Watch above: A man who publicly spoke out against his employer has lost his job with the Saskatoon Health Region. Joel Senick finds out what’s next for Peter Bowden.
SASKATOON – A Saskatoon man believes going public with concerns about understaffing in March played a role in his recent termination from a care home in Saskatoon. Peter Bowden, 62, was fired from his position at Oliver Lodge in mid-August. He was previously serving a suspension stemming from complaints by management and staff at the centre.
The suspension came after he went public with understaffing concerns.
“My initial reaction, I can’t say shock, it was expected perhaps,” said Bowden outside his home Monday.
“They were going to get me no matter what,” he added.
READ MORE: Suspended care aide ‘shattered’ by unproven allegations
In March, Bowden went on the record saying short staffing led to some residents not being turned or changed for six to eight hours at a time.
Saskatoon Health Region president and CEO Dan Florizone said in a statement that Bowden’s termination “was not a result of his contacting either the media or political parties regarding his concerns with his place of employment.”
“This decision was made based on the results of a labour relations investigation where seven of the region’s policies were alleged to have been violated,” added Florizone in the statement.
Premier Brad Wall echoed the statement Monday and stressed health care workers should not fear bringing their concerns to the politicians or the media.
“I think everybody in the system knows that there simply cannot be any work place action taken because someone came forward with concerns and I am sure the Saskatoon Health Region understood that,” said Wall.
Bowden said he is now in talks with his union to see what his next move will be.
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