PrintUNA information picket at Alberta Health Services offices today
UNA plans information picket at Alberta Health Services offices today
Striking nurses represented by United Nurses of Alberta, other UNA members and supporters will take part in an information picket about the strike from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4, at Alberta Heath Services Headquarters, 10030 – 107th Street, between Jasper and 100th Avenues in downtown Edmonton.
The 15 Registered Nurses represented by UNA at the Devonshire Care Centre in South Edmonton went on strike New Year’s Eve as part of their struggle to be treated the same way as nurses at virtually all other private and public continuing care centres in Alberta.
Park Place Seniors Living, the private, for-profit, Vancouver-based corporation that owns the centre and other sites in Alberta is determined to pay them as much as $9 per hour less than other public and private sector nurses in Alberta – including those at other facilities run by the same company.
Meanwhile, UNA said Wednesday that quality of care for seniors living at the Devonshire Care Centre was suffering while the B.C. corporation that owns the facility refused to negotiate a fair first collective agreement with a group of 15 Registered Nurses represented by the United Nurses of Alberta.
Also Wednesday, UNA President Heather Smith wrote Alberta Health Minister Fred Horne, AHS Chair Stephen Lockwood and AHS President and CEO Dr. Chris Eagle to express concern about deteriorating conditions within the Devonshire Care Centre and the employer’s bargaining strategy.
UNA asked them to investigate reports from within the centre of residents going without scheduled medical treatments, late administration of prescription medication, mishandling of narcotic drugs and unqualified staff members asked to administer drugs. Similar reports emerged today of more late medication and a replacement worker fired for swearing in front of residents.
