Workers at PG homeless shelter join BCGEU to make their workplace better

Staff at a shelter for homeless people in Prince George have voted unanimously to join the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union to make their workplace better.

The 22 employees of the Active Support Against Poverty Housing Society (ASAPHS) perform a variety of important tasks working with homeless people 24 hours a day, seven days a week in Prince George. Many of their homeless clients are people dealing with drug addictions and acute mental illness.

"We extend a warm welcome to our new members at the shelter," says BCGEU president Darryl Walker. "They joined our union to address their key issues around health and safety, sick leave and better pay because BCGEU represents thousands of workers in community social services across B.C."

Walker says ASAPHS workers frequently face threats and violence on the job, and are urgently in need of better health and safety protections.

The next step for the shelter workers is to form a bargaining committee, establish contract priorities and begin negotiations with their employer.

The shelter staff voted on whether to join earlier this week in a Labour Relations Board-sponsored vote.

BCGEU represents 65,000 workers across the province in the public and private sectors.