathering information to shape an effective national inquiry that includes input from all stakeholders. In February, the Assembly of First Nations held its own pre-inquiry forum in Edmonton giving a voice to nationwide survivors and family members. Their goal was to compile written recommendations to the federal government in advance of the national inquiry’s formal launch this summer. Several proposals from the pre-inquiry pro-
cess have already emerged. They include: improvements to the Canadian justice system and police “codes of conduct”; creating a safe and respectful environment for survivors and victims’ families to freely speak and be recognized; ensuring ongoing police involvement during the inquiry and also in Aboriginal communities to provide safety; and opening cold case files while re-examining suicides as possible homicides. Other recommendations are to strategize on ways to end racism, sexism, human trafficking and violence against women; provide compassionate support and resources for families and survivors; promote reconciliation and healing; mandate indigenous history in Canada’s education curricula (including the devastating impact of residential schools); and improve the overall lives of Canada’s indigenous peoples. Specific measures would include improving access to health and social services, emergency shelters for women and children, transportation, affordable housing, and safe drinking water. During her cross-Canada meetings, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett said some of the urgent socioeconomic issues – such as poverty, unemployment, substance abuse and mental health – can be addressed now, rather than after the lengthy inquiry concludes. In 2014, the RCMP announced that between 1980 and 2012, there were 1,017 Aboriginal women and girls murdered and another 164 reported missing. Since many cases remain unreported, authorities admit that number is likely much higher. The two-year, $40 million national inquiry will be overseen by a commissioner who has not yet been appointed. BRENDA WHITEHALL
NEWSBITES ment, depends on statistics generated by the census to decide where to put resources. The census collects data from Canadians about housing, transportation, employment and income, which help determine how much money is needed for various public services, including health care. Starting in May 2016, the Canadian government will again be conducting a full census of the population. Statistics Canada representatives will be going doorto-door, and if you’re contacted, you are legally required to 12 GUARDIAN | Spring 2016
participate in the census. Data collected will be released in February and November 2017.
Allies can support their demand to raise disability rates and leave their bus passes alone. Learn more at <Inclusionbc.org>.
Raise disability benefit rates, HEU HEU is supporting the call for higher rates for those on disability benefits. People with disabilities received a $77 increase to their monthly benefits in February’s provincial budget. But there was a catch. The annual $45 bus pass has been eliminated. Instead, government has introduced a monthly bus
BC has lowest minimum wage in Canada
pass costing $52 a month, plus a $45 annual fee. So, in reality, people living on disability benefits will only receive an additional $25 a month if they require a bus pass.
A recent poll by Insights West shows 76 per cent of British Columbians support raising the province’s minimum wage to $15/hour and 83 per cent say it’s necessary for a person making a minimum wage to live above the poverty line. “There are more than half a
HEU member Allison Kulik took her culinary skills from the hospital kitchen to the Food Network on a recent episode of the popular show.
Cook competes on Chopped
million workers earning less than $15 an hour in this province,” says Irene Lanzinger, President of the BC Federation of Labour. “That’s 27 per cent of our entire workforce earning a wage that is at or below the poverty line.” On April 15, HEU joined hundreds of thousands of Canadians in a national day of action that rallied for a $15 minumum wage.
IHA contracts out hospital laundry Despite a groundswell of support, including nearly 13,000
AFTER SHIFT
Recognizing that many new and younger members don’t necessarily understand the importance of being in a union, Glacier View local chairperson Lynda Agar had an idea. Why not invite a retired, long-time activist to speak at a local meeting? “I’ve been in the union since 1987,” says Agar. “So, I know a lot of our history. But that’s not the case for younger members who want to know what the union does for them. They don’t know the struggles that got us to where we are today.” That’s why she invited Barb Schneider (pictured above with Agar, Georgina Mosley and Mishell Parsons), one of the people who helped organize Glacier View Lodge into HEU back in 1981, to speak with the local. Schneider first started working at the Lodge in 1974, when staff made about four dollars an hour. With HEU, members saw their wages almost double with their first contract. “Hearing Barb’s stories was a real eye-opener,” says Agar. “She gave people a new perspective.” Schneider, now in her early 80s, remained on the local executive until she retired in 1997. But that didn’t stop her activism. She organized a social group for retired members, which still meets once a week.
foodnetwork.ca PHOTO
INSPIRING LOCAL ACTIVISM
Allison Kulik is a busy woman, raising a family and working in dietary at five Interior Health Authority sites in Kelowna. The Guardian caught up with Kulik before she went on shift at the Kelowna General Hospital. In a marked departure from her daily work cooking for patients and residents, she took on a challenge that put her squarely in the public eye. After an extensive application process, Kulik was selected to compete on Chopped Canada. Chopped Canada is a cooking show aired on the Food Network, where contestants make meals from a mystery basket of ingredients. A panel of chefs then ‘chops’ one person at a time, until the winner is declared and takes home $10,000. The only downside was that she could not tell a soul. And she couldn’t collaborate with her co-workers to prepare for the show. “I have awesome co-workers that I learn so much from daily,” says Kulik. “So many people work behind the scenes at the hospital. We teach each other every day.” To prepare for Chopped, Kulik watched a lot of episodes, researched new ingredients and focused on her timing. “Cooking is a balance between science and art, but it comes down to organization and timing, two things I practice “I have awesome daily at my work.” co-workers that I learn so Over two rounds, Kulik prepared salmon sausage cakes and flank steak patties. When much from daily. So many her Chopped basket revealed the unknown people work behind the ingredient salsify (a root vegetable), Kulik scenes at the hospital. incorporated it as best she could into her We teach each other second dish. “I learned so much from this experience,” every day.” she says. “I learned that I’m brave, that adrenaline makes me crazy – why did I grind up that steak? – that I’m strong, and that I have a lot more to learn. It was a humbling experience.” As to what motivated her to put herself forward, Kulik says, it was her son who urged her to enter the competition. And while she didn’t win, there was a silver lining. Recently, on a difficult workday, a co-worker reminded her: “This is nothing as far as stress, you’ve been on Chopped Canada.” It was a good takeaway. You can watch Kulik’s episode Fish Become Sausages on foodnetwork.ca.
petition- signers and several city and district councils who passed motions to protect jobs and public services in their communities, the Interior Health Authority (IHA) has awarded a 20-year contract to Ecotex Healthcare Linen Service, an American company with an office in Abbotsford. The contract is worth an estimated $266 million and will provide services in five regions – Kelowna, Kamloops, Nelson, Vernon and Penticton. More than 100 HEU members will be laid off. Last November, Simon Fraser University economist Marvin
SARA ROZELL
Shaffer concluded that IHA failed to establish a valid business case for privatizing hospital laundry, following his review of IHA internal documents obtained through the Freedom of Information process. Hospital laundry services in several smaller communities will remain in-house. They include Golden, Ashcroft, Princeton, 100 Mile House, Lillooet, Cranbrook, Trail, Fernie and Williams Lake. Although IHA widely reported that the contractor would build a new plant in Kelowna, by the summer of 2017, Ecotex has since issued a statement that IHA’s
announcement was premature. At press time, there was still no confirmation on where IHA hospital laundry will be transferred.
U.S. Supreme Court supports union dues On March 29, a decades-long anti-labour campaign to weaken America’s public sector unions ended in failure. Conservative groups wanting to stop mandatory dues collection from union members lost their United States Supreme Court challenge. Spring 2016 | GUARDIAN 13
Our May Day quiz How much do you know about the history of May Day? Test your knowledge and check your answers below.
1 2 3
The first May Day in 1886 was known as: a) International Women’s Day b) Labour Day c) International Workers’ Day
FACEBOOK FEEDBACK
COFFEE BREAK JOIN THE CONVERSATION | HEU members and their allies are actively using Facebook and other social media platforms to talk about how to make their workplaces safer, protect good jobs and provide better care. Here is a sample.
Contracting out at Wexford
Disability Rate Clawback
I just don’t know what to say. My heart is sad for our seniors.
I often wonder if in the future when these people are old and frail if they will still believe that they made the right decisions.
• Tila Benton •
It’s about time we dropped these charges. Time to finally join Canada, B.C.
When the profit motive becomes involved, quality of care always goes down. • Sharry Rose Anne Lee •
We must stop privatization, get a new Canada Health Accord, national pharmacare plan, national seniors’ strategy, better health care for orphan diseases.
Hospital laundry goes private
We need better health care and Universal Pharmacare in order to provide good care to our seniors.
• Sandra Neuls •
Smells like “Dirty Laundry” to me.... now we better make sure it all comes out in the wash of the next provincial election! • Tina Thiessen •
May Day commemorates: a) Winnipeg’s Bloody Saturday b) Chicago’s Haymarket Affair c) Vancouver’s Stanley Cup Riot The original demand by workers on May Day was: a) an eight-hour workday b) a five-day work week c) that the five dollar bill feature Tommy Douglas’ image
• Kathy Nev •
The staff and the patients shouldn’t have to endure this disruption to their lives over and over! How can people have a normal life when in constant fear of losing their jobs every other year, or patients losing the staff they have built relationships with?
I cannot say it was not a good fight, because it was a darn good fight. Thank you all for all your input and your solidarity. • Talitha Dekker •
Every person that works in our hospitals is just as important as the whole, the best surgeon’s operation will fail if the room/bed is not to the highest standard. • Wayne Miller •
MSP Premiums • Helen Slade •
Public Health Care
• Lois Jarvis •
• Balbir Vaid •
First Nations bargaining Good luck team, you can do it! Stay strong. • Karen Rohs •
Get connected Stay connected @heu_in_bc
@HospEmpUnion
www.heu.org
hospitalemployees union
4
On May 1, 1919, Winnipeg’s building and metal workers went on strike for higher wages. Two weeks later, the Winnipeg General strike began and lasted for: a) 40 days
5
b) 67 days
c) 99 days
In North America, governments shifted the day commemorating the workers’ movement to the first Monday in September, Labour Day. U.S. president Grover Cleveland changed the date because he believed May Day celebrated: a) capitalism
6 7
b) anarchism
c) socialism
In 1890, workers in Victoria celebrated the first May Day in B.C. by hosting a: Caelie Frampton PHOTO
a) parade b) demonstration c) banquet In 1955, the Catholic Church dedicated May 1 to “Saint Joseph the Worker”. Saint Joseph is the patron saint of craftsmen and: a) workers
b) miners
c) peasants
Answers: 1.c 2.b 3.a 4.a 5.c 6.c 7.a
14 GUARDIAN | Spring 2016
PATIENT SAFETY | HEU member Nahid Gul is a medical devices reprocessing technician at Lions Gate Hospital. She and her co-workers make sure all equipment is sterile. “Without our team, the hospital can’t function,” she says. “We’re key to keeping patients safe.”
HEU PEOPLE RETIREMENTS After working for more than 35 years as a nursing unit clerk, Gladys Bashi (PHSA Amalgamated) retired in February from Vancouver Cancer Centre. From 1980 to 1993, she worked part-time at Shaughnessy Hospital and as a casual at the BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver Centre. When Shaughnessy Hospital closed, Gladys transferred to BCCA where she worked until retirement. As a retiree, she will continue to volunteer with new immigrants. She will also pursue her educational pursuits, piano playing, genealogical charting of her ancestral history, and family visits to Peru. Congratulations, Gladys! Dietary aide Rosalinda Pantaleon (Sodexo at Vancouver Hospital - Seven Shining Stars) retired in February after nine years at Vancouver General Hospital. Previously, she worked many years for a private-sector company in Richmond. Rosalinda is grateful for the opportunity to have been an HEU member and for the improved benefits and working conditions she enjoyed as a union member. Her retirement plans include a vacation trip to the Philippines, followed by looking for a job with “lighter duties” upon her return home to B.C. Enjoy your retirement, Rosalinda! Renato (Rene) Recuenco (Seven Shining Stars) recently retired after 12 years as an HEU member. Since 2005, Rene worked as a cook for Sodexo at G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre. He was active on his local executive and as a shop steward, grievance committee member and political action committee network member. Social justice issues are very important to Rene. He recently returned from a medical mission in the Philippines. In retirement, he is looking forward to the arrival of his grandson and he plans to travel. Have a great retirement, Rene!
IN MEMORIAM Tragically, Manjinder Kaur Butter, (Sodexo at Youville Residence) lost her life in a car accident in India on December 15, 2015. Manjinder worked as a server in dietary at Youville since 2013. Manjinder was visiting her husband and daughter in India at the time of the accident. Manjinder’s daughter is recovering from the serious injuries she sustained in the same accident that took her mother’s life. Manjinder’s family, friends, co-workers and Youville residents are deeply saddened by her sudden death. Former HEU servicing representative Debra (Debbie) Mann (HEU Okanagan Regional Office) passed away at a hospice in Vernon on January 10 at the age of 64, after a brief struggle with cancer.
46,000 members in 276 locals
Prior to working for HEU in Kelowna, she had been a long-time servicing rep with HEU’s Provincial Office. “The world has lost a unique woman who was caring, passionate about her beliefs, a wonderful mother, and a friend to many,” says former co-worker Sonja Turcotte. After she retired, Debbie devoted her time during the past few years as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels at the Schubert Centre in Vernon. Debbie will be greatly missed by her family, friends, and the many HEU members who knew her. Leonora Montaglian (Seven Shining Stars-Sodexo at UBC) succumbed to cancer on January 4. For the past 10 years, she worked as a retail aide in dietary at UBC, and was an HEU member (after UBC was certified with HEU) for the past three years. Leonora loved cooking. She was also a very creative person At Christmas, she enjoyed making floral arrangements to give as gifts. She was sick for a long time but was a dedicated employee who continued working through her illness – through November 2015. Fellow HEU members, residents and family miss Leonora and mourn her loss. After a long battle with cancer, Jeanne Norlin (PHSA Amalgamated) passed away on February 25 at the age of 84. Jeanne was an LPN who spent most of her working years at the BC Cancer Agency. She served as a dedicated long-time chair of her local. And she continued to volunteer at BC Cancer Agency for 10 years after retirement. Jeanne was an athlete, even in her golden years, and an avid gardener who loved to travel. Jeanne’s loss is keenly felt by her family, former co-workers and friends. Shirley Paul (Waverly of Chilliwack) passed away on January 25 at the age of 62. Shirley took great pride in her career as a care aide. She is fondly remembered for helping bring HEU to her workplace, and for being a long-time dedicated activist and bargaining committee member. Shirley served on many local executive positions, including chairperson, chief shop steward and OH&S steward. “Shirley always found time to help members and strove to find a solution to any issue faced at work that would be a win-win for everyone involved,” says HEU representative Erin Paul. “She was devoted to bettering working conditions in her workplace for everyone.” Shirley’s family, friends and former colleagues deeply mourn her loss.
MOVED? Please notify us of your change of address online: www.heu.org/change-address-form
Equity matters
Did you know that HEU has five standing committees? Working with HEU’s equity officer, 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 Officer Sharryn Modder.
Ethnic Diversity • First Nations • Pink Triangle • People with disAbilities • Women
Guardian HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES’ UNION
“In humble dedication to all those who toil to live.” EDITOR Mike Old MANAGING EDITOR Patty Gibson ASSOCIATE EDITOR Brenda Whitehall GRAPHIC DESIGNER Elaine Happer DESIGN CONSULTATION Kris Klaasen, Working Design PRINTING Mitchell Press The Guardian is published on behalf of HEU’s Provincial Executive, under the direction of the editorial committee: Victor Elkins, Jennifer Whiteside, Donisa Bernardo, Carolyn Unsworth, Barb Nederpel, Ken Robinson, Kelly Knox HEU is a member of the Canadian Association of Labour Media
PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE VICTOR ELKINS President JENNIFER WHITESIDE Secretary-Business Manager DONISA BERNARDO Financial Secretary CAROLYN UNSWORTH 1st Vice-President BARB NEDERPEL 2nd Vice-President KEN ROBINSON 3rd Vice-President KELLY KNOX Senior Trustee JIM CALVIN Trustee BETTY VALENZUELA Senior Trustee-Elect DEBBIE DYER Regional Vice-President Fraser JODI GEORGE Regional Vice-President Fraser SHELLEY BRIDGE Regional Vice-President Interior JODY BERG Regional Vice-President Interior DAWN THURSTON Regional Vice-President Interior
LOUELLA VINCENT Regional Vice-President Vancouver Coastal JOHN FRASER Regional Vice-President Vancouver Coastal LEONORA CALINGASAN Regional Vice-President Vancouver Coastal MIKE CARTWRIGHT Regional Vice-President North SARAH THOM Regional Vice-President North BILL MCMULLAN Regional Vice-President Vancouver Island BARB BILEY Regional Vice-President Vancouver Island TALITHA DEKKER First Alternate Provincial Executive
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Spring 2016 | GUARDIAN 15
Guardian
Send a message
HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES’ UNION
seniors protect
restore federal funding
SPRING 2016 • VOL. 34 • NO. 1
expand
End illegal fees Seniors’ strategy Canada Health Act Stop extra-billing
Renew public health care PROTECT
Mental health and addiction strategy
Universal pharmacare End privatization
CANADIAN
LEADERSHIP Now ENFORCE
PROTECT
Stop extra-billing
CANADA HEALTH ACT
enforce standards
standards
PUBLIC
SENIORS
Canada Health Act
Now
New health accord
Maintain PUBLIC
DEMENTIA STRATEGY Now
FRONT COVER
Restore federal funding ACCESSIBLE Aboriginal health
Reduce wait times HOME CARE Standards expand pu bli
c
w no
VISIT: saveourhealthcarebc.ca/renewhealthcare TELL OTTAWA: reverse the cuts • stop privatization • invest in seniors’ care
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SPRING FORWARD! Caelie Frampton PHOTO
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