‘It’s already affecting the front lines’: new AHS hiring policy drawing criticism
Health workers and their unions are criticizing what they’re referring to as an Alberta Health Services (AHS) hiring freeze, saying it’ll further damage an already-dysfunctional system of care.
AHS announced Thursday that a “funding shortfall “is pushing in a new staffing policy.
Until at least the end of the first quarter of 2024, recruitment of management and non-union, non-clinical support positions has been paused. Any exceptions must be run through the AHS CEO.
And postings for clinically-focused or clinical support positions now require the approval of a senior operating manager or senior program manager.
The pause applies to AHS, Alberta Precision Labs, Carewest and Capital Care.
“It’s almost as if they’re trying to destroy the system,” United Nurses of Alberta’s David Harrigan said. “(This) is going to lead to more burnouts and staff leaving.“
In a news conference on Thursday afternoon, AHS CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos defended the move, promising it won’t impact the front lines.
Critics and health care workers were quick to refute her claim.
“We just filed a grievance 20 minutes ago over somebody who already had an interview, and they hadn’t heard back, so we contacted the employer, and said ‘who is the successful candidate?’” Harrigan said. “Their answer was, ‘because of this new policy, we’re not filling in that position.’
“So it’s already affecting the front lines.”
The union argues filling those open vacancies would lower skyrocketing overtime, and ultimately save AHS some money. They believe the opposite will happen under the new policy.
MYSTERIOUS SHORTFALL
As of now, the public isn’t being told how much money AHS is trying to save, or why the province isn’t stepping in to financially help.
In fact, it’s unclear if AHS has even asked.
“The optics aren’t great because we haven’t seen a clear, revealed plan,” Athabasca University political scientist Mark Crawford said. “Given the overall finances of the province, it seems a bit chaotic and not well planned out.”
CTV News reached out to the province and AHS for additional details Friday.
Neither were able to provide any clarity.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.