[LabComm] HEU News Release: Sally Ann rejects union plan to keep skilled experienced workers at Esquimalt care home

[update]

labcomm at bcfed.net

News Releases

June 24, 2003

Sally Ann rejects union plan to keep skilled, experienced workers at Esquimalt care home

Fired workers to leaflet family meeting at Sunset Lodge, Tuesday at 6:15 p.m. 

The Salvation Army has rejected an overture from fired workers at a Victoria long-term care facility it operates that would help balance the books, says the Hospital Employees' Union (CUPE). 

At a meeting held Monday, the aid organization's representatives at Esquimalt's Sunset Lodge shot down a request that it rescind the layoff notices while the union prepares an offer that would assist the facility in meeting its budget targets, and is also refusing to provide the union with the financial data it's using to estimate its wage costs. 

The Sally Ann has also rejected a proposal by HEU that managers share the burden of budget cuts at the facility where more than 60 nurses, care aides, dietary staff, housekeepers and clerical staff have been laid off effective August 9. 

"There are solutions to the financial situation facing Sunset Lodge," says HEU spokesperson Zorica Bosancic. 

"But instead of discussing these with the union, the Sally Ann is going to plank walk more than 60 workers - most of them women - into unemployment and poverty. 

"But the big losers will be the more than 100 seniors who call Sunset Lodge home," adds Bosancic. "They'll be losing a part of their family - the skilled staff who for the most part have worked at the facility for more than a decade." 

Workers at the facility have been raising awareness in the community about the Salvation Army's actions at Sunset Lodge and will be leafleting family members who will be attending a Tuesday evening meeting at 6:15 p.m. The Lodge is located at 952 Arm Street in Esquimalt. 

-30- 
Contact: Mike Old, communications officer, 604-828-6771 (cell) 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE:  This email address is NOT monitored for incoming mail except address changes and subscription requests. 

All e-mail, other than address changes, must be sent to heu at heu.org in order to be forwarded to the appropriate departments. 
To unsubscribe from this email list, reply to sender with 'unsubscribe' in the subject line. 
If you find you have been unintentionally removed from this list and wish to re-subscribe, send an email to update at heu.org with subscribe in the subject line.  Please include your name and what facility you work at (if you work in a facility) in the body of the message.  
All of the information and addresses in this email list are kept strictly confidential to the Hospital Employees' Union.