Update: Workers Stage Protest, Society Responds

Mar 4, 2019 | 2:50 PM

Workers at a Vernon extended care home will take part in a protest this afternoon to highlight a lack of progress in contract talks, and the difficult working conditions they say they have to deal with.

Hospital Employees Union members at Good Samaritan Heron Grove on 20th Street will hold a demonstration from 3 to 4 pm, upset about staff recruitment and retention.

Workers say they are frustrated new staff are trained, but are later lost to better paying jobs, leaving them short staffed.

There is also concerns about a lack of progress on a new contract with talks going on for nine months.

The Union tells Beach Radio News it bargains for all the workers at all the Good Samaritan locations, with members concerned about recruiting new staff, retaining older staff, and having the staffing ability to do their jobs, which are areas of bargaining that are not seeing progress.

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The HEU was not immediately aware of how many of its members work at the Vernon facility.

Workers at Good Samaritan sites in Penticton, Salmon Arm and Gibsons also plan to hold protests today, but say the residents inside will be taken care of.

Beach Radio News will cover the protest, with update on our Twitter feed @BeachRadioNews.

A spokesperson for Good Samaritans Canada says bargaining is set to resume Wednesday between reps from the society and the union representing care workers at their Vernon extended care facility and others.

The workers are protesting a lack of staff recruitment and retention, and working conditions in a protest this afternoon outside the facility on 20th Avenue.

Shirley Nowicki, Acting Director of Communications and Media Relations for the society, says recruiting staff is a challenge for all health providers in BC, with solutions being worked on by the BC Care Providers Association and governments.

“Right now the association is in discussion with all three levels of government and key stakeholders to examine the recruitment challenges the province is facing in health care. And we’re hoping that by working together we can leverage all our strengths and develop and solve strategies to address current recruiting challenges,” Nowicki tells Beach Radio News.

Nowicki says the old collective deal expired March 31, 2018, and talks began May 2, 2018.

“At this time, the parties are still bargaining on their own without the assistance of a mediator, and the bargaining will resume March 6 and 7 in an attempt to reach a settlement,” adds Nowicki.

by Corey Fischer