After two weeks of balloting, the Hospital Employees’ Union announced members of seven long-term care facilities voted in favour — at 98 per cent, more than 1,100 people — to strike in support of bargaining a new contract with Good Samaritan Canada. The workers include care aides, registered nurses, housekeepers, dietary workers and more positions.
Those seven facilities include Christenson Village in Gibsons, as well as Victoria Heights in New Westminster, Delta View, Pioneer Village and Hillside Lodge in Salmon Arm, Village by the Station in Penticton, and Heron Grove in Vernon.
Items among their demands are job security, fair compensation and respect as the union said Good Samaritan Canada is unwilling to increase “any form of compensation in this time of spiraling household costs,” a July 24 press release said. The employer last gave a monetary increase to workers in 2019 except for the provincial government’s wage-leveling program, and is not negotiating improvements in benefits or other compensation, workers said.
Meena Brisard, the chief spokesperson for the Hospital Employees’ Union, told Coast Reporter the members “soundly reject the Good Samaritans’ demand for their right to contract out. We currently have contacted the Good Samaritan and asked them to come back to the bargaining table with a fair deal.”
Good Samaritan Canada said it could not comment on the specifics of the collective bargaining process.
In a statement from the organization, president and CEO Dr. Katherine Chubbs said, “Good Samaritan Canada is committed to maintaining a good relationship with our unions and we will continue negotiating in good faith. We remain optimistic that negotiations will result in an agreement. Resident care remains our number one priority and we will do our utmost to ensure that is maintained.”
A communications person for the organization highlighted that a strike vote is different from actually going on a strike, and it’s still too early to know what kind of implications a strike could have.
Brisard said the union is looking at potential dates in August or early September to get back to the bargaining table. Until the next round of negotiations is held, Brisard said they will not be taking strike actions. But if Good Samaritan Canada refuses to return to negotiations, the union members will consider their options, she added.
If strike action becomes necessary, Brisard said they will negotiate essential services levels to set minimum staffing levels to make sure residents are cared for and safe.
“Residents will be taken care of even if there is job action,” Brisard said.
