In honour of those injured or lost

UNA Local 115 stands honours to those that have been injured or lost in the workplace.

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2023 Newsletter (PDF)

Member Spotlight: Jennifer Evangelista

By Kevin Champagne - Local 115 President United Nurses of Alberta.

Written March 2020

When did you become a nurse and where did you get to go to university?

I obtained my degree at the University of Calgary, and I was in the last conjoint program offered between the then Mount Royal College and the University of Calgary. Students were given the option on where they wanted to complete the final two years of the degree program. I chose to spend my remaining years in Calgary completing the program at the U of C, it was closer to home.

What made you decide to join the profession of Nursing?

My mom (Judi Curran) is a Registered Nurse (RN). I grew up watching her as she would leave for work and then return, always so exuberant and excited to be part of such a noble profession. The opportunity to witness her career progression was my inspiration. I was there to see her start as a student nurse. I was a part of her journey as she excelled in the various areas she was entrusted to work. I was always excited to hear her stories about what she accomplished during her shift and the positive impact it had on her patients. As I got older, mom’s stories about work and her amazing colleagues inspired me. I wanted to find out in what direction nursing would take me. I now get to help people in times of personal crisis and as I reflect on the lesson’s mom taught me, I know I am making a positive impact on my patients too.

Where did your mom go to school?

My mom is a Holy Cross Grad. The Holy Cross is where she did most of her training and years working. When the decision was made to close the Holy Cross, mom went to work at the Rocky View General Hospital and began working in their Day Surgery unit. Mom has since retired and finished her career working at Health Link.

Tell us a bit about your family?

I have been married for 10 years. I have two children; my daughter is 9 and my son is closing in on eight. I try not to bring work home all the time. Working at the Foothills Medical Center Emergency department means I don’t always have positive stories that I can share with small children. I do share my passion for nursing with them, and they are super curious. They have learnt that mom can’t share all the details with them. My daughter wants to follow me and become a nurse, and my son wants to become a police officer. My kids are always immensely proud and quick to share with their friends that I am a nurse.

Is the profession of nursing worth fighting for? How are the current systemic changes impacting your view on nursing?

I have a positive view of nursing and still passionately advocate for people to join the profession. What I would say to people struggling with the decision to join nursing is to remind them of the good we do, the positive we bring into the lives of patients we interact daily with. This is a career that allows you to travel the world and has so many exciting areas to be employed. The only limitation on what nursing can do for you is how you approach it.

Can you walk us through your personal journey in nursing to date?

In my fourth year of nursing school, I knew my passion was to work in an emergency department. I knew this field of nursing is where I needed to be. I did not get a practicum placement in an emergency department which was hard at first. I took the placement in the CVICU and Trauma unit as an opportunity to better myself and saw it as an opportunity to hone my skills to be ready to enter the world of emergency nursing. I also sought additional education opportunities at this time, completing my advanced critical care nursing diploma. My practicum placement helped me secure a graduate nurse position on the trauma unit where I was eventually hired as a RN. I didn’t let my dream go and applied for a position in the emergency department a little less than a year into my employment. I was so excited to be given the opportunity to take a position in the ER, my dreams were starting to take shape.

Things are never textbook when you work in an emergency unit and having the experience of working in all areas of the department has allowed me to face new challenges head on. During my time in the department, I completed the STARS academy and was faced with the tough choice to move to Grande Prairie to fly with STARS. I opted to stay, and I have never looked back, for the last 9 years I have been blessed to be one of the educators in the department.

Can you tell our readers about the Emergency department’s physical layout?

Our department has changed quite a bit over the years in terms of our capacity and footprint. We have an exceptionally large footprint currently. There are a total of seventy-nine beds and three trauma bays. We used to have 4 but with COVID we have taken a trauma bay space to allow an area for COVID precautions.

On average the department sees between 220 and 250 patients in a 24-hour period. With a close to 30 percent admission rate going into the department that leaves 70 % being turned over to community support and services.

The department is a level 1 trauma centre, the stroke centre for Southern Alberta, Cardiac Cath Lab centre and we have don’t turn any age groups away. Many people don’t know that we provide services to all ages. The scope of what we offer ensures we see a wide variety of illness presentations, and support Albertans when they are at their worst. We do what it takes to make them feel safe and well cared for.

How has the global pandemic impacted the department?

We are fortunate to have great leadership associated with our department. When the world was learning about global risk the department didn’t sit ideally. We started preparation and planning in early February. As a team we wanted to be ahead and prepared, it wasn’t an option to be playing catch up and chasing our tails.

Since the beginning of March masking for all patients, visitors and staff was implemented. Screening protocols have been put in place and the flow of patients presenting with COVID like symptoms is controlled in the department.

At this point all staff are well prepared. They have been receptive to the measures put in place and have expressed gratitude that the planning started so early. As a department we all should be proud of how we aim to protect each other and the patients we are trusted to care for.

What has been your biggest challenge as an RN?

Outside of COVID, protecting ourselves from workplace violence is the biggest challenge to any ER department. When patients come into the department in crisis they can be irrationally stressed and their responses to additional stimuli can result in patients acting out aggressively. I do find workplace violence increasing. I believe for the longest time nurses accepted this as a normal part of the job. This is not a part of the job anyone must accept and work together so we can change the workplace culture. AHS has great resources to support workers, and I encourage everyone to file MSN reports when experiencing violence. Violence doesn’t need to be a daily occurrence; we can learn to protect ourselves.

What is the best part of being an emergency room nurse?

The people we care for and my colleagues. I enjoy the support shared amongst all disciplines within the department. We all share the same drive and have similar thoughts on work ethic.

What do you do for fun?

I volunteer for the Calgary Stampede, and I am the chair for the parade committee. I also love getting outside with my kids and enjoy splashing around the water in Windermere.

Do you have a favorite book or movie?

Everything in my life right now revolves around my kids, but I do love watching cooking shows. I think I would be an amazing judge on a baking competition, I have such a sweet tooth.

What does being a part of a union mean to you?

I have reflected on this a lot and knowing that we have a collective voice to ensure our work environment is safe gives me comfort. The union is the voice of the nurses that keeps staffing levels safe and allows us to provide the care we are trained to deliver.

Take care of your mental health

“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination” (Jimmy Dean 1987.)

Please note that this article is not meant to take the place of professional support and you must seek help if you need it. There is information regarding where you can access help at the end of this article.

Registered Nurses (and healthcare workers in general) are notoriously bad at looking after themselves, preferring to put others first. Often that ends up costing them far too much, especially when it comes to their mental health. So, this article is about you, what you can do to try and help yourself, and to urge you to seek help if you need it.

Did you know that, according to the World Health Organization(WHO), mental illness is the leading cause of disability worldwide? In Canada alone it affects more than 6.7 million people. A stunning statistic shows that one in two Canadians will have (or have had) a mental illness by the time they reach 40 years of age. (cited Mental Health 101 | CAMH .) The Canadian Mental Health Association states that in any year one in five people in Canada will have a mental health illness or problem and that disability leave costs about double the amount for physical illnesses.

According to WHO, mental health is” the foundation for the well-being and effective functioning of individuals. It is more than the absence of a mental disorder; it is the ability to think, learn, and understand one's emotions and the reactions of others. Mental health is a state of balance, both within and with the environment. “

For good mental health a person needs to have bothpsychological and emotional well-being. Having that balance is vital for good overall health. Poor mental health is known to precipitate physical illness in some people.

How one perceives and deals with mental health issues variestremendously from person to person. However, there are some common threads (and tools to help) that can be discussed in general terms.

The Government of Canada lists six common factors that are necessary for mental well-being. These are namely, enjoying life, strong relationships, a sense of purpose, connection to others, a good sense of self, coping with stress. How do you fare on these?

We know that dealing with wave after wave of the Covid pandemic has been highly detrimental to the psychological and mental health of RNs in Alberta. The number of nurses expressing intentions to quit has reached as high as 50% according to a recent study from McGill University ( 0White paper (English)_Mi4 project_20201209 (mcgill.ca).) This study also found that maintaining good mental health is key to good performance and that stressors to this must be addressed. 

What can you do?

One of the most important ways that you can help your mental health is by building resilience. Resilience is defined as your capacity to manage and withstand stress. It is how you are personally able to adapt to change and utilize self-care. A resilient person will have more confidence, optimism, patience, and self-awareness. They will also have relationships to others that are more appreciative, helpful, collaborative, and empathetic.

Having many risk factors in our place of work makes this particularly hard for RNs. We are often hyper-connected to our work, with an impossibly high level of demand, difficult schedules, increased requests (or mandated) overtime and an unmanageable work-life balance.

Here is how you can try and help build yours, and your co-workers, resilience:

• Be supportive of each other. If you have any concerns for yourself, or a co-worker, be pro-active in helping yourself or them. It is also important to have a supportive network outside of work, be it family, friends, or other groups.

• A culture of fairness, honesty and trust on a unit makes it a much nicer environment to work in and that is much better for the well-being of those working there.

• Be respectful to each other. Treating your team with civility, consideration and respect is so important. It fosters good relationships with your colleagues and cements psychological supports.

• Encourage each other. Give positive feedback, remind each other of the good things that happened, or the good responses you had to situations that arose on a shift.

• Learn to say no. If you really cannot manage that extra shift,then say so. If you already have too much to do don’t take on even more. It is hard when overtime is being mandatedin some places but talk to your union if you are mentally (and physically) exhausted, file an OHS concern, add in a PRC if patients are being put at risk. A work-life balance is essential to good mental health. This cannot be stressed enough.

• Acknowledge good work, both to yourself and to others.

• Appreciate each other. Every member of a team will have their strengths and weaknesses try and build on the strengths. Find out how to best make your team work well by using each other’s strengths, instead of focusing on the weaknesses.

• Be mindful if a colleague is not coping with their workload. See if you can help, or whether the work can be more evenly divided up. If you are not coping, then speak up.

• Try and create an environment on your unit where it is fine to ask questions, seek feedback, or propose a new idea without the fear of negative consequences.

Of course, there are many issues that fall on management’s shoulders but if you do your best to help build a resilient team,approaching management becomes an easier task. The old adageof strength in numbers truly applies. A workplace where staff feel able to have a say and illicit needed change is also one that is good for the mental health of those working there.

Taking care of your mental health:

On a personal level there are also things we can do to help ourselves.

• Take a break from social media and the news. Of course it is important to stay informed, but it is equally important for that not to be constant.

• Use the techniques of mindfulness that work for you, such as meditation, going for a walk, spending time with your pet, writing things down (journaling) and so on. There are many on-line resources for this, or you can ask your family Doctor or a counsellor for information.

• Try to eat healthy meals and exercise regularly. With crazyshifts that is not always easy but do your best.

• Focus on the positive things in your life and try not to dwell on the negative things too much.

• Be kind to yourself and to others and don’t compare yourself to anyone else. We all have different abilities to cope with what we are dealing with.

• It is okay to not be okay. Ask for help.

The importance of listening and language

When someone you know is struggling with their mental health it can be hard to understand what is going on. There is often the temptation to say things like “don’t worry,” “don’t be sad,” and such. Even though your intentions are good it may make that person think that you are minimizing what they are feeling.

A much better way of responding is to rephrase what they said, restating it using your own words. This can be a useful tool that makes a person feel heard, validates their concerns, and lets them know that someone is truly listening to them. For example, maybe your colleague comes to you stating that they can’t seem to get their work done in time and they’re feeling overwhelmed. You can rephrase their own words by saying “it sounds like you have a heavy workload today and that’s overwhelming.”  That opens the conversation up and also shows that you have heard their concern.

Listening is a skill that we are never really taught but it can easily be learned. Being listened to is very important for a person’s mental health and being a good listener can also come with the added benefit to yourself of making you more empathetic and attentive. Being a good listener involves the following:

• Find a quiet place to talk.

• Remove distractions, such as ear buds, cell phones, the TV etc. You need to show you are there for the person who is talking to you.

• Maintain eye contact

• Make it known that you are listening by restating that you are there for that person.

• Avoid the temptation to relate their problem to you. If you’re talking more than they are then you’re not listening.

• Remember that you are not there to fix the problem but to listen to the person, be present and to understand. The power of just listening should not be underestimated.

• Beware of comments that might undercut the person. Phrases such as “you can do it, you’re strong,” or “things are worse elsewhere.” Whilst well-meaning, are not helpful.

Becoming a good and empathetic listener requires practice but it is worth taking the time to do so, both for you and others.

Compassion fatigue:

Whilst paying attention to listening and empathy it is important to note that one of the major issues faced by nurses, especially now, is compassion fatigue. We all know that there is nothing better than being able to talk to someone about your day when that person can listen, understand, and relate to you. However, with that empathy there can be a downside too, and that is where we run into compassion fatigue.

When we spend so much of our time and energy trying to listen and support others, we become exhausted ourselves. If you spend most of your time thinking about the needs and well-being of others, you can easily forget about yourself. When that happens compassion fatigue tends to set in. It is sometimes termed vicarious, or secondary trauma and it makes it harder for those affected to carry out their duties or care for their patients.

To avoid compassion fatigue, it is important to:

• Not lose sight of your own experiences when listening to others.

• Set boundaries with people. It’s okay to offer to helpsomeone find other resources for their needs than you.

• Identify your own support needs and use them.

• Recharge your own batteries. Take a vacation, spend time alone on a walk, whatever you like to do best to relax, put it on your calendar and make the time to do it.

Burnout:

Burnout is defined as emotional exhaustion, depersonalization,and reduced accomplishment. It is classified as a psychological syndrome. Whilst there are many studies that show that nurses were already experiencing burnout even before the pandemic, covid 19 and its stresses on them have intensified those feelings.Burnout is becoming a very serious issue among RNs.

The common symptoms of burnout are:

• Feeling hopeless or helpless.

• Pessimism or anger about your work or colleagues.

• Fatigue, headaches, stomach issues, insomnia, procrastination

• Changes in appetite

• Lack of motivation.

• Frequent sick calls or coming late/leaving early.

• Self-medication (drugs or alcohol.)

• Becoming withdrawn or detached from others.

• Relationship problems (spouse, children, friends.)

Burnout isn’t just about hating your job, it’s a response to increased stress and fatigue. There are many causes of burnout, some examples are lack of support, compassion fatigue, excessive workload or shifts and personal stress. The best remedy for burnout is self-care. That means setting good boundaries that allow for your physical and mental well-being. These include:

• Setting hard limits on anything work-related when you are at home.

• Managing your shifts appropriately and not picking up too many extra ones.

• Prioritizing sleep when you are exhausted.

• Building healthy relationships with the rest of your team.

• Avoiding work when you’re too tired.

• Seeking professional help to manage mental health concerns, make use of AHS programs and other resources(see below.)

• Setting healthy boundaries within the therapeutic relationship.

The pandemic has certainly increased the level of nurse burnout. Whilst it may be normal to experience short periods of high stress on a unit, it should not be constant. Of course, patient care is very important but so is your working environment and your mental health. Bottom line is that your work should not be making you ill.

Resources:

AHS has free counselling and help for staff. The informationcan be accessed through Insight, via HR, in the health and wellness section. You can also call 811 to get information.

24-hour Calgary distress centre: 403-266- 4357

Mental health helpline: 1-877-303-2642

Addiction helpline: 1-866-332-2322.

Your family Doctor may have a counsellor, psychologist or psychiatrist that works with them. If not they may have information or recommendations.

There are also many online resources too, some examples are below but please note UNA does not endorse any site, they are for information purposes only.

Mental Health 101 | CAMH :

Mental Health Learning Series - CSPS (csps-efpc.gc.ca)

Canadian Mental Health Association / CMHA Calgary

Home - CMHA National

Please take care of yourselves and if you need help, please ask for it. There is no need to feel ashamed about having a mental health illness, these are unprecedented times and too many of you have, for too long, been asked for far more than you can give.

A reminder that the UNA is also here for you, so please don’t hesitate to contact us. You can call us on (403) 670-9960, email us at LOCAL115EXEC@UNA.AB.CA or fill in an online OHS file. Your health matters to us.

By Rebecca Brown, on behalf of UNA Local 115 Communications Committee

Bibliography:

Mental health issues in Canada - Statistics & Facts | Statista

Mental Health Learning Series - CSPS (csps-efpc.gc.ca)

Home - CMHA National

Workplace Mental Health - Mental Health Commission of Canada :

Avoiding Burnout As A Nurse: Mental Health Among Canada’s Nurses (wellbeingscounselling.ca)

Paraphrasing in mental health – Beyond My Label

Psychology Reveals 10 Mindfulness Techniques Most People Forget (powerofpositivity.com)

Mental health (who.int)

The Art of Union Busting

What does the term union busting mean?

Union-busting refers to any action taken that is designed to prevent employees from exercising their right to organize. Normally this is done by the management of an individual company, who are trying to stop their workers from unionizing (for example,Amazon is well-known to be involved in this effort) but In Alberta the UCP itself has been engaged in the biggest attempt by any government to date to bust unions. In this article I hope to help us all gain a better understanding of what union busting is and what it means to us, and our union. 

In Canada (and the world) unions have continuously fought for safe and fair workplaces. Over time they have made a huge difference in improving workers’ rights. Sadly, over the last few years these rights, and the unions that have helped create them, have been under attack by many governments and workplaces around the world, especially here in Alberta.

On July 7th, 2020, the UCP passed Bill 32. Although it was termed the “Restoring Balance in Alberta’s Workplaces Act” it is far from balanced; instead, it tips the scale heavily in favour of the employer. It is the epitome of what union busting is all about on a grand scale, forming a direct attack on unions in Alberta. It should be noted that union busting isn’t the only serious concern with this bill, but those other issues are not the purpose of this article. Bill 32, in conjunction with other bills (namely 1, 9, 21, 47 and 81) in pushing forward the ideology of a government intent on curtailing, and ultimately busting, the power of unions.

Why does it matter?

When the bargaining power of workers is weakened (which bill 32 achieves byeffectively tying the hands of the unions and its workers) the government hopes that workers will be so weak they will just have to accept whatever offer is made to them, even if (as it usually is) that offer is totally unfair. Union busting is a good way for them to achieve this aim.

It is no secret that the UCP is mostly funded by big industry and corporations, who donate large amounts to the party. These companies won’t have the same restrictions placed on their freedom of expression, or ability to lobby, as the unions have under bill 32, and the rest. The net effect will be to raise the corporate voice whilst drowning out that of the worker.

Why don’t they like Unions?

Unions in Alberta have been at the forefront of the fight against the multitude of cuts implemented by the UCP, especially those imposed on our public services. Unions havealso been involved in the campaigns for affordable childcare, pharmacare,diversification and many other issues that go against the ideology of the current government. It is no wonder they would dearly like to see an end to this collective voice.

Ultimately this government fears the power that working people have when they can voice their concerns collectively and act together. Unions are the main counterbalance to corporate power and this government wants to shut that down because they favour their biggest contributors more than the actual workers in Alberta. They are also active proponents of privatization, something the unions have always been wholly and fully against.

The union is not like a big corporation, and that is a good thing. the decision-makers in a union are the members themselves.  These decisions are made collectively, through a democratic vote. It should also be noted that achievements made by one union can impact many different workplaces. Union solidarity is a powerful weapon in the fight for both economic and social justice. That is why so many right-wing governments’ want to end them because they put businesses and dollar signs before people. What they fail to appreciate is that the economy will actually thrive with a healthy and happier workforce and for that, it is clear throughout history, we need our unions.

We only need to look at recent bargaining to see why the government would want to end the ability for large scale collective bargaining. Recent examples from both the private sector (for example Carghill), and public sector (for example our own recent UNA bargaining) show the power of a collective, unionized workforce. Whilst we can all accept our result wasn’t perfect, compared to what the government and employer had been wanting it was a huge win. Without the union your wages and working conditions would have been rolled back a long way and you would not have had a big enough voice to prevent it. That is the aim of union busting, silencing your voice.

How are they trying to achieve union busting?

Initially (and continually) this government engages in direct attacks on unions, or union services, in the mainstream media and on social media. These attacks are based wholly on their ideology, without any actual evidence or logical arguments to support them. Albertans have become used to a “union bad’ mentality over the decades, so the UCP and companies already had a softer target.

They try to paint unions as anti-Albertan by statements such as this, from Jason Copping in July 2020, when he was Minister of Labour: “It is unacceptable that unions are campaigning against Alberta’s key sectors that employ the workers they are supposed to represent.” (cited UCP Reducing Rights of Unions | Canadian Union of Public Employees (cupe.ca)) This statement has zero base in any facts but that doesn’t matter when the goal is to depict unions as bad, in order to make people not want to join them or form them. It is also highly doubtful that he’s changed his mind now that he is minster of health.

Bill 32 aims to cut the amount of money that a union gets by mandating that, whilst dues can still be collected for what the UCP terms “core union activities,” employees can choose to opt-in if they want to pay dues toward “political parties or causes.” Exactly what that means, or how it will be interpreted and implemented, is truly unknown at the time of writing. However, the aim of reducing the money being collected is clear.

Whilst the unions are required to get permission from each member before using their funds for purposes that the government deems “political” (noting that unions already have a good system of democratically made decision-making) corporations, who are by their very nature way more secretive, are allowed huge levels of political spending and lobbying without having to get any permission from their shareholders to do so. That is the glaring imbalance entrenched bill 32, which is blatantly aimed at union busting. Without money the union will lose its power and, ultimately its voice.

The UCP are also employing another well-known union busting tactic by pretending that they are defending workers’ rights in Alberta. They cast doubt that belonging to a union is necessary. They make statements to the effect that federal and provincial labour laws already exist to protect workers’ rights, or that belonging to a union limits an employer’s ability to offer better pay and conditions. None of which stands up to scrutiny, in fact it is absolutely proven to be the opposite. Unions have consistently ensured better pay, workers’ rights and working conditions. In other words, you can’t afford not to have a union.

Another common tactic is sowing the seeds of division in the work force. By pitting those with more money against those with less, and insinuating that unions are the reason for the lower pay (which in fact it’s the opposite) they divide the loyalty of workers and turn some against their union. They put forward rhetoric such as “your salary would be higher if you didn’t pay union dues.” Whereas the facts clearly show that without unions salaries are measurably lower. The improvements in pay and benefits, which you will only win with the backing of a strong union, will more than offset the dues you pay. Not to mention the role the union plays in helping you achieve a safe and respectful workplace and how your dues help provide assistance and resources, should you needthem, to resolve workplace concerns. Without the union the employer is much more powerful, and big businesses want that.

They also love to propagate myths about what unions do, none of which are based in any fact at all. They perpetuate beliefs such as the union giving money to politicians the worker doesn’t support, when in fact the union does not financially support any political party. However, by casting doubt they undermine a union’s ability to gain useful membership. In reality the union is the best way to have a real voice in government because of its collective power to amplify your voice and its members democratically agreed upon wishes.

What can we do?

Whilst the pandemic took our collective minds off what this government has been doing to unions and somewhat curtailed our fight back, it hasn’t stopped our government from continuing to wage its ideological war. However, the flip side of that coin is that with the various bills that have attacked our unions comes opportunity. This government has laid bare, for all to see, its true contempt for the workers of Alberta.

We need to stop seeing ourselves as the victims in all this. We have a lot of power we can wield, and the best way to wield that power is through supporting our unions. The union, in its turn, needs to paint us as a strong workforce, able to fight against our own exploitation. Together we can ensure that the UCP doesn’t win in its attempt to bust our union. For ultimately, bill 32 (and its ilk) are just things that we, collectively, can work todismantle because, ultimately, we do have the power, we just need to realize it.

So, what can you, as an individual, do to help strengthen your union? It starts by gettingto know what the UNA does and then, if you are able to, get involved. Attend your Local 115 meetings if you can. That’s especially easy now, as they’re being held virtually. Stand for election to a committee when they have opportunities (there are a few right now), get to know who your unit rep is, or offer to be a unit rep if you don’t have one. Register for UNA information days, such as “know your rights.” Call your executive if you have any questions, get to know who they are. Ensure you file OHS and PCR reports if you have an issue that needs resolving. Talk about the good things your union does to other people. Remember, all members have the right to participate in union events, so exercise that right.

Lastly a reminder that the UNA doesn’t only work towards you to having a fair salary and benefits; it also helps to protect you in cases of harassment and discrimination, and to ensure a healthy and safe the working environment for you. We truly cannot afford to lose the protection we get from being a member of the UNA.  

 Bibliography:

• The imbalance of the UCP's Bill 32 — Allevato Quail & Roy (aqrlaw.ca)

• MEDIA RELEASE: UCP Bill 32 is an attack on people power, says AUPE | AUPE

• Let Nurses Speak - UNA

• Why should Albertans care about the UCP’s attack on worker rights? - AFL

• Alberta trades union ‘concerned,’ requests meeting with Kenney after ‘right-to-work’ policy resolution approved by UCP members | Globalnews.ca

• The UCP Government: What we know and what we must do about it - Public Interest Alberta (pialberta.org)

• UCP Reducing Rights of Unions | Canadian Union of Public Employees (cupe.ca)

• Union Busting Playbook

• Union Busting: What to Look For and What You Can Do - The Leveller

• Kenney’s union-busting Bill 32 is not just an attack on workers, it’s an attack on democracy - AFL

• UNA organizing manual

Provincial AGM

The Provincial AGM will be held October 18-20 in Edmonton. At this time, it is planned to be an in-person event. We invite UNA Local 115 members to fill out a nomination. There is a paper form or it can be completed on DMS https://dms.una.ca/forms/337. Deadline for submission is June 1 at 1600, and nominees will be voted on in our June 8th meeting. Please note that we are not requiring two nomination signatures for the ballot to be valid.  

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. 

In Solidarity,

The Local 115 Executive Team

(403) 670-9960

Local115exec@una.ca

2022 Nursing Week

With 2022 Nursing Week fast approaching, we wanted to create an opportunity to show our gratitude and appreciation to our dedicated Ward Reps.

On May 9th 2022, UNA Local 115 will be hosting a Ward Rep dinner at The Mash.

There are spaces for 25 Ward Reps to attend this event. For those interested in attending, please RSVP with UNA Local 115 by no later than April 29th, 2022 at 12:00.

The Mash: https://masheats.ca

Address:

1126 Kensington Rd NW #4

Calgary, AB T2N 3P3

Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions or food allergies. The Mash is able to accommodate a variety of dietary restrictions (Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free). We will be pre-ordering pizzas/appetizers for the event, and The Mash menu can be found here: https://masheats.ca/in-house-menu

COVID-19 Considerations:

• Tables will be spaced to allow as much social distancing as possible

• There will be a hand sanitizer available

• Masking will be encouraged except while eating/drinking

• Besides The Mash staff and Skip the Dishes/UberEats delivery, UNA Local 115 will be the only people present in the restaurant

• If you are feeling unwell, we ask that you not attend

Why Do Unions Matter?

By Rebecca Brown, On behalf of Local 115 Communications Committee

How often have you heard, or read, that Unions don’t matter anymore? By the end of this article, you will realize that is completely wrong. In fact, it is becoming increasingly clear that unions matter today more than ever!

On April 18, 1872, the federal government of Canada, led by John A. Macdonald, introduced the Trade Unions Act. This was Canada’s first labour law, which gave workers the legal right to form trade unions. It was not until 1930 that Alberta nurses became recognized as employees.  Albertan nurses were not allowed to unionize until 1966.  The United Nurses of Alberta was founded in 1977. Today it represents more than 30,000 members, made up from Registered Nurses, Registered Psychiatric Nurses and allied workers in Alberta.  In 1977, a new nurse earned only $6.28 an hour.  UNA bargains on our behalf, defends our labour rights through the collective agreement and believes the proposition “nurses are worth it”.

However, organized labour in Alberta has spent the last few decades trying to cope with successive Governments continually restructuring labour markets in ways that make them more and more unfavourable to workers. Albertans are also consistently subjected to messaging from those who seek to demonize the labour movement and diminish the strength of Unions.

All of this has put extreme pressure on Unions in Alberta, including our own, and these efforts have intensified since the last election. Some examples of current issues affecting workers and their Unions are how the government of the day is constantly pushing for the introduction of so-called right-to-work legislation (which is proven to drive wages and working conditions down), the erosion of WCB compensation and OHS rights (bill 47), the sequestering of public sector pensions (Bill 22), the potential drain on union finances from job cuts, the attacks on the a union’s ability to raise funds, advocate or even picket (bills 32 and 1) and the use of aggressive bargaining tactics.

So why does it matter if unions don’t exist anymore? More people than ever in Canada are working in minimum wage jobs, without health benefits or the means to save for retirement. Unions have fought hard for jobs that offer workers decent salaries, pensions, and health care benefits. All of which means security plus the ability to contribute to the worker’s local, Provincial and National economy. 

Over the last 20 years the gap between the rich and the poor has increased dramatically in Alberta, to the point where we now have the highest disparity between rich and poor in Canada. This is the result of Income gains going almost exclusively to the wealthiest Albertans. 

Rising income inequality is proven to be closely related to falling unionization rates in the province. Union members earn more, have more benefits and more rights than their non-union counterparts. That’s a good thing for everyone in achieving a more equitable workplace. The evidence from the USA shows Unions also put upward pressure on wages for non-union members. 

However, even more importantly, Unions matter because who else will speak out on behalf of workers? Unions are at the forefront of protecting worker safety. They provide worker education, empowerment, and lobby the government on workers’ rights and so forth. Unions are still by far the best way for working people to have a voice at their workplace. Unions are also highly effective in curbing worker discrimination and creating equality at work.

If workers are to be part of a prosperous future, they need Unions to amplify their voices and concerns. Otherwise, the corporations and big businesses will seek to drown out the voices of the average Canadian worker. Unions are, therefore, critical in achieving a more equitable distribution of income.

 The British author, Eve Livingston, states that “Unions are the best tools or vehicles ordinary people have for achieving any kind of social justice or tackling any kind of inequality.” The vital power of unions in transforming work under capitalism (huckmag.com).  She points out the fact that unions have been beaten down so much in recent years and that they have lost so much of their power. She also draws attention to the restrictions they face now in how they can operate. She feels that this is what has created the perception of them being weak, useless, or spineless. It isn’t really the fault of the Union that there’s this perception, it’s the result of the conditions the union now finds itself trying to work in.

So how can we make our Union, which we clearly need, work, become more relevant? We need to educate ourselves better on what the Union does for us. We also need to become more politically aware, especially when it comes to our knowledge of the exploitation of workers. We must start thinking of the issues we face in terms of our collective selves, and what we can achieve together, rather than just as individuals unable to affect much change.

Contrary to popular belief there are reasons to be optimistic. There is evidence that Union membership and the forming of Unions is increasing. Interestingly this was partly fueled by the Pandemic. Of note is that Alberta had already seen a rise in Union membership during the previous government’s term. When people come together their voices become more powerful. It’s a challenge, especially right now in Alberta, but it’s important we rise to this challenge for the sake of us all. It is abundantly clear that Unions do still matter. They were important in the past and they are important today. They must remain strong if they are to remain important in the future.

 So, what can you do? In short, Get involved! Learn more about what the UNA can do for you and, if you are inclined, what you can do for the UNA. Read the information that is sent to you, email us if you have questions or ideas. If you can make it then attend the Local 115 meetings. Also be sure to file your OHS or PRC concerns, so we know where you need help. Reach out if you need advice on anything. Learn who the people in your executive are. The pandemic has taken its toll on so many of us, but the Union is still working hard for you, so help them to help you. Together we truly are stronger.

Watch for “Challenges Unions Face” series to further understand unionism.

Bibliography:

UCP Bill 32 aimed at undermining unions’ ability to advocate for members - UNA

20190521_bill-022.pdf (assembly.ab.ca)

20200225_bill-047.pdf (assembly.ab.ca)

20200225_bill-032.pdf (assembly.ab.ca)

20200225_bill-001.pdf (assembly.ab.ca)

Alberta’s Income Inequality the Worst in Canada: Return to progressive tax would help reverse troubling trend - Parkland Institute

The vital power of unions in transforming work under capitalism (huckmag.com) 

Myths and Facts About Unions (iuoe.org)

Article By

Rebecca Brown RN

A Word From Our Very Own Wayne Stopa

Recently we passed two somber anniversaries, the first being March 5/2021, which is the day the first case of COVID 19 was confirmed in Alberta. The second date was March 11/2021, when WHO, World Health Organization announced the Global COVID Pandemic.

I mention these anniversaries to say we’ve come a long way since the unprecedented health issue started possibly late in 2019.

Never before has it been so true to say, “we got this” and we will come out of it on top.

Healthcare has proven once again that “Together is Better” and because we are a team, we have each other for support and we will create opportunities to move forward each and every day.

I’m proud and honoured to say I’m part of a team who have stood up to the challenge to ensure the safety and health of all going forward.

This summer will mark forty years I’ve worked in Healthcare. The last twenty-seven working at Foothills Hospital as a nurse, first as an LPN, Licenced Practical Nurse up to 2000 at which time I went back to school and graduated as a Registered Nurse in 2004.

I’ve had the privilege to work on teams such as the Neuro and Emergency portfolios. It was on those teams that I grew up as a Nurse. It was there that we learned the true meaning of teamwork.

Many people have heard me say that I’ve never had a full bad day. Sure, I’ve had had brief moments where things didn’t go quite the way we would have hoped but these times were far in between. I always left thinking I made a difference in some way. That is what my job as a Registered Nurse did for me.

In the last few years, I’ve had the opportunity to be part of a different team, that of the Local Union team. Although the focus was away from the bedside and more of a support for our colleagues it was no lesser of a team atmosphere. The support we offer our members is   because we have a tight group. Again, we enjoy what we do for the members.

I can actually say that the staff I’ve worked with over the years may be colleagues but a great deal of them have become friends. For this reason, I feel honoured to have worked with you all in the health care team. Thank you to each and every one of you for what you do and how proud you made me feel being on the Healthcare team.

Finally, I’m glad and sad to say I’m retiring at the end of September 2021. It’s been an amazing ride. Please remember I will always be on your side and at your side.

Yours truly.

Wayne Stopa RN BN

Local 115 Vice President