Email from management

[ajdyck@una.ca]

I’m interested to know the feedback on this, our management sent our this email
“ Hey All,

As we prepare for the beginning of strike action on Saturday, I am attaching the Essential Shift Schedule for the first week. If the strike continues after the first week, AUPE becomes responsible for assigning staff.

I understand the emotions and frustrations surrounding contracts, negotiations, etc.
A gentle reminder that you are responsible to perform the job tasks to your full scope of practice while assigned to shift during a strike. This especially includes any patient care and safety tasks and practices (bathing, mobility, toileting, taking garbage with soiled Depends out etc. is all deemed essential).

Thank you for being a part of this Team.

Take good care of each other,”

I was under the impression that during a strike only actual “essential” duties are to be preformed. I know do during and grieve later and the idea but I’m just wondering what I should be advising our members to do to support their colleagues.

[jarbour@una.ca]

Great question.

Getting into a task by task analysis is challenging. The simplest approach is really to pay attention to the numbers. If the work of the unit/area normally takes two RN's and five HCA's and the number of patients assigned to that group of seven does not decrease during the strike then either management will should be sent in to do the work of the striking employees and/or AUPE will send in DESW's. Ultimately, there should not be an increase in patients assigned to the RN's and there should not be more RN's brought in.

Jeannine Arbour - Manager Labour Relations (Specialties)