Karen argued that healthcare privatization is too expensive and is not a good deal for taxpayers. UPSE recently obtained a report from Health PEI on the number of private travel LPNs. The report from the Employer reflected 52 travel LPN contracts. Respecting that contracts are protected from FOIPP, the high benchmark for travel LPN is approximately $100/hour which can include travel, accommodations and daily per diems. At the time of this meeting, a bargaining unit UPSE LPN makes $31.59/hr. Travel LPNs are being paid three times more than public/UPSE LPNs. That is an approximate discrepancy of $60/hour.
Based on a week’s work … the travel LPN will make $2,250 more per week, $9,000 more per month, and $117,000 more per year. As President of UPSE, it is hard for me to justify the use of travel LPNs making these exorbitant wages while completing the same duties as my members. This is not affordable nor is it sustainable. Further, using private nurses is a clear violation of our collective agreement.
Karen met with some of her Allied members, specifically social workers, on December 19, 2024. The concern was regarding remuneration. Social workers can make $130 per hour in the private sector by billing the province, which is approximately $80 more per hour than social workers receive working in the public sector. As a result, many social workers are leaving the public sector. The province needs to increase the public sector pay to reasonable levels to maintain its staffing complement.
Another significant area of privatization is Homecare services. In 2022, UPSE was approached by the Employer regarding a pilot project for providing self-managed care. The pilot was 1 service in each county. The Employer did not advise the union of the pilot’s success, concerns, expansion, or elimination. It was reported to the Union that the program has had expedited growth, ballooning to approximately 150 families, spending over 5 million and all monies provided to private entities. UPSE is not opposed to enhancing homecare services, but the union is opposed to the privatization of this service. The Employer should enhance the public service where there is more accountability, transparency, and a qualified documented level of care. In a review of the reported spending (over $5,000,000) for this program, the Employer could have created 100 permanent or temporary full-time public positions to enhance homecare services for island residents.
Any further privatization of healthcare must stop now. It’s too costly for taxpayers and it hurts recruitment and retention in the public healthcare system. This money needs to be invested back into public sector members who are the backbone of the healthcare system.