The provincial government's recent move to legislate hospital workers off picket lines and into a negotiated settlement package has some furious and others relieved.
The legislation known as Bill 37, introduced by Premier Gordon Campbell Sunday night, halted all job action by the Hospital Employees Union (HEU), although picketers said their efforts were no longer a strike but rather a political protest.
"Whether it was a political protest or a strike, it was deemed by the courts illegal and back-to-work legislation was introduced. That's the law. I just wish they could have worked everything out prior to the strike action that really impacted patients. I know it's unfortunate they had to take a rollback, and I empathize, but we have to forge ahead," said Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Harold Long, adding he knows there is some dissension in the ranks of the HEU over the legislation forcing them back to work.
Local HEU representative Pam Duffy was so upset by the action and what she says is a letdown from her HEU governing body that accepted the settlement package that she resigned from her position as chair of the local HEU.
"I feel total shock and devastation by this," Duffy said. "There are so many feelings, mostly anger. I put my heart and soul into everything, and now I feel betrayed by the HEU. I thought they would fight for us, but I was so wrong."
Other union members on the Coast were set to step up job action in support of the HEU, but in light of the recent legislation, they have decided to stop their efforts.
Local International Woodworkers of America (IWA) members were set to shut down mill operations on Monday if no deal was struck by the HEU.
"We found out late Sunday night about the deal and called off the action. But if they need us in the future, we will be there to support them," said IWA spokesperson Harry Bains.
Local teachers were also planning strike action Monday but stopped their efforts when they heard about the settlement on Sunday."It was a real scramble," said superintendent of schools Stewart Hercus. "We got on the phone to local principals at about 11 p.m. and got the phone tree going to inform students there would be school on Monday."
He credits the great work of parents involved in the phone tree with getting the word out in time. Hercus also had to contact bus drivers late at night to ensure service Monday morning.
But despite the last minute efforts to inform students, there was a significant drop in attendance Monday.
"We had about 60 per cent attendance district wide," said Hercus.
The negotiated settlement accepted by the HEU includes a 14 per cent wage rollback and an increased workweek. Hospital staff will now work 37.5 hours a week, rather than the previous 36-hour workweek.
The document also says the employer has the right to contract out no more than 600 additional full-time employees province-wide in the next two years. Under the new settlement, the government will also provide $25 million in severance pay for HEU members who will lose their jobs as a result of the privatization.
Although Duffy says local HEU workers are "furious" about the settlement and being forced back to work, Clay Adams, spokesperson with the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (VCH), said patients suffered by having surgeries, lab work and clinic appointments cancelled, and the authority is relieved HEU members are back to work.
"We're certainly glad the strike is over, but the whole situation is unfortunate that it went on as long as it did and in the way it did," Adams said. "Now, of course, we're going to see what we can do to get all those surgeries that were cancelled rescheduled."
Locally, between April 25 and May 2, 20 all day surgeries were cancelled, 162 clinic appointments were cancelled, and over 180 scheduled lab appointments for things like x-rays and ultrasounds were cancelled.
