Quesnel assisted living workers join BCGEU

Some 20 staff at Quesnel's newly opened Maeford Place assisted living facility have voted to join the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union to help make their workplace better.

The new union members provide care and support services for seniors in a supportive setting at the 35-unit facility which opened last November.

"The workers joined our organization to win fairness and respect in the workplace-and for the security that being a union member brings," 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 hundreds of assisted living and congregate care workers at facilities around the province.

Maeford Place is operated by inSite Housing, Hospitality and Health Services Inc., which also manages facilities with a total of 200 beds in 10 other B.C. communities.

The next step, says Walker, is for union representatives to establish a local bargaining committee and develop priorities for a first contract that will be negotiated with the employer. And he is hopeful that BCGEU's success at Maeford will lead to other opportunities for inSite staff to join the union.

Maeford workers originally voted on union membership in March. But the ballot box was sealed pending a ruling by the B.C. Labour Relations Board on an employer application. The votes were finally counted yesterday afternoon in Prince George.

Walker says his union is actively organizing 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.

To find out more about joining the BCGEU click here.