Workers at seven long-term care homes in B.C. 鈥� including four in the Okanagan-Shuswap 鈥� have sent a strong strike mandate to their employer, Good Samaritan Canada.

The Hospital Employees鈥� Union (HEU) members voted 98 per cent in favour of strike action to back their bargaining demands for a new contract with Good Sam. The members have been without an agreement for three years.

The seven Good Samaritan Canada sites include Heron Grove in Vernon, Pioneer Village and Hillside Lodge in Salmon Arm and Village By The Station in Penticton.

The other three sites are Victoria Heights in New Westminster, Delta View in Delta and Christenson Village in Gibsons.

鈥淭his strong vote for strike action by over 1,100 HEU members who work for Good Samaritan Canada sends a clear message that seniors鈥� care workers demand job security, respect, and fair compensation,鈥� said HEU secretary-business manager Meena Brisard.

鈥淗EU members rejected Good Samaritan鈥檚 demand for the right to contract out work and the employer鈥檚 unwillingness to increase any form of compensation in this time of spiraling household costs.

鈥淲e have a staffing crisis in health care right now, and Good Samaritan鈥檚 push for the right to contract work out sends the wrong signal about the need for stable, permanent jobs in long-term care.鈥�

In addition to their contracting out demand, the HEU said Good Samaritan also refuses to negotiate even modest improvements in benefits and other compensation measures 鈥� even though the last monetary increase it gave its workers was in 2019. Since then, any boost in financial compensation for Good Samaritan employees has come solely through the B.C. government鈥檚 wage-levelling program.

鈥淟ike every other British Columbian, our members are facing rising costs for their families,鈥� said Brisard. 鈥淭his employer is being asked to make reasonable monetary improvements to benefits, shift premiums and other items that better protect members鈥� pay cheques against inflation.鈥�

Good Samaritan Canada employs HEU members as care aides, dietary workers, housekeepers, registered nurses, activity aides and several other jobs. Members from all seven sites took part in two weeks of balloting, which wrapped up July 21.

Black Press has reached out to Good Samaritan Canada for comment.

The HEU is B.C.鈥檚 largest health care union with more than 60,000 members across the province.

roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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