Do you have a story to tell about your experience with Eastern Health services?

Sickofit

- May 31, 2012 at 21:26:45

Many managers are a waste of money. Ask the employees for those type of stories.

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Darla

- May 31, 2012 at 13:27:26

Several years ago, some dimwit (albeit a dimwit with obvious clout) came up with the bright idea of amalgamating municipalities as well as amalgamating hospital administrative boards. This has been implemented all across Canada - to the detriment of everyone - that is everyone except for the highly!!! paid top dogs in these new mega bureaucracies. The larger an organization is, the more unwieldy and challenging it is to manage properly. The monkeys end up running the zoo.

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  bob

  - June 1, 2012 at 18:08:14

  Sorry long emails earlier, but my next question I would like someone to answer is what is the cost of a Franchise or using the name Tim's. For inquiring eyes only, the cost is significant. 1 million plus just to use the name Tim Horton's. So who decided to put not one but two Tim's at HSC. So before you even pour just one cup of Coffee OUR TAXPAYING MONEY IS ALREADY 2 MILLION PLUS IN THE HOLE. I believe top executives approved this.. Now punish the little guy.. And sickening listen to people on this state that breaks are long. Grow up. A handful of people may take longer breaks than others. So when I drive by the HSC at lunchtime and sit there I should see 1000's of workers taking 1 hour lunch breaks. Seeing everyone is doing it... Classless and ignorant comment.. You need to have your facts before you make a comment like that. Also, when you work a 12 hour shift you actually get a 45 minute break for lunch that you are not paid for, plus a lot of staff combine there breaks with approval from Management because of lineups at cafeterias. But no need to do that there all outside for an hour. Perception, same as the 28 dollar an hour.. Go look at Nape Website and look up what a worker makes at Tim's its general knowledge it's 17-19 an hour. But Kaminski put perception that they are paid this wage with her wording so the general public would get on her side. Her 400 plus thousand, plus bonus's ( which are not giving out to the little people ) is a good salary. You be the judge. Never judge a book by it's cover...

Agree with Bob

- May 31, 2012 at 08:46:07

Well said Bob. And don't forget that many can't even get their leave approved for Christmas holidays. Moral is low and sinking.

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Where did it start?

- May 31, 2012 at 08:12:52

This $28 an hour job was approved by someone there in the first place. That's an upper management decision. Can't see why they aren't cutting from the top. Those are the high paying jobs with people who can leave work on time and not affect services to the public. That's not like the front line worker that we always need more of. And @what a joke, not all employees are taking extra time for break. There are some who don't ever take their break. If you know of someone abusing break time then report it so the abusers are punished and not everyone is looked at as an abuser. As for unions, can you imagine how bad the employer would treat employees if there wasn't union to represent employees. Anyone know how many times a union was needed for this?

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Heard it

- May 31, 2012 at 07:46:26

Thanks Sam, not all employees are the same. Many work beyond their paid hours with no thanks. Then have to use their leave if they need a little extra time for anything personal. There's so much fear of the employer with tmany things such as people being flagged for sick leave after having a number of bouts having to get doctors notes. That also costs the system and the employee likely needs more time off to sit in the doctors office. If you need surgery or have a diagnosis then they'll be all over you. Why have sick leave if you don't allow people to use it? Not everyone abuses sick leave. There's the stress of a workplace that contributes to this.

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Open your eyes

- May 30, 2012 at 22:43:14

http://www.thewesternstar.com/Arts-Life/Health/2009-04-18/article-1480660/CEO-will-earn-over-$400,000/1 This is an article in a newspaper regarding the CEO's job with eastern Health and her salary. worth while reading this before you talk about how our tax paying dollars are being spent. With how much its costing Eastern Health to pay her they are not going to have saved $43 million when this is all done. Also don't any of you care about the patient care and how thats going to change. Their is a lot more to this then just Tim hortons, but all anyone seemed to hear was that the tim's employees get paid $28 hour! Open your eyes and see the big picture.

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Neil

- May 30, 2012 at 21:58:47

I cant understand people complaining about healthcare staff. They say we take long breaks and take advantage of sick leave. Sounds like you are jealous you didnt get hired. Bottom line is people will lose jobs and these people have families and bills to pay. So why People are on this and other forums leaving comments saying it looks good on us then shame on you. Get a life.

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Sam

- May 30, 2012 at 19:29:09

@WHAT A JOKE You shouldn't tar all the health care workers with the same brush. I know some that work well beyond the time they're supposed to get off each evening and do not get paid one red cent! Every place has bad apples but that doesn't mean there are not good ones among them!

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  What a Joke

  - May 31, 2012 at 06:55:25

  Sam, go to the Health Science and have a seat and watch or go down stairs on the first floor there sign outr time is 4 pm see how many you see there @ 3:30 waiting to sign out , you wiill be amazed I know I work there and it is hard when you are doing your job and see them leave long before there scheduled break, don,t get me wrong I am not tarring all just go sit and watch the housekeeping dept.

Paul

- May 30, 2012 at 17:40:25

It's still $28.00 per hr no matter how you try to spin it!

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Stressed Worker

- May 30, 2012 at 17:23:29

If Tim Hortons at the hospital was losing money why did they put a second one out next to the main entrance?What Ms.Vikki didn't say was how much money did they make last year.Also if the health care is so over budget why did they put BRAND NEW FLAT SCREEN TVS costing $1500.00 a pop all over the hospitals,and recently they implemented a new bed cleaning system suppling all cleaning staff who work on the patient care floors new pagers that cost aprox.$350. each.The goverment and the ceo didn't spend the money wisely so now the money has to be paid back at the expense and the backs of the hard working staff.I would like to know how much money does Ms.Vikki make a year?How come she didn't take a pay cut I bet she could cut her pay in half and still live high on the hog.

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Hello

- May 30, 2012 at 16:53:16

Maybe its time we start paying for our healthcare like the rest of the country!!! We have no right to complain if we do not pay for it.. Just sayin!! I know of people who work at the hospital and if they were anywhere else they would be long fired for abusing sicktime, etc... I think they need to start letting these abusers go and hire someone who actually wants to work!!!

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skipper

- May 30, 2012 at 16:39:01

It has always been my experience on the island in any form of govt. jobs to many unqualified relatives and friends getting the best positions.Therefore the right job is not been done.

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McCadden

- May 30, 2012 at 15:44:42

No wonder sick leave is high when so many staff are unhappy with how they are being treated. Granted, there definitely IS abuse of sick leave, especially at Central Laundry (Pleasantville). Their Employee Assistance Program is a farce. It is not run by an independent body - as are most industrial EAPs. When staff phone EAP and meet with a nurse or counsellor to discuss anything from marital problems which affect their work to personal illness issues, the EAP consultant is on the staff of Eastern Health!! I've heard of many many examples of the EAP consultant reporting everything the employee said - in what the employee thought was a privileged conversation - right back to the employee's Supervisor. That is NOT a proper Employee Assistance Program. No one trusts it. They know that if they turn to EAP to discuss their personal issues everything said will be reported verbatim back to their Supervisor. REAL EAP services help to reduce sick leave and obtain the proper help for staff on a CONFIDENTIAL basis. The HR Department leader at Eastern Health is out to lunch. No wonder morale is so poor. The work environment is hostile - YOU ARE BEING WATCHED!

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what a joke

- May 30, 2012 at 15:22:21

Sit down at the hospital and watch the workers 15min break and 1/2 hour break what a joke more like 30-45min and 1hr lunch and leave there shift 1/2 hour before shift ends. there are more places to hide in the hospital then Terra Nova Park

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  Sam

  - May 30, 2012 at 19:05:51

  @WHAT A JOKE You shouldn't tar all the health care workers with the same brush. I know some that work well beyond the time they're supposed to get off each evening and do not get paid one red cent! Every place has bad apples but that doesn't mean there are not good ones among them!

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  LPN

  - May 30, 2012 at 23:14:22

  We do get a 45 minute unpaid break. I am making a little over $23 per hour. I only use sick leave when I am really sick. I am a temporary employee so I can't have summer holidays. My take home pay in a previous position was comparable to what I am bringing home now even though I am making more an hour. I work hard and am on my feet all day. If I can sit down for over 30 minutes I will. There are days I may not get a break at all. In spite of this, I love my job.

bob

- May 30, 2012 at 12:21:55

Yes pretty good wages, but not much more than minimum wage. If you factor in all the benefits that have to come out of your pay. Union dues, Pension, Medical and so on. We lose roughly 35% of what we make. Take home pay for a full-time worker works out to be 450 a week. Not a lot when you have put 20 years into a company with no chance of advancement, unless you do a private course. They don't do any in house training or schooling for workers to advance up the ladder as they say. Don't matter if you have 30 years punched in or 10 both workers make the same amount of money. No bonus's to staff only a couple of years ago reinstated a turkey dinner for staff. They don't give there employees anything else for Christmas. Stopped giving years of service awards a few years back , like pins for 20 years service. ( and they wonder why moral is so low ) It's cut cut and more cuts. I could go on and on. Lastly, casuals they get laid off after every shift and have to wait for a phone call every morning , actually all day , they could receive a call anytime to have to come to work , with no summer holidays or peak season time. Also, if they refuse a shift loose all there seniority and no compensation for being on call. So much more I could say but don't want to go on and on.. As for wage not a lot of money for things if your a single parent, you can't rent a house for less than 1000 a month and with only taking home 1800 a month with phone, cable, lights and more than likely a car. This wage does not seem to inviting now does it. Also, considering our contract is up and a 10 year wage freeze a while back so working for Healthcare is a blast..

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  Tony

  - May 30, 2012 at 12:51:48

  Cry me a river. Everyone has deductions from their cheque, it pays taxes and people like you who work in the public sector. Not much better than minimum wage? Ha! Try living on minumum wage, $400 for 40 hours work with the same deductions and same costs as you. Not nearly $1800 a month. Sometimes places like HSC have to hire casual employees because with unions sucking so much money out of the budget and so many people taking sick leave etc. they have no choice but to hire them. BTW when you're hired you're told you're casual and it's up to you take the job or not. These people are fully aware of how it works right from the start. As for training to move up the ladder...that would be my taxpayers money paying to move you up the ladder. Here's an idea...go back to school and stop blaming everything on everybody else. HSC owes you nothing, you work, you get paid that's the deal. It's not a cradle to grave type situation. If you don't like it leave. Yes, HSC has a moral problem and it's people like you who feel entitled. This is a government run facility, funded with taxpayers money and if you feel like you're getting screwed over etc. then leave....simple. Make the job available to someone who appreciates it.

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  bob

  - May 30, 2012 at 16:05:53

  Wow, to cry me a river. The Perception put out yesterday was that they make 28.00 dollars an hour. Yes taxpayers money pay for gov't jobs but they also pay for people on welfare. So don't dry wolf. I was only showing that after deductions it's not a great living. But you were missing the whole point of my statement I was comparing the wage to 28 dollars and the perception that was put out there yesterday by CEO. Also, if offered job advancement and educational training to staff members, wouldn't our society be better off. Especially, when your training front line workers. Your workplace would be better off with higher education. No job is a bed of roses, I'm sure everyone has something they don't like about there job. But for moral purposes or the chance to grow in a company, I feel it would give employees more incentive to work harder if they know there's a chance of advancement . This goes for any company, everyone wants to make more money and move up the ladder in any job you do. Maybe, some people can't afford to move out of there job. Your being quite critical too. A lot of people have the perception that Healthcare workers are making a great living and that was what was put out there yesterday with the anoucement that tim's staff get paid 28 an hour. And in my note did I even mention I work for healthcare, because I don't. Just trying to state what it's like there. As, for casuals there not told that this is the way it is. I am a former worker I'm wondering how do u know what they have been told.. I have lived the dream. I feel for people making minimum wage but to say these workers are making 28 dollars an hour, and the people having the perception that our taxpaying money is paying that amount to someone pouring coffee, is sad and wrong by a top executive. The purpose of the note I wrote was that these workers are far from making that kind of money. As, noted I did say they do make a good dollar, but I'm sure none of them are running off to Vegas on the weekend on there salary. If it came across as Negative post, It wasn't meant to be all negative . There are good things in Healthcare, people you meet, people you help. But there are risks there too, It's a reason why it's called Healthcare, because people who come through the doors are usually sick so puts all workers at Risk, even Tim's workers. Exposure is higher for Healthcare workers and I think they should be payed a hell of lot more than there getting. And I know all jobs have risk factors. So you can cry me a river, flood it if you like, I feel for these workers. Bottom line is there's 500 jobs being cut, with false statements of 28 dollars an hour. with cost of living at a all time high. As, for trying to live on Minimum wage, quit it and go work for healthcare, Sometimes easier said than done. Lastly, as for taxpayers paying more money to have workers move up the ladder, come on. Would you rather a plumber help do your surgery or a nurse.. Maybe, this is good taxpayer money, that would be well spent in my opinion. Also, much better to receive surgery or treatment from someone who is happy to go to work, than someone who is not so happy, My opinion..We could debate both sides of this for ever I'm sure but statistic show when workers are happy, work gets done more efficient and effective if your happy..

saelcove

- May 30, 2012 at 10:30:46

28 dollars an hour to pour coffee o what a feeling this can not be true

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  Kerri

  - May 30, 2012 at 11:28:46

  Its not true, As far as I am aware Food Service Workers which is the title of those who work at Tims and the cafeterias in the hospitals get between $17-19/hr. Not sure where the $28/hr story came from......still pretty good wages compared to those who work at Tims for the min wage.

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  Vickki Loves the Public

  - May 30, 2012 at 14:15:13

  28 bucks an hour includes costs to the employer and benefits. Vicki knew this but still stated 28 bucks an hour to the media... WHY? Because she knew that the public would react this way... OUTRAGED!!! I slap your back Vicki... Well played... And everyone is reacting exactly the way the puppet masters of this province want you to. Trust me folks... they are smarter than any of you!!!!