April 27, 2004
UNA calls provincial meetings of nurses to report on negotiations
Reporting Meeting – May 31
The provincial Negotiating Committee has called two all-province meetings to report on bargaining. On April 19, 2004 Presidents from all the Locals gathered for a report and consultation with the committee. The provincial Reporting Meeting date was set for May 31, 2004.
“With a deadline of June 15, decisions are going to have to made soon by nurses,” UNA President Heather Smith said about the meetings. “At the Reporting Meeting we will have to decide whether or not there is an agreement we can recommend for a vote by all the members.”
At their Edmonton meeting Local Presidents voted to show their confidence in the Negotiating Committee and to endorse their direction. The Presidents held the vote after going through details on new contract concepts that are being discussed in the mediation process with Andrew Sims.
Information on the details of the mediation discussions is being mailed out to all members in a special bargaining update package.
The negotiations are dealing with significant changes including mobility questions. A major focus has been how to define nurses’ jobs in the new “Region-wide” bargaining units that include all the RNs directly employed by each Health Region.
May 1 deadline to top up pension contribution for time off
May 1 is the deadline for LAPP members to top up their pension contributions for time they had off as Leaves Of Absence or sick leaves in 2003. For the first 12 months, nurses are able to top up to cover the time off, and the Employer must also pay their share of the pension cost. From year two to five an Employee can still “buy the time” or top up for time off, but the Employee has to cover the entire contribution, the Employer no longer is required to pay in.
BC health workers strike in third day
Amid growing speculation that the BC Liberal government will introduce legislation, the strike by over 40,000 health workers went into its third day on Tuesday, April 27, 2004.
The strike by Health Employees Union (HEU) and other unions began on Sunday and Health Employers are already saying hundreds of surgeries and procedures have had to be cancelled.
No new negotiations had been scheduled and Chris Allnut, President of HEU is saying the union won’t go back until the government promises to stop laying off staff.
About 6,000 union members have been laid off in the past two years, and another 2,500 have been given notice of layoff.
The British Columbia Nurses Union (BCNU) is respecting the strikers’ picket lines and only essential nursing staff is being sent in to work.
Newfoundland government refusing to negotiate with Employees off on strike since April 1
The Newfoundland government is attempting to force 20,000 public-sector employees back to work with severe legislation that opposition members say is vindictive.
It calls for public sector employees who fail to return to work to be dismissed. As well, union officers who encourage workers to stay off the job will be fined $25,000 a day.
“What a snow-job this Danny (Premier Danny Williams) is trying to pull off, hoping to reduce the deficit of this province on the backs of workers’ sick leaves, hours of work and wage increases that don’t even keep up with the cost of living!” says Wayne Lucas, President of CUPE Newfoundland and Labrador.
Controversy over Saskatoon ER doc’s charges that waits are too long
The Saskatoon Health Region has promised a “transparent” review of why 88 patients died within 48 hours of admission to Royal University Hospital’s ER.
The hospital relieved Dr. Jon Witt of his position as director of emergency medicine after a letter he wrote to the provincial health minister was made public.
Other doctors and nurses protested outside the Saskatoon hospital demanding Dr. Witt be reinstated.
Witt said none of the 88 patients who died within that 48-hour span during the past two years was attended to within a time frame consistent with national guidelines. He made the remarks at the rally of doctors, nurses, clerks and other support staff outside the main gates to the hospital. It was a show of support for Witt and a call to the government to protect whistle-blowers.
The Health Region brought in Alberta doctor, Larry Ohlhauser, former chief of the provincial government’s privatization team and of the Alberta College of Physicians, to investigate the concerns.
Ontario rises up against P3 hospitals
Ontario’s unions kicked off the start of what they say will be a lengthy and loud protest against private-public hospital partnerships this month.
From Cornwall teachers to Sudbury miners, thousands of union workers from across Ontario marched through downtown Toronto, hoisting placards, waving flags and decrying the use of private sector funds to build and run hospitals.
“Private medicine means private corporations make money off people getting sick,” said Andrew Hodge, the Toronto co-ordinator for the Ontario Health Coalition, which organized the marches.
COMMENTARY
I’m really going to do it to
Medicare this time – Ralph Klein
Premier Klein is determined to “reform” Alberta’s health system this time. His reason to do it –we can’t afford it—seems pretty lame given the facts, but he’s going ahead with a brave plan on what’s good for Albertans. Why not? It will make big profits for private insurance companies, like Don Mazankowski’s Great West Life.
But those in the know say there is method to Ralph’s madness. He would rather pick a big fight on health care than have to deal with the pocket book issues: car insurance, mad cow crisis, or utility rates. After all, government polling already shows him that the province is well polarized on health care issues. All those people who get mad about Medicare, already are, and they aren’t voting Tory anyway. A big fight that again pits Alberta against the ‘socialist’ Liberals in Ottawa is just what this party needs to dominate the headlines, not thorny issues that are actually taking money out of Tory voters’ pockets!!
Here’s what the Conservative “fight” plan may be looking like:
1. Unsustainability, out of control health spending… hammer on this lie at every opportunity. (In fact, fifteen years ago Alberta spent about $1914 per person on health care. This year, adjusted for inflation, we spent $2264. Costs have gone up but not astronomically.)
2. Release the Graydon report calling for user fees of some type and extra private insurance to cover some services currently covered by Medicare. This is tailor made to make the opposition and Medicare supporters “howl”.
3. Abolish Health Care Premiums; keep the promise before the provincial election. But, don’t stop collecting them, convert them so they pay for supplementary insurance, provided by for-profit companies (or Blue Cross… which recently has been forced to pay corporate taxes so it competes with any other insurance company although it is government run not-for-profit.) But Premiums would NOT pay for actual Medicare anymore, so you could say you abolished them.
4. After the election, the real changes start with delisting Medicare services not required in the Canada Health Act. Beginning with chiropractic and physiotherapy, this could even go on to include home care and long-term care. People must be paying their monthly bill for supplementary insurance for something!
5. Retire in glory to take lucrative positions on the Boards of insurance and private health care companies.
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