Champion of workers’ rights
Name: Teresita Dechavez
Occupation: Housekeeping aide, Aramark at Burnaby Hospital
Union: HEU
I love the difference of working in a union workplace,” says Teresita Dechavez. “The union has made a difference in my life. It has given me peace of mind and a better life! Without the union, my life and the lives of other immigrant people would be more stressful.”
Dechavez says the union has been a great help to her life. “I’m happier now,” she explains. “Though we members must continue to fight for our rights, being a union member has many advantages. The greatest comfort is having peace of mind from knowing the employer can’t fire you without a good reason.”
“And our benefits have been so helpful to me and my family. We have higher wages, wage increases, basic medical benefits, dental and extended health coverage, safe working conditions, paid holidays, paid sick days, job postings and most important – our voices are heard in the workplace.”
Dechavez immigrated to B.C. in 1997 with her husband, two sons and one daughter. She came with her family for a better life – a higher standard of living and more opportunities for her children. To ensure her family’s survival she held many jobs, including working with a construction company, preparing airline passenger meals in Delta, and answering phone lines at a call centre.
In 2009 Dechavez felt lucky to be hired as a housekeeping aide to clean at Burnaby Hospital by French outsourced services multi-national, Sodexo. Burnaby Hospital housekeepers had joined the Hospital Employees’ Union in June 2005 and Dechavez became an HEU member when she got her new Sodexo job.
Dechavez and her coworkers remained HEU members when the Fraser Health Authority changed cleaning contractors at Burnaby Hospital to US-based Aramark in 2010.
Dechavez is a fierce fighter. Chairperson and shop steward at her local for the past two years, she happily works on behalf of her union sisters and brothers in the battle to correct unacceptable employer practices. Dechavez has grown in courage and made her first impassioned speech to delegates at HEU’s last biennial convention in October 2010.
“The union has helped me and because of HEU, I understand why people become active and publicly protest,” says Dechavez.
Her children are now grown so Dechavez is able to spend most of her non-working hours in union activities. She also loves to attend courses that increase her knowledge as an activist.
“I want to continue to contribute,” Dechavez says.” I want to help people who are mistreated. I want to come and talk, to represent my coworkers in the fight against the employer when they violate the collective agreement. I want to work as long as possible and continue to help people who need my help!”