Page 28 - OOHNA Spring-Summer 2017
P. 28
Practice n Working with Unions – Benefits, Challenges and Tips for the OHN
Ten Tips for Working with Unions the authors would like to thank
the following contributors: Sandra
1. View the union as “a culture”, like any other, and get to know it. Bearzot, oNa, Jo-anne Bassett,
Educate yourself about the history, structure, leaders, numbers Hydro one, rochelle Fowler,
and representation. Know who you should communicate with ocSB, clara o’reilly, Eorla, Kim
and about what. Monette, cuPE 4000. thank you
to Sylvia Boyce uSW and terri
2. Establish your credibility – be honest and transparent. commu- aversa, oPSEu for reviewing the
nicate often. manuscript. We respect some con-
tributors request for anonymity.
3. Show respect for union leadership. they have been endorsed
by the membership and are important to addressing health and Acronyms
safety concerns as well as program planning aimed at improving
health. Make sure official requests go through elected leadership. ONA – ontario Nurses association
CUPE – canadian union of Public
4. Educate the union, as well as management, about your role as Employees
oHN and who you are.
USW – united Steelworkers
5. Be visible. Get to know the union membership and create OCSB – ottawa catholic School
opportunities for them to know you. listen. Board
6. Share information with the union – e.g. policies, environmental EORLA – Eastern ontario region-
monitoring, medical surveillance, results of health and safety al laboratory association
investigations, incident and outcome data. OPSEU – ontario Public Service
7. Know the collective bargaining agreement at your workplace. Employees union
respect it. Patricia Phillips, rN BScN coHN(c) is
an occupational Health Nurse with the
8. Engage the union at every opportunity, e.g., in investigations, inter - occupational Health clinics for ontario
pretation of trends, program development, and educational events. Workers, toronto clinic. She has over 15
years’ experience working in occupational
9. don’t be put off by the adversarial stance of unions – it’s not Health. Email: pphillips@ohcow.on.ca
necessarily a reflection on you. understand that unions have Tracey Feener-Snow, rN coHN(c) is
competing priorities – oH&S, bargaining, organizing. an occupational Health Nurse with the
occupational Health clinics for ontario
Workers (oHcoW), ottawa clinic. She
10. Maintain your principles and standards of practice which
has been working in the field of occu-
include but are not limited to worker advocate and responsibil- pational health for nine years. Email:
ity to protect privacy and confidentiality. tfeenersnow@ohcow.on.ca
Michelle Tew, rN BScN doHS coHN(c)
Adapted from Baker et al (2000) is an occupational Health Nurse with the
occupational Health clinics for ontario
Workers, Hamilton clinic. She has over 24
in the statements from union and
policy and development, and years’ experience in occupational Health.
“inter-professional” collaboration oHNs. a few comments identified Email: mtew@ohcow.on.ca
(rogers, 2003). the mechanisms a need for an improved, and in
some cases a mended, relation-
employed by workplaces and References
nurses to achieve and maintain a ship. in all instances, comments amick, B., Hogg-Johnson, S., latour-
healthy workforce depend a great reflected a desire to either continue Villamil, d., Saunders, r. (2015).
deal on “inter-professional” col- existing beneficial relationships or Protecting construction Worker
laboration, whether that be with to improve relationships that were Health and Safety in ontario, canada:
ability specialists, managers, union challenging. as with all relation- identifying a union Safety Effect.
members or union officials, all very ships, the oHN-union relationship JoEM 57(12) 1337-42.
important members of the occupa- needs to be developed, main- Baker, r., Szudy, B., Guerriero, J. (2000).
tional health team. the oHN-union tained, never taken for granted and “Working with labor unions.” aaoHN
relationship was sincerely valued continuously built upon. Journal 48 (12) 563-70.
26 OOHNA JOURNAL n spRiNg/sUmmeR 2017
Ten Tips for Working with Unions the authors would like to thank
the following contributors: Sandra
1. View the union as “a culture”, like any other, and get to know it. Bearzot, oNa, Jo-anne Bassett,
Educate yourself about the history, structure, leaders, numbers Hydro one, rochelle Fowler,
and representation. Know who you should communicate with ocSB, clara o’reilly, Eorla, Kim
and about what. Monette, cuPE 4000. thank you
to Sylvia Boyce uSW and terri
2. Establish your credibility – be honest and transparent. commu- aversa, oPSEu for reviewing the
nicate often. manuscript. We respect some con-
tributors request for anonymity.
3. Show respect for union leadership. they have been endorsed
by the membership and are important to addressing health and Acronyms
safety concerns as well as program planning aimed at improving
health. Make sure official requests go through elected leadership. ONA – ontario Nurses association
CUPE – canadian union of Public
4. Educate the union, as well as management, about your role as Employees
oHN and who you are.
USW – united Steelworkers
5. Be visible. Get to know the union membership and create OCSB – ottawa catholic School
opportunities for them to know you. listen. Board
6. Share information with the union – e.g. policies, environmental EORLA – Eastern ontario region-
monitoring, medical surveillance, results of health and safety al laboratory association
investigations, incident and outcome data. OPSEU – ontario Public Service
7. Know the collective bargaining agreement at your workplace. Employees union
respect it. Patricia Phillips, rN BScN coHN(c) is
an occupational Health Nurse with the
8. Engage the union at every opportunity, e.g., in investigations, inter - occupational Health clinics for ontario
pretation of trends, program development, and educational events. Workers, toronto clinic. She has over 15
years’ experience working in occupational
9. don’t be put off by the adversarial stance of unions – it’s not Health. Email: pphillips@ohcow.on.ca
necessarily a reflection on you. understand that unions have Tracey Feener-Snow, rN coHN(c) is
competing priorities – oH&S, bargaining, organizing. an occupational Health Nurse with the
occupational Health clinics for ontario
Workers (oHcoW), ottawa clinic. She
10. Maintain your principles and standards of practice which
has been working in the field of occu-
include but are not limited to worker advocate and responsibil- pational health for nine years. Email:
ity to protect privacy and confidentiality. tfeenersnow@ohcow.on.ca
Michelle Tew, rN BScN doHS coHN(c)
Adapted from Baker et al (2000) is an occupational Health Nurse with the
occupational Health clinics for ontario
Workers, Hamilton clinic. She has over 24
in the statements from union and
policy and development, and years’ experience in occupational Health.
“inter-professional” collaboration oHNs. a few comments identified Email: mtew@ohcow.on.ca
(rogers, 2003). the mechanisms a need for an improved, and in
some cases a mended, relation-
employed by workplaces and References
nurses to achieve and maintain a ship. in all instances, comments amick, B., Hogg-Johnson, S., latour-
healthy workforce depend a great reflected a desire to either continue Villamil, d., Saunders, r. (2015).
deal on “inter-professional” col- existing beneficial relationships or Protecting construction Worker
laboration, whether that be with to improve relationships that were Health and Safety in ontario, canada:
ability specialists, managers, union challenging. as with all relation- identifying a union Safety Effect.
members or union officials, all very ships, the oHN-union relationship JoEM 57(12) 1337-42.
important members of the occupa- needs to be developed, main- Baker, r., Szudy, B., Guerriero, J. (2000).
tional health team. the oHN-union tained, never taken for granted and “Working with labor unions.” aaoHN
relationship was sincerely valued continuously built upon. Journal 48 (12) 563-70.
26 OOHNA JOURNAL n spRiNg/sUmmeR 2017
