United Nurses of Alberta responds to disciplinary action at South Health Campus

A statement widely distributed today by Alberta Health Services President and CEO Vickie Kaminski makes the claim 48 employees at the South Health Campus in Calgary have been found to have inappropriately accessed a patient’s information and that these employees face serious discipline including, in one case, termination.

Findings of this nature are a matter that by law must be resolved among the employer, the affected employees and their union. In this case, United Nurses of Alberta vigorously disputes the conclusions reached by the employer in all cases and is confident that upon application of due process the actions against our members will be shown not to be justified under the circumstances and the law.

UNA strongly disapproves of Ms. Kaminski’s publication of a statement about a serious and confidential disciplinary matter that remains in dispute. UNA notes that this statement was issued improperly without consultation with the employees’ union, and before disciplinary meetings with all affected employees had been conducted.

UNA also notes that the statement was widely distributed in a large workplace where the identities of the employees facing discipline are well known, and that copies have now been leaked to media. UNA believes this a breach of confidence illegal under Alberta privacy legislation and will be seeking appropriate redress for its members who have been affected by this publication of confidential personnel matters, which any CEO should understand is inappropriate. The honourable thing for Ms. Kaminski to do in these circumstances is to resign.

UNA members and the public can be confident that our representation of our members will be forceful and determined. UNA will have no further comment on this matter until it is resolved because we respect the law and the privacy rights of UNA members and others in the health care system.

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