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Local 006 is in support of reducing caseloads and retaining staff for the very reasons that are outlined in this article.

The Truth About Public Service Salaries: click here.

Local 006 Releases Report and Recomendations on Workload.
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In response to Agreement seeks solution for troubled native families, Edmonton Journal October 28,2011, by Keith Gerein

AUPE Local 6 members agree with Steve MacDonald on the following:

1.Services to aboriginal children where intervention services are involved must be paid for by Child and Family Services, and reimbursements can occur later resulting in better services for the child in care.

2.Positive outcomes for children and families are necessary in improving services for children and families.

3.We agree that files are highly complex and we are in need of some sort of measurement that would address the workload. Where we disagree is on his comment: "he felt resources were adequate, but workers needed to do a better job of learning from each other on complicated files."

On the issue of learning from each other, AUPE Local 6 members has been asking for this employer to facilitate this for years. Talking to each other does not eliminate the complexity of the file or the workload. It does, however, give a team approach in addressing intervention concerns for the best possible outcome. On the issue of complex files and workload, the current measuring tool will take approximately 2 years to be implemented and we have nothing in the interim. On the systemic issue for Aboriginal people, what has not been addressed are the substantial lower salaries of the Designated First Nations front line staff. Premier Redford has indicated that she would like to equalize salaries of contracted agencies, but did not mention the need to raise the salaries of the First Nations Social Workers that does the same work as Provincial Intervention Workers. The treatment of these workers is also systemic.

Local 6 do not agree that resources in the front line have been adequate. In 2009/ 2010 year the government recruited 470 employees, but had 450 employees leave (Local 6 members, Children and Youth Services). We retained 20 employees. This year Mr. MacDonald indicated that we hired approximately 319 employees, and Human Resources indicated that we have 201 of those employees. This means 260 workers on the front line does not exist. We do not have the statistics for how many long term employees have left or retired for example. To add to this retention problem, we have concerns of 21% of employees being away from their worksite from April 1, 2011 to September 30, 2011 on general illness accounting for an average of 16 days per worker. This can be attributed to managing a high caseload and highly complex files that could potentially lead to greater stress and burnout.

In reference to the Public Accounts Committee, AUPE Local 6 members were struck by the fact that Steve MacDonald pointed out the number of service improvements that could in theory allow for more face to face contact with clients, but did not take the ownership as to who put in place the various work related structures that cause many of the problems in the first place. It is the Ministry that dictates how and what work is to be done, not the other way around!

In regards to forms, the record of information used to track the ongoing work in families, the Ministry replaced a 4 page document to one of 16 pages, with a manual on how to fill out a complicated series of "check boxes" that a growing array of professionals did not want to read. Depending on the complexity of files, these records could be as long as 50 pages. Frontline staff almost immediately pointed out the logistical and operational realities to get this task completed, not to mention the poor value to clients. Our membersí feedback was often met with comments like "Youíre just resistant to change." Some staff on those complicated files spent as much as 30 to 40 hours on each case. On a caseload that can range from 15 to 30 files, itís not hard to understand why the potential to save a life by returning calls and completing face to face time gets limited. On the issue of value for the client, much of the information recorded does not help get the client the best outcome, but is aimed at providing as much information for a legal defence should something happen. Realizing the barrier they were creating to client contact and meeting the needs of families, on October 1, 2011 the Ministry decided to use a 6 page record. It is premature to determine if this will be beneficial to front line workers and to the clients we serve. We remain optimistic.

If you are tempted to think that all of this is merely a human resource issue, consider that even the yearly corporate survey results that the Government of Alberta conducts every year seems to suggest a loss of capacity where only 44% of staff in Children and Youth Services have confidence in senior leadership. On the question ìinnovation is valued in your work,î only 49 % of surveyed staff agreed with this statement which is in decline for a third year in a row. One question that needs to be asked is how could staff be inspired to give their very best when only 38% agreed with the statement "The senior leadership of your ministry or department demonstrates interest in the well-being of employees." In case you were wondering, in 2008 only 50% of surveyed staff agreed with that statement.

It is imperative that the public support the recruitment and retention of new and former staff by addressing the distribution of highly complex files and a manageable workload. This would lead to better outcomes for children, and assist in the prevention of death and injuries to the most vulnerable of our population.

On behalf of Local 6 members,
Shamanthi Cooray
AUPE LOCAL 6, CHAIR

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Local 006 has a new Chair, Shamanthi Cooray, who replaced Maureen Braun, a longstanding and well known Local 006 Chair.

Shamanthi, also known as “Sam”, has been working for the Edmonton Region of Alberta Children and Youth Services since 2003.  Prior to  that she worked in Region 4 for 2 years as a Generalist.  She worked in the private not for profit sector for Catholic Social Services, McMan Youth Services,  Camrose Women’s shelter, in an outreach school  and helped pilot a project for high risk youth through the Boys and Girls Club of Canada.   Shamanthi recalls never having a problem advocating for herself and her colleagues.

Working in a private agency sector Shamanthi recalled times where she interacted with Local 6 members but could not understand why they could not do the best job possible from their end until she actually became a Local 6 member herself.  She saw first hand the barriers to best practice that Local 6 members face day in, and day out, but rarely tell others.

Shamanthi biggest impression of the Local 006 members was the “fear based system “Local 006 members seemed to work under.  Shamanthi recalled her earlier experiences and not giving into the fear.  She helped staff organize in one of her first child welfare postings advocating for reasonable workloads.  This resulted in the addition of five additional staff to deal with the overwhelming workload.  As Shamanthi put it “numbers have power.”

On the issue of advocacy in the workplace Shamanthi says “You cannot issue “gag orders” violating our Charter of Rights in a free and democratic society.”

Professionally Shamanthi was very successful.  She won the Heather Jacobs Memorial award in 2006, but six short months later had her delegation removed with no real explanation after she grieved a caseload reduction to prevent “burnout”.  Given her unfair treatment Shamanthi filed a complaint to Human Right’s Commission in 2008 for discrimination based on gender and race regarding aboriginal children in care.  She paid for a lawyer out of her pocket.

Shamanthi hopes to use her position as Local 6 Chair to affect stability for membership.  She wants to see members work in confidence, not fear, and to come together with one voice advocating for the most vulnerable.  Shamanthi wants to hold government to its own standards in the treatment of Local 006 members and make concrete gains in the area of workload, a pervasive issue in our Local.   She wants to help members understand the impact of privatization on our children and families.  The current outsourcing of government jobs to contracted agencies is under the guise of better outcomes for children.  However, it will certainly deplete tax dollars in terms of higher administrative costs.  Lower salaries to individual workers  certainly leads to poor retention of educated experienced staff and possibly place more children at risk.

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I'd like first to say "Thank You" to Local 006 Council and all members for their welcome, support, and the opportunity to become involved in this dynamic Local.

Chapter 24 used to be Local 10. The majority of local 10 members were tasked with the design and implementation of Care and Lifestyle plans for persons with multiple profound disabilities. Through attrition, and the re-tasking of Local 10 personal from providing direct care to administrative roles falling under other locals, our numbers shrank to less than 300 in recent years.

We have been fortunate to enter local 006. Our vocation differs from Child Care and Social workers, but I get the sense there is significant overlap in types of professional issues we face, and most especially the values we bring to our chosen vocations.

As Chairperson of chapter 24, I can say our members are looking forward to growing and learning with our Local 006 cousins.

In solidarity,

Cory Levesque

The AUPE Local 006 feels that the recommendations included some good ideas. Our comments are as follows:

1) Local 6 always advocated for a workload measuring tool that would take the complexity and high risk factors into consideration when assigning files.  It has been 20 + years and we still do not have one implemented.  Workloads remain very high.  

2) We also supported and advocated for "critical incident debriefing"  of our workers to prevent PTSD and vicarious traumatization.  This must be delivered within 72 hours of any critical incident.  We encourage the government to have one trained staff at each work-site.  This would reduce stress / medical leaves when properly delivered. 

3) The EAP program is dial a counselor and that is not a great method of providing counseling and support to our members.  

4) The way the review was conducted was more harmful to the team and disbanded a strong team.  In many of these reviews this occurs.  There needs to be a better way to conduct these reviews.

5) The panel recommended further learning and refreshers, yet the learning account was removed from the employees.  The assistance in enrolling in a gym, yoga or other stress reducing activity was also eliminated as a result of this cut.

6) We are forever working short and covering for others on leaves.  

7) Our members often lack resources and have to wait 2 weeks to 3 months for services.  

8) Other Ministries must understand FOIP and what legislation precedes what.   What it is intended to provide and not provide for information.  Our members often have difficulties obtaining information from AHS and its various departments.  

7) Advisory Committee meetings are not very productive and often very slow in addressing the concerns of our members.  

AUPE Local 6 would like to state that Risk to Children has to remain and be assessed within government by properly trained and qualified staff with manageable caseloads.  

Shamanthi Cooray
Local 6 Chair
www.Aupelocal006.ca

Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it. ~Marian Anderson

HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE AUPE LOCAL 6 WORKPLACE

Many members in Local 6 advocate for others, and develop their expertise over the period of their employment, but struggle at times advocate for themselves.There can be times where you may not be treated fairly at work, issues that you cannot resolve through informal discussions with your employer, and as such you should familiarize yourself with the various remedies available to you.To exercise them does not mean you are radical, or akin to breaking the law, you are actually using a legal process that is there for you.

Aside from the grievance procedure available to you under Article 29 of your collective agreementyou do have the ability to make a Human Rights complaint depending on your particular circumstances.Unfortunately many Local 6 members do not inform themselves on this potential remedy and could miss an opportunity to seek a resolution through this process, especially if all other options fail.

If you think you would be alone in making a Human Rights complaint, you’re not.AUPE Local 6 members have made complaints to the Human Rights Commission before.

Protected grounds under Alberta Human Rights Act include Race/ Colour / Ancestry/ Religious beliefs /Gender /Age /Physical disability /Mental Disability/Marital Status /Family status/ and Sexual Orientation. You would be surprised concerning the applicability of these protections, just read some of the commission’s decisions on their website and you will understand.

To help you learn more about Human Rights take a look at Lawyer, Donna Seale’s blog [Human Rights in the Workplace] her blog is high quality and has been a finalist in Canadian Law Blog Awards.Two articles to help you get started “Back to basics: where do workplace human rights come from?” and “Back to Basics Part 2: What human rights protections do employees have?”

The Alberta Human Right’s Commission is an excellent resourcehttp://www.albertahumanrights.ab.ca

Finally don’t hesitate to talk with your AUPE Membership Services Officer – Labour Relations, or your Local 6 Union Steward or Council representative to consult on any issues that you may have.

Disclaimer:Please note that this article is presented for informational purposes only and should not, in any way, be relied on as legal advice or opinion. Should legal advice or opinion be required the services of competent counsel should be retained. AUPE Local 6 make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, currency or adequacy of any information linked or referred to or contained on this article.

CTV Calgary- Private health clinic bankruptcy case continues - CTV News
http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100503/CGY_430_health_resource_centre_100503/20100503?hub=CalgaryHome

May 4 / 2010 - AB HEALTH SERVICES INJUNCTION
Judge orders injunction at request of AUPE on Solicitor General transfer of staff to AB Health Services.

See AUPE website for details.