a* Photo by Allen Lundgren Williams Lake Local 1-425 represents home care workers Retired woodworker George Ken- nedy, was taken completely by sur- prise when he found out that the home care worker who helps him out was an IWA member. “Well, I didn’t know that,” said the 78 year old retiree who lives at 100 Mile House in the South Cariboo coun- try of B.C. Once a week, Dianne, a home care support worker with the South Cari- boo Home Support Services stops in to help out with some laundry, clean- ing and other housework which makes a big difference for Mr. Kennedy. Along with other homemakers in the South Cariboo, Dianne is a proud member of IWA - CANADA Local 1-425 who, along with 32 other workers, enjoys the benefits of union negoti- ated wages and working conditions. Local 1-425 also represents 36 full time and auxiliary workers at Central Cariboo Home Support in the Wil- liams Lake and surrounding areas. In April of 1987 the union first got involved in organizing the workers at 100 Mile House because the home support workers had little say at the time. “We felt that the IWA in 100 Mile House had more clout than other unions in the area,” says Jeneane Cec- carelli, secretary-bookkeeper for the home care workers and long term care aids. Brenda Barber, union chairperson at Williams Lake said workers went tothe IWA because “it is good to have a union that’s right here.” “The union provides us with good value for our dues,” says Sister Bar- ber. “Whenever there’s a problem we just contact them to see what can be lone.” The bulk of the activity for both home care support agencies are clients who require long term care through the provincial Ministry of Health. Both agencies also receive contracts from other sources such as the Minis- try of Social Services or the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia. “The union has worked well for workers in the home care field,” says Sister Barber. “Things have been alot better with the IWA,” says Barber. “Before, we never had any say. They (the employ- er) would just say do this and we'd have no choice. At least now we have rules to go by.” Home care workers in both Wil- liams Lake, 100 Mile House and their surrounding areas work under the same pattern of collective agreements. Full time workers who receive med- ical, dental, extended health and life insurance benefits are those who work more than 20 hours per week. The wage rate in the contracts, which expire in March of 1992, is at an $8.25 hour base, up to a $10.75 hour maximum which is the top in that line of work. Under long term care, many senior citizens require a person to go into their home to help with household chores that they are unable to do themselves. This can include cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping and per- sonal care. In some cases a “live-in” long term aid is required. A five month training course is required for such work. In many instances it is more practical and economic to help clients at home rather than in an institutionalized setting. itivis: ant Safety Director and long-time Union shallenge with WCB. © Retired woodworker George Kennedy utilizes services of home care worker Dianne, a member of Local 1-425. The part time employees who work less than 20 hours a week can often work at three or four homes in an 8 hour day or more. Mileage allowances are paid by the employer to compen- sate for travel to out of the way places. Today’s home care workers have it better under a union contract but there are still some issues to be dealt with including seniority rights and shift scheduling. Where part time auxiliary workers qualify for full time status under the contract, they must undergo a 3 month probationary period which al- lows the employer an appropriate period to assess the workers’ ability and allows the employee a chance to decide whether full time work fits his/her needs. As Mr. Kennedy says, having a home care worker drop by once a week is a “pretty good deal.” Home care worker Dianne says the IWA is a strong union in the Cariboo which is a bonus for the membership. Sister Cecarrelli says that the wag- es, benefits, and working conditions negotiated by Local 1-425 are the best in the business and can only get bet- ter. In the fall of ’89 Loggers’ Local 1-71 organized a group of home care work- ers on the north coast of B.C. National Organizer, Rick MacRae who brought in the crew of home care workers, says they desperately needed representation. “The women were delighted that the loggers in a union as big as the IWA would care to represent them. When you look at how they were falling behind other workers, the trade © At the home care office in 100-Mile House is secretary-bookkeeper and Union member Jeneane Ceccarelli. union movement couldn’t them.” Both union locals have to negotiate agreements with the Vancouver based Continuing Care Employee Relations of B.C., a no nonsense bargainer for the provincial government. ignore Verna Ledger takes on job as WCB appeals commissioner It wasn’t very long after former National Health and Safety Director, Verna Ledger retired, that B.C.’s new W.C.B. Chief Appeals Commissioner, Connie Munro spoke to Sister Ledger about trying out a new position at the Board. After thinking it over, Sister Led- ger figured it was worth a try and now she sits as one of 18 new Appeals Commissioners appointed under the WC.B.’s new appeal structure (see Article page 11). Sister Ledger and her new colleag- ues will be looking at a backlog of over 1,900 appeals that have been collecting dust, some for several years. Tn addition new appeals will be com- ing in and, under new legislation, . hopefully begin seeing more of Verna, - decisions will have to be made within 90 days. Sister Ledey was hired on in early May and underwent a training period before officially taking her new posi- tion in early June. “T thought this job was going to be more restrictive than it act is,” says Ledger. “The new job has more diversity than I expected.” Chief Appeals Commissioner Mun- ro, according to Sister Ledger has told both labour and management “to keep in touch with our constituencies.” So IWA-CANADA members wil} at Health and Safety Conferences.and. Conventions in the future. td