February 9, 2009.
Pop gov’t “trial balloon” says Heather Smith
If the Alberta government begins trimming back public health care services it will end up costing Alberta families more and more, says the United Nurses of Alberta.
“This is the government’s “pass-the-buck” plan,” says UNA President Heather Smith.
The nurses union points out that the government wants to cut services people need, knowing full well they will have to pay for them either directly or through insurance. People will still need to have the podiatry done, the eye tests done.
“If you need a mole removed, you need it done. Medical services are not optional things you can just do without. Government is saying you will have to pay for it out of your own pocket.”
“Pop that balloon, I’d say,” she said about the government coyly floating the idea of cutting back medicare services.
Someone steering the ship?
Australian economist Stephen Duckett appointed CEO
January 28th, Health and Wellness Minister Ron Liepert announced that Australian health economist Stephen J. Duckett would become the new President and CEO of Alberta Health Services starting March 23rd.
“Dr. Duckett is a highly recognized health care expert, we look forward to working with him,” said UNA President Heather Smith.
“We are heartened to see that Dr. Duckett has frequently published scholarly papers on the advantages of public health care systems over private, for-profit systems,” she noted. “We hope Dr. Duckett will dedicate himself to strengthening Alberta’s universal, public health system.”
Duckett currently is in charge of health reform in the state of Queensland, Australia. Queensland Nursing Union officials have told UNA they have a lot of respect and appreciation for him.
Venta Care Centre nurses get new contract
Nurses at the Venta long-term care facility in Edmonton, UNA Local #226, recently reached a tentative new contract with some of the highest rates in Canada. The new start rate is $31.72 an hour. The agreement also includes big increases in shift differentials. In addition, two members who work straight night shifts get a special lump sum payment of $641 (pro-rated for part-time). All the nurses also get $500 (or pro-rated for part-time) upon ratification. UNA Director of Labour Relations David Harrigan assisted the Local in negotiating the settlement which updates the previous agreement for this year, January 1 to December 31, 2009.
UNA meets with AHSB top officials
Two weeks ago UNA President Heather Smith and Director of Labour Relations met with Charlotte Rob and Paddy Meade from the Alberta Health Services Board. Charlotte Robb is now the outgoing CEO who will be replaced in May by Stephen Duckett. Paddy Meade, the former Deputy Minister of Health and Wellness , the Executive Operating Officer for Alberta Health Services. David Harrigan reported the meeting went well and that UNA hopes to keep a communications channel open with Alberta Health Services.
Lethbridge Extendicare sets closing date
In a recent meeting Extendicare Lethbridge told UNA they will officially be decommissioning the only nursing home in the Lethbridge area in the fall of 2010. There are now about 120 residents in the facility but Extendicare says it will cease admissions some time later this year and the number of residents will gradually reduce. UNA raised concerns with Extendicare about keeping nurses and other staffs working at the facility while they wind it down.
NDP reveals reports of LTC problems
The Conservative government has abandoned seniors in long-term care facilities across the province, according to logs kept by health care workers and disclosed recently by NDP MLA Rachel Notley.
She shared nearly 300 reports of poor standards of care that were completed by front-line staff in various long-term care facilities. Each time facilities were short-staffed, workers recorded how it affected patient care.
“We have dozens of accounts of seniors not being toileted, bathed, fed, or turned in their beds, or being left unattended for hours,” Notley said. “This is simply no way to treat those who worked so hard for the privileges we enjoy today. It’s disgraceful.”
The surveys were distributed last year by members of Local 1207 of the United Steelworkers in two private facilities and three public homes. Most were handed over to the provincial government in September when union business agent Ray White met with the assistant deputy minister of health.
“This has been the government’s dirty secret since last September,” Notley said.
Notley blamed the ongoing problems on staffing levels as low as two people per 79 residents, and urged government to legislate staff-to-resident ratios in long-term care facilities.
LRB rules against UNA’s application to represent LPNs
January 6th, the Alberta Labour Relations Board dismissed an initial application from UNA on behalf of LPNs in five different locations. The Board dismissed the application without considering the facts of the matter, but it is not the end of the process.
UNA has applied for reconsideration of the issue as well as a judicial review of the decision. UNA’s application before the Labour Relations Board is based on the way bargaining units are defined by the Board, that is by the nature of the actual work employees do. LPNs and RNs work side-by-side.
In recent years the degree of overlap of the work of LPNs and RNs has become even greater. So when LPNs ask to join UNA, it makes sense that all “direct nursing care” nurses should be in the same bargaining unit.
Friends of Medicare public meetings
Friends of Medicare is holding organizational meetings in Edmonton and Calgary to discuss senior’s health care, prescription drugs, for profit clinics, extra billing, two tier health care, and the de-listing of public health services.
Edmonton Public meetings
Tuesday, February 10th, 7:00 PM
Stanley Milner Public Library Edmonton Room 7 Sir Winston Churchill Square
Thursday, February 17th, 12:00 PM
Central Lions Drop-In Centre 1113 113 st
Wednesday, February 18th, 12:00 PM
Strathcona Place Senior’s Centre
10831 University Ave
Calgary Public Meeting
Thursday, February 12th 7:30 PM
Unitarian Church 1703 1st Street NW
Nurses “brutally honest” with Telus in Calgary
Nurses in Calgary are being “brutally honest” in a survey about the services of the Telus Sourcing Solutions. The employee survey has been distributed recently on how Telus has handled their payroll and some human resources functions they have been performing under contract to the Calgary Health Region.
There have been a huge number of issues with Telus Sourcing Solutions work, including repeatedly incorrect calculations of pay and benefits.
In responding to the survey one nurse reported: “We were VERY honest. Hope we get to see some results, or changes from this survey.”
Bill 52 compromises medical confidentiality
The province’s proposal to amend the Health Information Act is drawing strong criticism from many sides. At recent hearings the Health Policy Committee of the Legislature heard strong reasons why Bill 52 exposes Albertans confidential medical information too widely.
The province’s own Privacy Commissioner Frank Work has come out against the changes, as have the Alberta Medical Association, as well as the Consumers’ Association of Canada.
“Ask your MLA how this could affect your access to a job, access to credit, access to health care or insurance,” says Wendy Armstrong representing the Alberta section of the Consumers’ group.
Draw to represent UNA at AFL and CFNU Conventions
Special draw ballots are coming out in the next UNA NewsBulletin for members who want to represent UNA at the upcoming Alberta Federation of Labour and Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions conventions. Members-at-large will be drawn from the ballots and will have the usual costs covered to attend. Watch for details in the next NewsBulletin.
| 
