Union demands compensation for personal support workers

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This article was published 23/12/2021 (1421 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The union representing personal support workers says they should be getting the same pandemic compensations as any other frontline health-care staff.

The Manitoba Government and Employees’ Union says it has been asking the province to extend the COVID-19 adjustment that has been given to nurses to all personal support workers in personal-care homes dealing with an outbreak and in emergency departments, retroactive to May 2021.

The union is asking for this pay adjustment for staff — about 15 members — who work in the Brandon Regional Health Centre emergency department for as long as there is a pandemic, as well as for the 3,200 members who work in personal-care homes but only during an outbreak.

A personal support worker, sometimes referred to as a health-care aide, helps manage the daily tasks of people dealing with illness or injury, or the effects of aging. They work with a health-care team to provide patient care in a variety of settings, from hospitals to private homes.

A letter dated Dec. 20 from union president Kyle Ross to Health and Seniors Care Minister Audrey Gordon stated some agreements for COVID compensations were made a while ago, but those only covered instances where they were reassigned or sent to facilities where there was a COVID outbreak. There are no adjustments made if the personal-care home is their regular place of work.

“From the outset, nurses have been in receipt of adjustments when they work in PCHs in [an] outbreak, regardless of whether they work there, or have been reassigned or redeployed there,” Ross stated.

Nurses received the adjustment that was extended to four emergency departments: BRHC, and in Winnipeg — St. Boniface Hospital, Grace Hospital and the Health Sciences Centre.

The letter added the union believes no adjustment was made because support workers in PCHs were eligible for the government’s risk recognition program at the time.

Ross added an order was recently issued by a mediator during negotiations with nurses so that the COVID adjustment provided to nurses in ICUs and COVID units was extended to nurses who are reassigned, redeployed or working in emergency departments, retroactive to May 2021.

“Support workers in PCHs and emergency departments have worked alongside nurses and other health-care professionals throughout the pandemic, providing essential care and support to vulnerable Manitobans. The work of these workers is no less valuable than the work of nurses,” he said.

Support workers are burning out, he added, but they continue to work alongside their colleagues, taking the same risks to help treat those infected with COVID. Their work in emergency departments and PCHs is vital, so they should be receiving the same adjustments.

A spokesperson from Shared Health stated in an email it recognizes and appreciates the efforts of all dedicated health-care workers in the care of Manitobans, including the important contributions made by support staff.

“We are especially grateful for their continuing efforts these past 21-plus months as COVID has turned all of our lives upside down,” the spokesperson stated.

Negotiations with the union are continuing toward a new, long-term agreement for support staff, the spokesperson said. Traditional pattern bargaining means these negotiations follow nurses’ bargaining.

“We have every expectation that, like our nurses, all of our dedicated support staff will secure fair compensation with significant retroactive effect,” the spokesperson stated.

» kmckinley@brandonsun.com