Southern Health-Santé Sud
ALL members, please review this form from the employer related to voluntary vacation payout.
*note the employer hasn’t set a deadline yet on the attached form, but we urge all members who wish to use this program to get their applications in as soon as possible.
Download the .pdf here:
Vacation Voluntary Vacation Buy-Out Shared Health December 16 2020 Notification
Your CUPE Bargaining Council and the health care employers represented by the Provincial Health Labour Relations Services (PHLRS) department met today to begin negotiating a new contract.
After years of delays caused by the Pallister government’s attempts to force wage freezes on health care workers, in addition to forced union representation votes last year and the COVID-19 crisis this year, we are finally at the negotiating table.
Although our discussions today were very preliminary (setting up how negotiations will proceed), we are moving forward.
The next dates we have set with the PHLRS are February 9, 11, 19, 23 and 25, 2021.
We thank all members for their input into this process. While we know this round of negotiations will be hard, we are ready to fight tough for you.
How was your CUPE Bargaining Council formed?
Your Bargaining Council is made up of representatives from every local participating in central table negotiations: Local 204/Shared Health and Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA), Local 4270/ Southern Health-Santé Sud (SH-SS), Local 8600/Northern Regional Health Authority (NRHA) and Local 500/ WRHA – Riverview Health Centre.
Who is your Bargaining Council?
Your CUPE Bargaining Council is made up of front-line health care workers just like you.
Grievance update:
On Friday, November 13th we submitted a policy grievance on the fact we don’t believe our members are being as protected with COVID positive patients as possible. We believe our members that have to care for positive or possible COVID positive patients should be fully protected including the N95 masks.
Today George and I met with the Employer to discuss the grievance. This is the fastest a grievance meeting has ever occurred after filing. This shows the importance of the issue to all.
The Employer has purchased another machine for fitting the N95 mask. They are training more staff to use this machine. They currently have one in Steinbach and will have a second one there by the end of the week. They plan on a fitting blitz next week and beyond. (November 23 – 27). They confirmed the fittings will be for all staff that work with COVID patients. To be clear, this includes our CUPE membership that have to be in close proximity to a COVID patient. We have asked that they prioritize the ER, Bethesda Place and Home Care.
We are unclear as to how they are scheduling staff for fittings so please check with your Managers and watch for any sign up sheets etc.
We need to stay diligent as being fitted is one thing, we need to ensure all CUPE members that are working with COVID patients actually get the N95 masks. Let us know if this doesn’t happen.
Please share this information with all CUPE coworkers.
Darrin Cook
CUPE Local 4270
https://cupe.mb.ca/files/2020/11/Letter_L.-Siragusa_Shared-Health-Protocols-on-N95-Masks_2020_11_16.pdf
Dear CUPE 4270 Members:
In these very trying times, I wish to express our gratitude to the 3200 Support Workers in Southern Health. CUPE 4270 is full of very dedicated but under appreciated workers. We know you go to work each and every day to look after our sick and elderly. Thank you!
In return all you want is to have the means to do your job safely. We do not feel the Manitoba Government has taken your safety into account. We are told that the supplies you have meet the guidelines set forth to keep you safe. We have seen numerous members contract COVID. Some have been linked to work related cases. This is not acceptable. We have expressed our concerns and have filed a grievance and expect every worker, regardless of classification, to be fitted and supplied with N95 masks where you are performing work in areas COVID positive patients are being cared for.
I would also like to express my disgust that you have had to work in these trying situations without our Governments support. Your last wave increase was April 1, 2016. Shameful. This Government is one of the only in Canada to not compensate its front line Healthcare workers with “danger” pay for having to risk your lives and your families by working day after day in healthcare facilities. Facilities that house the patients that are the sickest. Facilities that are under staffed, under equipped and stressed as far as possible. We again thank you all. Manitoba needs you. We will start bargaining soon. We will stand strong for you. We will fight for fair wages and better working conditions. Today, you don’t have this and that’s a shame.
In Solidarity,
Darrin Cook, President CUPE 4270
Good evening everyone,
The Employers are going to start looking at redeploying staff to other sites including the private PCH’s. It has already started in Winnipeg, they have put a call out for volunteers. Below is in addition the MOA on redeployment. I have attached that for easy reference. So everyone will get the pay, parking and mileage as per the original MOA and then get this on top.
A motion was passed in Council at the Leg this week which basically gives them full power to redeploy/reassign staff without any consultation with us. However, the PHLRS has said they want to renegotiate the MOA on redeployment (which was done with all the unions) but this is for the interim.
Shannon McAteer
Health Care Coordinator
National Staff Representative
Canadian Union of Public Employees
703 – 275 Broadway
Wpg, MB R3C 4M6
Tel 204 –942-0343
Fax 204-956-7071
smcateer@cupe.ca
www.cupe.c
The following are the list of dates that we have confirmed for elections for Vice President and Chief Shop Steward for the area.
Portage Area: October 13th, 2020 @7pm
Portage la Prairie Army & Navy
North Area: Includes Gladstone, MacGregor, Notre Dame, St. Claude and Starbuck
October 14th 2020 @7pm
St. Claude Community Hall
Morden/Winkler Area: October 19th 2020 @ 6:30pm
Boundary Trails Multi-Purpose Room
South Area: Includes Altona, Morris, Dominion City, St. Jean, Emerson, Manitou, Carman, Swan Lake, Pilot Mound and Crystal City.
October 22nd, 2020 @7pm
Carman Legion Hall
East Area, St. Anne, Steinbach dates have yet to be determined.
Health Care Bargaining Update
BARGAINING
CUPE has been pushing to get the employer to the bargaining table to negotiate a new collective agreement. Unfortunately, due to the COVID pandemic, bargaining has once again been delayed. But that does not mean
the work has stopped.
CUPE launched our Pre-bargaining Survey in March 2020, to gather feedback for bargaining proposals. Your bargaining team is working hard to build the strongest negotiating package possible to bring to the table and is meeting to prepare our proposals.
Some CUPE health care locals will also be having site meetings (meetings at your workplace) to prepare for bargaining, so stay tuned! Note: Your old contract covers you until bargaining is done and you vote on the new collective agreement.
WAGE FREEZE
The Manitoba government tried to freeze your wages by using legislation (law) to prevent all unions from negotiating pay. CUPE and other unions united under the Manitoba Federation of Labour to fight the wage freeze law in court.
We won! However, the government recently announced they will be appealing that decision. This means we will most likely have to go back to court, but we will keep fighting the wage freeze as long as it takes.
COVID-19
CUPE has been at the forefront in the media and with the employer fighting for your rights during COVID-19. If you have any concerns in the workplace about health and safety, or your rights, do not hesitate to contact CUPE right away.
CONTACT CUPE
Please make sure we have your most recent contact information, including cell phone number and personal email. We do not use work contact information to reach you for union business.
Contact your CUPE Local:
WRHA & Shared Health: CUPE 204 – President Debbie Boissonneault at 204-775-2873, ca@gmail.com, www.cupe204.ca, or Facebook @cupe204 @Debbie204pres
Riverview Health Centre: CUPE 500 – President Limson Mestito at limsonmestito@yahoo.com
Southern Health-Santé Sud: CUPE 4270 – President Darrin Cook at drcook@xplornet.com
Northern Regional Health Authority: CUPE 8600 – President Christine Lussier at
cblussier@outlook.com , or Facebook @CUPE Local 8600
Shannon McAteer, CUPE Health Care Coordinator, may be reached by phone at 204-942-0343.
We are always looking at ways to be able to reach out to our membership. One way will be through the website, but there are times when other methods of contact will be needed. For those of you who have not provided CUPE 4270 with your contact information please provide your Name, Place of Work, Email address and cell number to Natasha Ross, CUPE 4270 Recording Secretary at natasha28@shaw.ca.
Dear CUPE 4270 members,
It’s been quite a year so far, and while your union is busy representing you in the workplace during these challenging times we also have local elections on the horizon.
The Executive is working on a plan to elect Union Representation throughout the region to cover the entire membership in both Facility and Community.
I would like to thank the membership for your patience. In the meantime, membership can continue to contact myself, your local President at drcook@xplornet.com or George Bouchard, National Staff Representative at 1-204-942-0343.
CUPE 4270 will be recognizing Healthcare Support Worker Week in October.
Date is yet to be proclaimed by the Government. During these unprecedented times, we understand and appreciate the challenging work that you have all had to endure.
We are proud to support the great membership that you all encompass. Please come out on the date your area chooses to hold their event to recognize your hard work.