Layoffs loom as security goes private

Layoffs loom as security goes private
By Dan Hilborn, Burnaby Now assistant editor
Published June 25, 2003

The Fraser Health Authority is contracting out the security services for all 12 of the region's hospitals.

In a press release issued Monday morning, the health board said its decision to replace a mix of contract and in-house unionized security services with a single contract to Intercon Security Ltd. should save about $9.1 million over the next five years.

The move will result in the layoff of five managers, plus 56 full- time, 18 part-time and 40 casual guards who are currently members of the Hospital Employees Union. Non-union contract security staff at Mission, Chilliwack and Fraser Canyon hospitals will also be replaced.

And while the health board is highlighting the cost savings, the union is calling on the region to release details of the contract and to make assurances that quality of service will not suffer.

"In the interest of public safety, everyone needs to know what's in that contract," said Mike Olds, communications officer for the HEU. The union's biggest concerns include the fact that hospital staff will now no longer be able to give direct orders to on-site security guards and will instead have to issue instructions through a central dispatch.

And, because 70 per cent of the existing security managers will keep their jobs, the union is speculating that the new security service will be top-heavy and may face difficulties in terms of monitoring and enforcing the terms of the contract.

But Bob Smith, manager of shared services in the FHA, the department responsible for non-clinical support services such as security, food services and material management, said certain parts of the contract simply cannot be released due to business-client confidentiality.

"There's certain information which is proprietary, such as financial details and other specific confidential information," said Smith. (The chair and CEO of the FHA is also named Bob Smith, but they are not related.) "But we have provided a general overview and we've declared the total amount of the contract which is $16.6 million. Also, we have ensured that standards will be maintained or enhanced. We're satisfied there are provisions in the contract that will do that."

The union and managers have differing points of views on several aspects of the new contract - most notably on the protocol when an emergency occurs inside a hospital.

The union said that under the current system, hospital nursing staff can deal directly with the in-house security officers when a situation occurs, allowing for rapid and effective response. However, after the contract takes effect, hospital staff will no longer be able to give direct instructions to security guards, and will instead have to issue their request through a central dispatch number.

But Smith said that a central dispatch system is already in use. "We've looked at the systems, and we're satisfied they'll be able to respond as quickly as they do now, and in some cases quicker. For the nurses, the changes will be seamless. They will phone the same number and dispatch will be made."

Smith also discounted claims that the retention of most of the security managers is an indication of a top-heavy bureaucracy for the contracted security system. He said the management staff will have additional duties besides simply overseeing the line staff, such as disaster planning, fire and safety orientation for other FHA staff, and liaising with outside services such as fire departments. "It might look like that (top heavy) on the surface, but dig and little deeper and you'll see we've already made significant reductions," Smith said.

And Smith discounted union claims that the contract workers will receive lower wages, resulting in higher turnover and a lower quality of work. "the indication we have is that Intercon actually pays a little above the industry average," Smith said. "We're not anticipating higher turnover. The biggest concern is the fact that the HEU contract was such that these folks were being paid 30 per cent above market rate. There's only so much we can afford in health care, and we'd rather put it in to the patient care side.

""We will be staffing at at least the same levels, and in some instances above the current level. these are trained security guards and we're confident we'll be able to provide a good quality service."

The transition will occur in phases beginning this month and are expected to be complete by the end of September.