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More than 4,400 members of the Health Services Group demand competitive compensation and oppose unchecked outsourcing.
Published May 5, 2024 • Last updated 45 minutes ago • Reading time 3 minutes
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The Trenton Military Family Resource Center at CFB in Trenton, Ont., on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018, provides social workers and other care to military families. Family Credit Center staff can help alleviate the stress of waiting for medical care after moving to a new military base. Luke Hendry/THE INTELLIGENCER/POSTMEDIA NETWORK Photo by Luke Hendry/THE INTELLIGENCER/POSTMEDIA NETWORK
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At the heart of Canada's vast health-care system, a group of tireless warriors operates largely out of public view, but their influence reverberates across the country.
These dedicated professionals include physicians, nurses, registered nurses, social workers, psychologists, pharmacists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, nutritionists, dentists, and veterinarians.
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All bring to their work the depth and breadth of expertise and institutional knowledge essential to addressing the diverse health needs of some of the most vulnerable Canadians, who often have no medical alternatives.
Their story, often overshadowed by the broader narrative, is one of dedication, resilience and unwavering commitment to some of Canada's most remote and vulnerable communities.
From the icy lands of the north serving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people to the difficult conditions of federal prisons and military bases, these people face unprecedented challenges, from below-average pay to workplace violence. It is the backbone of the system that faces this.
A soldier was recently charged with forcible confinement, assault with a weapon and mischief causing property damage at the 5th Division Support Base Gagetown Medical Center. The incident reportedly involved a medical worker and included an attempted attack on a nurse with a knife.
This type of violence not only puts the health and well-being of workers at risk. It also creates an environment that undermines the effectiveness of Canada's health care system.
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Federal health care workers are paid less than state health care workers, even though they work in settings where the risk of this type of violence is heightened.
This disparity not only undermines efforts to attract and retain top talent, it also undermines the morale of those working in this vital public service. These challenges are further exacerbated by the widespread staffing crisis that the state's health care networks are experiencing.
Another little-known fact about federal public health care is the phenomenon of service deprofessionalization that we have been witnessing for several years.
Despecialization occurs when the federal government hires temporary workers with insufficient skills or qualifications from private health care providers to do the work of trained professionals.
Over-reliance on outsourcing has unintended consequences such as rising costs and threatens the sustainability of healthcare delivery. It disrupts continuity, negatively impacts the quality of care, particularly for vulnerable groups, and risks prioritizing profit over patient well-being.
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Reliance on outside contractors also fragments the health care system so that colleagues in the public service who perform the exact same functions receive less compensation for the same work.
To address these challenges, your next collective bargaining agreement must address competitive compensation and strong recruitment and retention strategies.
To increase wages for federal health care workers through 2021, we are calling for a 12.5% general economic increase to address high inflation and current economic conditions.
Also, certain occupations require catch-up wages to be more in line with their state counterpart wages. Federal nurses would need an 8.7% pay increase to catch up with state nurses' pay, and even more for nurses in remote areas. Federal psychologists are calling for a 38 per cent catch-up increase to bring salaries more in line with those in Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta. The number of federal social workers would need to increase by another 18 per cent to catch up with social workers in Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. These experts are currently negotiating as the collective agreement expires in September 2022.
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We must rally support for policies that recognize and strengthen the contributions of federal health professionals. This includes collective bargaining to ensure competitive compensation and oppose unchecked outsourcing. In doing so, we not only support these essential workers, but also protect the integrity and sustainability of our healthcare system and the health of our patients.
We need to recognize and value the unique contributions of health professionals in the public service. Their unwavering commitment deserves recognition and tangible support to build resilient and sustainable health systems that truly work.
Lynne Ohlsson is Chair of the Health Services Group, a bargaining arm made up of more than 4,400 employees and represented by the Institute of Public Service Professions of Canada (PIPSC), a core part of the federal government.
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