Who supports HEU!

[cside17]

Well I can't figure out how to post a poll(Regs Help!!!!)

Curious what TTPer's think about the Current HEU strike?

A) I support the skilled healthcare workers we have($18.10 starting wage)
B) I support the private companies taking their jobs($9.25 starting wage)

Very curious what people think. I am a Maintenance worker in healthcare. For the last 17 years, I have helped maintain the beds, rooms, and operating rooms that we all utilize, at one time or another. Everyday lately I see co-workers fired as part of the Liberal's agenda. The conditions in the hospitals/care homes are rapidly declining. If you don't believe me , go visit your local emergency room, or visit a relative in Long term care homes. Or how about the ever increasing surgery waitlists!

Hospital workers, believe it or not, used to go through, strenuous training on infection control, patient handling, emergency procedures, and other inservices deemed neccesary. These compainies are not required to meet these same standards.

I look after the fire alarm in my building, which includes conducting fire drills. Untill Oct 12th 2003, our in house housekeeping staff all had an assigned position/duty during a fire alarm. Since the private contracter aramark took over Oct 13th, they have not been assigned fire duties, even though I bring it up daily! There response is , it's not our job. Well that is 13 position/duties that are not been watched/fufilled! How would you feel if your parent was in our care home, with a high percentage of the employees, feeling that it is not there job to react, in an emergency situation

Multiply the above by 30 if you are in the hospital!

It will also get worse on May 21st as 1800 kitchen workers are fired that day!! The french corp Sedexho, takes over then! They are the worse scum, of all the private contractors. Do a goggle search "dirt on Sedexho" You will get an eye opener!

Sorry about the rant, but if we want to have decent healthcare in BC, HEU must stand up for all BRITISH COLUMBIANS! JOIN US IN OUR FIGHT!



csidepissedofashegothitbyacaronthepicketlinetoday!****ingararmarkscum!

 

[BJB]

I support the HEU as well. I just dont' know how this strike will help the ones that are or have recieved layoff. My mother works in the kitchen of the hospital and they got taken over by sodexo. What a joke to go from $17 to $9. and do more work?? I've seen the stuff she had to do and i wouldn't do it for $9/hr. It's BS the way things are going. But the scary part, it's gonna be seen to late. Hope things work out for the best.

 

[lita]

I support the HEU strike. The government health care systems is slowly going the way of the south. Who can survive on $9.00 and hour? Worse who will take their place? Not people that care about doing a good job. These employees are vital to the care of patients, whether people care to believe it or not. Pay these people a decent wage already.

I am not sure a strike will change anyone's mind here, though. Been there done that (I'm an ex-Legal Aid worker~ 80% staff cuts a few years back). I just finished doing my taxes recently and I took a good look at how much we actually give on a daily basis to the government and for what? The excellent health care system, please. The great public school systems, another please. The beauty of the city (oh yeah taxes don't pay for that).

Good luck my heart goes out to you guys in your plea for fairness.

 

[cside17]

Well here I am, back, after 65 hours(only paid strike pay $12.50hr for 20) hrs on the picket line, to protect BC residents healthcare. I don't know if I am surprised, or disapointed that there hasn' been more banter on this subject.

The big kick in the balls this morning, was the %15 cut in wages, and a further %10 in benefits.

I work in a small facility, of 150 staff, actualluy 85 as 65 have been fired,since Sept 2003, and replaced by $10:00hr staff(without offending anyone,they are transiat, and esl staff, without proper training).Would you want your parents/kids in a hospital/care home right now?

Since Sept 03, thare have been more , flu, norwalk, and viral infection outbreaks, then there have been in the last 5 yrs. This is after the private contractor took over!! That is fact!!!

This contracting out of livable working wage jobs, is not on!

HEABC, say's we make an average of $55,0000, that is complete bullshit, and our liberal minded media will run with that.

I could only wish, I made that amount of money! I am one of the higher paid HEU workers, but that does not mean we should fold the tent!

We will/should fight on, for our rights!!!!!!!

Fcuk it, I need sleep!!
Just don,t wake up with a Medical problem!!!!!!!

Solidarity for ever!

 

[Dude]

You're poll question is a bit loaded.

I support the HEU in this case- as you pointed out, it's not like they're raking it in- but I also support any company's right to search for better economies of scale. There is a place in our society for contracting out to the private sector.

In THIS case, however, I really do question the quality of work hospitals will get on a long term basis out of someone only pulling in such low hourly wages. And in THIS case, quality of work is crucial to the system working well.

Besides C-Side: even at $55,0000 / year, one falls into a higher tax bracket and more of that is taken right back by the feds. The take home pay puts you way down there. $55k would be, IMO, a fair wage for that particular job (considering the importance).

 

[Regs]

I don't have anything great to say about this situation, thus I haven't commented.

The unionists on TTP wouldn't like my thoughts anyways... gotta keep some friends, somehow, right?



~RhetoricRegs.

 

[Dude]

Just suck up, like I did. My goal is to have Jinky buy me a beer at the TTP Golf Tourney.

Pie in the sky,

Dude.

 

[Regs]

OK.

I read yesterday something about less than 50 percent of this union bothered to come out and vote on the contract that was negotiated last year, an agreement that was in turn, rejected (by only 57%).

If your own membership can't be fcuked to care, why should I?
~Gordo.

 

[BlazeArmy]

m staying mum on this sublect for reasons similiar to Regs. My views won't be real popular and i don't really want to get lambasted for them. My views shall stay mine alone.

~Rush LimbaughArmy

 

[Stepchild]

Well, no one likes to take a pay cut or lose their job. That said, I am part of the health care system that was eliminated from MSP in 2001. I am new in the system, but have struggled like everyone else. I see the system becoming what the US has been dealing with for years............... independent contracters and outside insurance companies. I am against the gov, but find it hard to really sympathize with the HEU workers as they did nothing for all the professions that lost out years ago. Still struggling.........
Screw the gov....

 

[Ballbaby]

OK.

I read yesterday something about less than 50 percent of this union bothered to come out and vote on the contract that was negotiated last year, an agreement that was in turn, rejected (by only 57%).

If your own membership can't be fcuked to care, why should I?
~Gordo.

In this day and age, the unions have to be very progressive and plan years ahead to be ready for situations like this. The writing was on the wall when the Liberals were elected. Goodbye Labour Board as we know it. The HEU has way too much disparity within in itself. You have lab techs and cafeteria workers in the same union with a large dollar amount difference in wages.

Whether you are a unionist or not, you should be scared shitless when a government can tear up a contract and create some new legislation in a matter of hours and categorize you as a criminal if you don't go back to work. This is the 5th piece of legislature created to force workers to accept their terms in the Liberal's tenure.

The NDP isn't getting off easy with me either. They were reckless. The individuals representing the government negotiating these public sector contracts have no vested interest in the future consequences. They are transient workers. The mess we are in today is a result of very irresponsible negotiating in the past. The union worker is going to be around for 30 years. They think long term. The government thinks short term. They clean house without recognizing the repercussions.

So our HEU employees make the most money in the country. We also live in the most expensive area in the country. Don't give me the 'if you choose to live here" crap argument. Everything is relative and proportionate. Somebody has to live here.

We have become a third world country people. There is a defined class structure emerging. The contracting out to $10.00 per hour health care workers will produce an employee that gives you what you pay for. Crap. Nobody better complain when their loved one is lying in a hospital bed (if they are lucky) and someone else's puke is still lingering from a sloppy wash. Nobody better complain when they enter a hospital room and it reeks of piss. You better get used to a grumpy employee who could give two shits if your mother or child is terminally ill. It's just a job. Lousy pay. Lousy boss. Put in my time and go home or to my other job. Gotta save myself so I can make it through my next job. Ah, I quit! Someone else can have this $10.00 job. I'll go on welfare. Oops can't do that anymore. I'll stick it out but I am doing the bare mininum. The scenario goes on. Geez, I'll bet these non-union employees might get so fed up, they'll organzie and form a union.

My point is that when a government assumes a dictatorship style of implementing their policies, we all better be weary. Not good.

 

[Big T]

Rectroactive pay cut !!! What the fcuk is this government on ?? That is just plain evil. What about the single mom that has kids and the next paycheck she has to take a 15% cut and then give back more ??? How is she going to pay for her bills ?? I don't get how this makes any sense economically....you have 43000 workers that you might fire in the next few months and you don't think that will have an negative impact on spending/consumer confidence/retail numbers in this province. hmmm I think Gordo wrote up the bill in Maui while getting tanked again.

 

[knvb]

Going to get blasted I'm sure, because really, I'm not up to snuff on the world of politics, their unions, contracts or the governments that run them, but I'll throw a couple of logs on the fire for shits and giggles on a Friday afternoon.

I feel essential services like your care works, ambulance guys, firemen etc... should, and have to be paid TOP freaking dollar whether they bandage your wounds, clean up the puke and piss or coil the hose and wash the dalmatian like Ballbaby does. THESE are the people you want happy in their work and working for YOU when the time does come and it will. It only takes one trip to visit you grandma in the home or the to the hospital with your kid for stitches or a broken leg or a burning stove because your wife is a scatter brian ( ) to truly appreciate these people. Please give them what they want, they're all worth every dollar.

The guys who pick up trash, or mow my townhouse lawn.. sorry I'm not interested in your $32.00 an hour jobs and how you need another .15% over two years. Don't care and could be fcuked with some of your over paid petty problems. They guys with 45 sick days , 4 weeks of vacation, can't be fired working or not... sorry, you're on your own.

Not picking on any particular garbage men or landscaping crew or city of BBY workers.

Blast away.

 

[Regs]

Hmmm... retroactive to April 1st, isn't it? That's what, 1 paycheck worth? Granted, retroactive sucks but let's not make it out to seem like it's a full year needed to be paid back

Again, if less than 50% of the union voted on something that affected their lives so much, you will never get my sympathy. Ever.

~Regs.

 

[Stepchild]

Going to get blasted I'm sure, because really, I'm not up to snuff on the world of politics, their unions, contracts or the governments that run them, but I'll throw a couple of logs on the fire for shits and giggles on a Friday afternoon.

I feel essential services like your care works, ambulance guys, firemen etc... should, and have to be paid TOP freaking dollar whether they bandage your wounds, clean up the puke and piss or coil the hose and wash the dalmatian like Ballbaby does. THESE are the people you want happy in their work and working for YOU when the time does come and it will. It only takes one trip to visit you grandma in the home or the to the hospital with your kid for stitches or a broken leg or a burning stove because your wife is a scatter brian ( ) to truly appreciate these people. Please give them what they want, they're all worth every dollar.

The guys who pick up trash, or mow my townhouse lawn.. sorry I'm not interested in your $32.00 an hour jobs and how you need another .15% over two years. Don't care and could be fcuked with some of your over paid petty problems. They guys with 45 sick days , 4 weeks of vacation, can't be fired working or not... sorry, you're on your own.

Not picking on any particular garbage men or landscaping crew or city of BBY workers.

Blast away.

Fukc, it kills me to agree with Henrik but he has a point. These are essential medical services and should be paid accordingly. Educational training should account for something.
Again, that said-should a hospital cook with little to no training be getting the same wage......no! It is not like it is a gourmet meal! No comment on damn city workers!

 

[BlazeArmy]

Fcuk it, i'll talk.First a little background so my point of view may make more sense.

My family owns a business. Our BC operations our non-union are Alberta workers are unionized. Our BC workers earn more and get better benefits than our unionized employees in Calgary and Edmonton. The union(IBEW, if you care) we deal with is based out of Calgary and their offices are actually 2 buildings down from ours. The union tkaes the view that they are working with us the employers and if it's good for the company it will eventually be good for their members. The thing is in dealing with our employees( isay employees but most of the guys(80%) have worked for the company for over 5 years) it easier for us to deal with the ones who are unionized. If their are disicpline or attitude problems a call to the union office is made and they sort it out. It makes for a good relationship from everyones point of view as there is no incidents between management and the workers. HEre however you have to deal with everyone on a one by one basis. Guys asking for raises, bitching etc all is dealt singularly instead of en masse . We were certified as a union here back in 93 but a agreement was never reached and it was voted out the following year. The union straight out lied to our employees during these negotiations( i was one of the people being unionized as i was a productin worker at the time during a year off from school). They told us we were going to recieve higher pay, better benefits etc. They told management(my parents) that "what do you want to make a deal here, do you want new employees, wage cuts. We don't care what we need to do to get something done lets come to agreement and we will deal with your employees from now on." That was fcuked. They didn't give a shite about the employees only looking for dues and more money for themselves.


HEU stuff.


Unions are not bad. they can be bad however. The problem i see is that the union has a way too big of a gap between job qualifications and duties. You can't have lab people, janitorial staff and cafeteria staff all lumped into one group. That simply can't work. The leadership of the union has never in my knowledge tried to see things from the Employers point of view. If we have x amount of money to get things done how can we pay for evrything. They have been thinking about themselves first and not the whole system as it may be. The Employers get blame in this as well for being absolute idiots and wasting money designing new logos and shite like that. the gov't always thinking shor term and what's best for them in trying to get elected again. The NDP were like that, the Socreds were like that and the Liberals will do the same too. What the Liberals are doing now seems to be a damn everyone let's try and get a solution to the whole damn thing that could work from the employers point of view. They aren't atking the workers into account. A bit like Regs if you don't show up and vote and give a shite why should I feeling is happening right now for me. If i recall correctly, the agreement that the HEU bosses and the employers agreed to last year that was voted no on by the members was better that what they are getting right now and would have not allowed as much contracting out as is happening today. That's(if that is the case) is what should have been imposed last year not what we got then and not what we got now. The unions have to understand that there is only so much money available and you can't get everything you want.

Today for instance our company recieved notice that a tender we had bid on was approved. The job is for $110,000 dollars. Last year we would have priced the same job for $150,000.00. Our industry is slow right now and between management cuts and our talking to our employees about being nore productive and effiecient and not spending as much money on unneccessary things we have been able to lower overhead costs and production costs which help us lower our prices and get more work. that is the type of relationship you need between management and the workers and I rarely see that happening between the public employees unions and the governments or their employers(General statement, don't kill me on that)

As for which side i support? I can't support either side as you have both done things that i disagree with. Is there a perfect solution? No, but there has to be a compromise somewhere that will work.

 

[knvb]

Stepchild, I did mean to put teachers and the like into that as well.

Honest question: Why can't they have tiered system. Teachers (for example) level 1 pay, Janitors and Cafeteria staff Level 2. Same as hospital. Doctors 1, nurses 2, orderlies, kitchen, janitors etc 3 ...


????

 

[Dude]

Here’s a good one…

A good friend of mine called me this morning (his name shall remain anonymous). He’s a city worker. Called me at about 8:54, and said

“Dude, we got sent home, let’s go riding!”

I explained to my good yet misguided buddy that I had too much going on today to take it off. He protests, “But you can just skip out whenever you want! Let’s go!”

I tried explaining that although that is true, I just had too many pressing issues to deal with, and time is money, sorry, blah, blah, blah…

I then switched it up, and asked why he was sent home.

Anonymous Buddy: “We’re supporting HEU. We walked out”.
Dude: “Well, shouldn’t you be walking a picket line then?”
AB: “We did, for a couple of hours, then they sent us home.”
Dude: “So, but supporting the HEU, what you mean is that it’s a good excuse for the rest of your union to take a day off, fcuk the dog, and go play?”
AB: “I wouldn’t call it taking the day off, it’s not like I’m being paid.”

Yes, you read correctly. To re-state: “I wouldn’t call it taking the day off, it’s not like I’m being paid.”

Now, please don’t judge my anonymous buddy. He’s a great guy, really is. He has a wife and lovely young daughter, takes great care of them, is a good friend, organizes golf tourneys for the rest of his friends, really a class “A” individual. I’m just sort of wondering where he got the idea that it is actually normal to be PAID ON A FCUKING DAY OFF?

Not that I don’t feel for the particular hospital workers affected by the mandatory back to work legislation, or the pay cuts. And, it’s not that I don’t agree with their position…I do, to a point. But…how is walking a picket line for two hours in the morning, then going home for the rest of the day for an early long weekend considered “Supporting your Union Brothers”?

 

[knvb]

I thought the same thing when I was asked by my 'AB' and I'm assuming we have the same one, but decided to be an even better friend and not say anything on TTP about it.

You're in a unique situation being your own boss and all, not arguing with your points, but if you work for someone you get a certain amount of paid days off per year that you're allowed to take. (ie) 2-4, depending on your length with a company, for holiday's and 2-5 sick days a year again, depending on the company or boss you work for.

That said I'm knocking off a bit early today and hitting the driving range. Wanna come?

 

[Dude]

KNVB: as I told my AB, no can do. Would love to, but can't. I feel special just being invited, though. After this post, I'm going to go have a little cry.

We may or may not have the same AB, don't know who your AB is. And, I never did imply that he reads or posts on TTP. He's anonymous, you see.