Rural Emergency

[acadieux@una.ca]

So our baseline staffing in the ED is 1 RN 1 LPN from 0700-2315. Are scopes are very close.
My question is with the ESA - are they only doing essential care? Like the life or death, patient/public safety stuff? Or is it business as usual minus admin/cleaning/stocking?
Lets say I’m doing something else and the doctor puts in a Tylenol order for a super stable CTAS 5 stubbed toe and usually they would go give it. But now they’re under the ESA, it’s not critical for life, and patient/public safety is not at risk here. Should the expectation be that like normal, they would go give it or would it be expected that they don’t - as long as they are within the policy for med administration time frame and it is safe for the patient to wait.
Just looking for clarification here to know what I should be expecting and how to best support our striking LPNs.

[joanne.moody@una.ca]

Thank you for your message.

I would suggest you speak to one of your AUPE colleagues and find out who the strike captain is for your site and have a conversation with them to let them know you support them. If you have further specific questions I suggest you reach out to your LRO to discuss. Here is some general information on the UNA web page that maybe of assistance as well.

Under the law, capable and qualified non-union management employees are expected to do the work of striking employees and AUPE is required to send in striking members under the workplace ESA if there are not enough exempt employees to meet the minimum threshold.
UNA therefore recommends that its members keep in mind the following points:
• Wear your RN or RPN pin on the job to make it clear why you are at work.
• Pay close attention to work that would normally be done by LPNs and HCAs.
• Where there is confusion as to what is LPN or HCA work and what is RN/RPN work, seek clarity as soon as possible from your out-of-scope manager.
• Note how many LPNs are there on each shift and, if there are insufficient numbers, inform your manager you cannot do the work of a missing LPN.
• In the event you are ordered to do LPN or HCA work, obey and grieve later if your refusal is met with the threat of discipline.
• Immediately inform your Local or UNA Labour Relations Officer if you feel you are being asked to do the work of striking employees, if more RNs/RPNs are suddenly being scheduled to work, or if you are reassigned to a different work area.
Remember, in addition to minimum levels of staffing for LPNs and HCAs, AUPE’s legally required Essential Service Agreements with employers mean AUPE is responsible for sending in striking employees if there are not enough exempt employees to meet the minimum threshold.
AUPE’s ESA states clearly: “During a strike or lockout at a site, the Employer shall not … assign work that would normally be performed by an employee in the bargaining unit that is on strike or lockout to employees in other bargaining units.”
UNA strongly encourages members during breaks and time off to join their co-workers on their picket lines as they exercise their constitutional right to take strike action, and to express their support in conversations with elected officials.

[lcoughlan@una.ca]

If you believe that you are being asked to perform work normally performed by a striking worker (ie. that you are being asked to replace a striking worker) then address your concern to a manager and explain that you believe this would be considered replacement work and that you believe that work should be performed by a designated essential services worker. If you are directed to perform the work then contact the Union to explain the situation and we can advise AUPE of a potential violation.