Union supports volunteer spirit
Name: Maria Castro
Job Title: Health Care Worker
Union: BCGEU
Maria Castro has been a BCGEU member since 2006 and she works as a health care worker at a healthcare facility in Kelowna. It wasn’t until the union protected her on two different occasions that Maria realized the value of having a union. Now she is volunteering with the union to become more involved.
“It is important to me to have a union at my workplace,” said Maria. “With the BCGEU, I have job security, I have no fears to go to work because I know that the union will stand with me. They are my advocate that I can depend on.”
Maria loves working in health care. “I love the work, and I love to take care of the residents,” she said.
“With the union, I don’t have to be so stressed out, because I know that I am protected. I am happy to go to work, and am no longer scared or afraid, because I know my rights.”
“I have to be treated with dignity and respect. My Employer has to treat everyone the same with the union. If there is a question about our work, they have to hear both sides of the story and do a proper investigation. And ourunion members get to have someone in their corner, a shop steward, who makes sure that the process is fair.”
Maria is grateful to have the protection of the BCGEU at her workplace, andencourages all health care workers to gain the same protection by joining the union. “No one should be scared to go to work,” says Maria.
When you belong to the BCGEU, you are not alone when it comes to facing management and addressing issues at your workplace. You have the collective strength of experienced staff, resources and 65,000 members behind you.
As BCGEU members, you and your co-workers will be able to negotiate (with the assistance of skilled negotiators) wages and benefits, processes to resolvegrievances and harassment complaints, rules around promotions and job postings, and many other provisions.
Having a collective agreement with your employer means your rights as an employee, working conditions and compensation are spelled out clearly and are enforceable.