Health workers in Ashcroft, Barriere, and Revelstoke vote to join BCGEU

More than 30 health care workers at three assisted living facilities in Ashcroft, Barriere and Revelstoke have voted to join the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union to make their workplaces better.

The new union members provide care and support services for more than 30 seniors in the three communities. They work for inSite Housing, Hospitality and Health Services Inc., which also manages facilities with a total of 200 beds in five other B.C. locations.

"The workers joined our organization to win better wages along with fairness and respect in the workplace," says BCGEU president Darryl Walker. "We extend a warm welcome to them, and we're proud that BCGEU is their union of choice."

Walker says his union already represents assisted living and congregate care workers at facilities around the province, and will bring that experience to the bargaining table to negotiate better wages and working conditions for the 32 new members.

inSite staff in Quesnel also voted to join BCGEU this past summer, and Walker says union organizers are actively organizing at the company's remaining facilities.

The next step for the new members is to work on achieving a first contract that addresses the need for higher wages and better benefits.

Walker says his union is working hard to expand union membership in the assisted living sector to help bring stability to the system, and to improve working conditions for frontline staff.

"Workers are joining BCGEU because we're leading the way in addressing priority issues like fairness, job security, health and safety, fair wages, and benefits," he says.