The group home workers at LutherCare Communities Group Homes said they will impose job action at 6 p.m. Wednesday if their employer doesn’t address wages, scheduling issues and federal holidays.
The workers at LutherCare have been without a collective agreement since April 2022.
SEIU-West is fighting for higher wages, the introduction of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and two days off in a row to rest after the week is finished — a weekend.
Barbara Cape, president of SEIU-West said the strike vote from members was overwhelmingly in favour.
“The employer seems ambivalent to our members’ need for respect, fairness, and a living wage,” Cape said. “Let’s be clear, everyone deserves a weekend, even if it’s not the traditional Saturday and Sunday.”
In a release, the union said that full-time staff are currently working seven days per week to make enough hours as shifts have become shorter.
While employees’ shifts might be shorter, Cape said there is still a need for two days off in a row to recuperate from the week.
“A lot of these folks work more than one just to makes ends meet because they are not well-paid workers for an incredibly intense, incredibly hands on professional job,” she added.
Cape added employees should also recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, alongside managers who get the day off.
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“There’s still the issue of the employer offering the statutory holiday, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, to out of scope managers, but not the staff working on the front line of the homes.”
The workers will not be doing a full withdrawal of services if the job action takes place so there will be less of an impact on LutherCare residents than a full strike would impose.
“We are engaging and we are educating on the difference between a job action versus a full-out strike,” Cape said.
Non-medical transportation will be one of the first services removed under the job action, but the union said it is prepared to escalate and include the removal of other services as well.
Global News reached out to LutherCare for a comment.
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