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November 4, 2004
BCNU fights contracting out of RNs in long term care
BCNU is launching a major fight against attempts by some nursing home companies to contract out the jobs of Registered Nurses in long term care.
The campaign is aimed at companies that have served notice to the union this fall that they intend to fire their RNs and provide nursing staff to residents through an outside contractor.
The union considers this to constitute termination without cause, an illegal attempt by the companies to avoid their obligations under collective agreements. It shows great disrespect for RNs in long term care who have given years of dedication and skill to the care of seniors in these homes.
It also undermines the quality of care and continuity of care for long term care residents. In an effort to escape from union contracts, these companies - which have been encouraged to expand operations significantly in BC by the Campbell Liberal government - appear ready to shield themselves from the responsibility of providing care directly to residents, by claiming they are contracting out the work done by nurses despite the fact they plan to use the same nurses to do the same work.
In the case of about 20 RNs at the Renfrew Care Centre in Vancouver, who are slated to lose their jobs in December, the union is demanding an early meeting with the employer and is prepared to take the issue to arbitration quickly.
Renfrew Care Centre is owned by the firm Retirement Concepts, which has also served BCNU notice that it intends to contract out its RNs at two other locations: Dufferin Care Centre in Coquitlam and Beacon Hill Villa in Victoria.
A couple of other long term care companies are also attempting similar contracting out schemes for their nurses. Nurses are being told the contractor will hire most of them back at similar hourly wage rates but inferior benefits, sick leave and pensions.
The employers do not claim they are contracting out to save money. The employers admit thay are trying to avoid a declaration that their conduct is illegal. The sole reason given is that if the companies continue to employ the RNs to supervise support staff who have been contracted out, the employer would be found to be the true employer. The companies believe it will be easier to avoid the HEU contract if they claim there is a contractor between themselves and the RNs.
It is extremely disturbing that these firms are prepared to fragment the provision of care to this extent in order to attempt to avoid a union contract. BCNU is determined to oppose this anti-union activity.
At the same time as the union takes the issue to arbitration, BCNU will be seeking agreements with health authorities to enable long term care nurses to fill vacancies in acute care, by providing them with the necessary education and orientation and access to health authority vacancies.
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