ALLEGATIONS PUBLICLY discrediting six HEU security officers who were discharged early from their last shift at Vancouver General Hospital have prompted the union to file a policy grievance charging the employer with failing to exercise its management rights in a fair and reasonable manner.
The grievance arises from a gap in security services that occurred during the transition from in-house security operations to contracted security on October 11. That disruption in service was then attributed to HEU members who were publicly accused of abandoning their duties and leaving the hospital without appropriate security.
“It is absolutely unacceptable that the employer would publicly dishonour these security officers for problems that resulted from management’s decision to send them home early,” says HEU secretary-business manager Chris Allnutt.
“They were professional to the end and deserve to have the record set straight for what is clearly an abuse of management rights,” he said.
According to the security officers, management had summoned them to the security office at 11pm to dismiss them before the contract guards arrived at midnight. Media were later told by a health authority spokesperson that the officers had walked off the job early.