Ongoing Fight for Adequate Staffing and Safe Workplaces
- Peggy Askin -
Rally at Calgary City Hall, November 17, 2019,
demands justice for Debbie Onwu who was killed
on the job in October 2019.
Care workers in Alberta have carried out a
protracted fight for safe working conditions, in
the face of the indifference of successive
governments. Since the early 2000s four women
care workers have suffered violent deaths in
their workplaces in Alberta. Most recently,
Debbie Onwu lost her life on October 25, 2019
while working in a group home for youth with
mental health problems operated by Wood's Homes.
After Debbie's tragic death, youth
care-workers, former youth-care workers, and
their union began organizing to demand justice
for Debbie and to prevent future tragedies. On
November 17 2019, friends, family, and
co-workers from CUPE Local 4731, together with
workers from other CUPE locals and unions
rallied at Calgary City Hall to demand justice
for Debbie Onwu. All the speakers and everyone
at the rally demanded that the government take
action to provide the needed supports for care
workers to ensure their safety in the workplace.
They also demanded appropriate facilities for
both youth and adults with complex care needs.
"Please do not ignore us. The abuse of staff
within various agencies needs to stop now
because our lives matter and we will no longer
tolerate the bullying and the abuse," said
Rebecca Opoku, a social worker and friend of
Onwu. Friends at the rally asked those in
attendance to reach out to their MLAs to bring
the issue to the surface. "Debbie doesn't have a
voice anymore, but we do," Opoku said. "It's not
OK for us to die in our line of work."
 Ivana Niblett,
United Steelworkers representative also
addressed the rally. "Our efforts today, in
solidarity and in Debbie Onwu's name, are to
increase safety standards and regulations for
all employees who may be potentially at risk,
especially those working with high risk
populations in a variety of roles," she said.
"No one should ever have to go to work and
wonder if they will arrive home safely to their
loved ones at the end of the day. Let's get
justice for Debbie!"
A spokesperson for CUPE Alberta explained that
part of the problem is the lack of support for
vulnerable youth who are in care. "In our
society, they don't want to focus on vulnerable
people and we don't want to focus on people who
need the most intensive kind of help," said Rory
Gill, the president of CUPE Alberta.
Debbie Onwu was working the night shift when
she died, and was alone with a severely mentally
disabled man who is charged with her murder. The
Canadian Union of Public Employees, who
represents the workers at Wood's Homes, reports
that the man was classified as requiring at
least a 2-1 ratio of care, had complex mental
health needs and a history of violence. At the
time of her death, her co-worker had been called
to another floor. Lou Arab, communications
representative for CUPE Alberta Division, told
media that the union had been raising concerns
about staffing levels and safety issues for
years. He said funding and the work environment
need improvements.
Debbie was the fourth woman care worker to be
killed while at work in Alberta since the early
2000's. Sharla Collier, a 20-year-old care
worker from Lethbridge, was sexually assaulted
and killed by a youth in her care in 2002.
Camrose care worker Valerie Wolski, 41, was
killed by a youth in her care in 2011. Another
Camrose care worker, Dianne McClements, 61, was
killed in 2012 by a youth in her care while
working in a home run by Camrose Community
Connections. In all these tragic deaths, like
Debbie Onwu, the women were alone when they were
killed.
Erin Northey, a former youth caseworker who
has launched a petition demanding action from
the province, said she knows first-hand the
dangers of working with vulnerable populations.
While working in a high-risk environment in
2016, she was assaulted by a client and suffered
a concussion, resulting in post-concussion
syndrome, anxiety and PTSD. She counts herself
lucky that she made it out with her life.
"It's time for change," said Northey. "We're
demanding action." The petition "Demanding
Action for Increased Safety of Individuals
Working in High Risk Environments" now has close
to 14,000 signatures. It can be found here.
Northey emphasizes front-line workers know what
changes are needed, and governments need to
listen to them. Everything from funding,
legislation and resources for employees
transitioning back into the sector should be
evaluated, she said.
It is unconscionable that care workers, social
workers and all the dedicated and skilled
workers in this challenging field are not
provided with the resources and safe working
conditions that they need to perform their work.
The workers and professionals in this field are
invaluable to society and vital to the healing
and well-being of those they care for. They know
what is needed and they have the right to
working conditions which they decide will
provide a safe environment so that they do not
face injury and death in their workplaces.
Nothing less is acceptable.
This article was published in
Number 3 - January 29, 2020
Article Link:
Ongoing Fight for Adequate Staffing And Safe Workplaces - Peggy Askin
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
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