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The PEI Union Of Public Sector Employees, UPSE, which represents 5,000 members across various public and private sectors, is sounding the alarm about privatization creeping into the public service, especially health services.
Karen Jackson, who is the president of UPSE and represents approximately 1,200 LPNs, said Health PEI hiring private RNs and LPNs is not a long-term solution.
“I just don’t think it is good value for money,” Ms Jackson said.
According to Health PEI 82 RNs and 24 LPNs from private companies will be working between January 1 and March 31 of this year, said Stephanie Kelly with Health PEI communications.
She said the health authority’s use of travel nurses since June of 2024 has been consistent, with a slightly higher use in July and August. Based on existing vacancies and anticipated service needs, they expect this current level of usage to continue.
Ms Jackson said hiring a private contractor is a breach of the collective agreement so they’ve filed a grievance and are waiting for the decision to assess how much damage was done.
“We became aware around November of 2022, that the province hired private LPNs,” Ms Jackson said.
It creates a lack of accountability, she said, noting private companies don’t need to answer the public, but the public deserve access to information, as the government is spending taxpayer money.
“I really think hiring private LPNs is a Band-Aid solution,” she added.
A lot of people after graduating look for a private job because the market wages for private LPNs are around $100 per hour, while the public sector LPNs make $31.59 per hour, she explained.
Over the past few years more than 200 full-time LPNs have changed their job status to part-time or casuals, she said.
Worker shortages are not only prevalent in PEI, but the entire country. So, instead of looking for a short-term solution, there needs to be investment in the public sector, she said.
Ms Jackson said the issue of privatization is also prevalent in other public sectors like social workers and other health sectors and is affecting the quality of public services.
UPSE has 16 different collective agreements. There are 3,150 members in civil services and 1,947 in various sectors of Health PEI.
There are currently 600 permanent, 308 part-time, and 292 casual LPNs working on the Island.
She said the “good news” is the union just ratified a new agreement where wages will increase every April and October, however, the wages will still be below the inflation line.
Ms Jackson along with Mary Boyd and Leo Broderick from PEI Health Coalition raised the same issue to the Standing Committee on Health and Social Development on February 12.
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