‘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
Hamas says latest ceasefire talks have ended. Israel vows military operation in 'very near future'
The latest round of Gaza cease-fire talks ended in Cairo after "in-depth and serious discussions,"{ the Hamas militant group said Sunday, reiterating key demands that Israel again rejected.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
B.C. man wants homes for thousands of books he soon won't be able to read
In the 10 years since John William started to lose his vision, he's been finding new ways to enjoy his vast personal library.
‘Love has no boundaries’: Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
Trudeau 'absolutely' best person to lead the Liberals in next election: LeBlanc insists
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc insists he's not planning a leadership campaign to head the Liberal party, should current leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resign, seemingly quashing rumours he's planning to make a move for his boss' job.
Bombarded with spam texts? Stats show the problem is getting worse in Canada
In particular, messages that involve phishing — an attack where a scammer tries to trick the recipient into clicking a malicious link, downloading malware or sharing sensitive information — are on the rise.
One dead after potential wrong way crash on Highway 401 in Milton: OPP
One person is dead and another is in life-threatening condition after a driver was travelling in the wrong direction on Highway 401 in Milton Sunday, according to police.
opinion You don't need to be an influencer to earn income from social media
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
William Shatner says he would consider 'Star Trek' return: 'Here comes Captain Kirk!'
The Montreal-born actor, famed for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in "Star Trek," says he is open to reprising the iconic role in the sci-fi franchise as long as the storytelling is stellar.