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Give fired nurse her job back, union demands

Nurse was fired for speaking out about workplace violence.

A provincial union is demanding that the North Bay Regional Hospital immediately reinstate a nurse that was fired for what it says was "speaking on a panel about patient violence against nurses."

Sue McIntyre was on a panel discussing the issue at a registered practical nurse conference in Kingston.

The Ontario Council of Hospital Unions President president Michael Hurley says health care staff must be free to speak up about the widespread extent of this problem and its devastating impact. 

"You have a lot of frustration from family members and patients as they cue up in emergency, as they wait in ICU, or patients in psychiatry. These are the places most likely to experience violence.

"We are seeing a significant increase in attacks on health care staff and nurses. These attacks are very serious ones --- nurses being beaten into a coma with a lead pipe in Cornwall is just an example. Most of the assaults that happen here are less deadly, but a nurse punched three times in the head against a wall and given a concussion, that's routine, that happens often.

"This is a problem we should be talking about. It's not acceptable. It shouldn't be acceptable that I could punch a police person in the head. That wouldn't be allowed. But if I was to walk into the hospital and punch a nurse, nothing might happen to me. In fact the nurse might be told that it's just a condition of employment, something that she should accept. That culture has got to change."

Hurley says the union will be calling on the Ontario government to deal with North Bay's staffing problem and look at legislation that would provide nurses with greater protection and make it a criminal offense to strike or assault a nurse.

OCHU north-eastern Ontario vice-president Sharon Richer says when North Bay nurse Sue McIntyre spoke out about violence, she was "brought in Friday and terminated her position for speaking up about what she felt was violence in her own hospital".

"We're calling on the CEO to reinstate her immediately. This is definitely a reprisal. They are sending a clear message to the staff there that if they speak up and tell the public what is actually going on in this hospital, they too will feel there is some reprisal, possibly losing their job like our RPN did."

"North Bay Regional Hospital has fired this nurse," explained Hurley, "and we will do everything, and it won't just be CUPE or the labour movement. It will be many people in the community who believe in free speech, who believe we shouldn't repress discussion about serious social problems, that we should speak up about them and believe it's important to have that public discussion about subjects like this so they can be dealt with and people don't continue to be hurt."

The union has filed a grievance over the dismissal.

"You should also know that we put her on the (union) payroll as of Monday, she's working on the violence campaign. This hospital is not going to hurt her economically, and she'll be on the payroll until such time as she ges her job back." 

Paul Heinrich, the hospital's president and chief executive officer says he stands by his decision.

"There are many avenues available to staff to communicate regarding concerns they have about safety in the workforce."

Meanwhile, a rally is planned for the fired nurse next Thursday at MPP Vic Fedeli's office.

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Jeff Turl

About the Author: Jeff Turl

Jeff is a veteran of the news biz. He's spent a lengthy career in TV, radio, print and online, covering both news and sports. He enjoys free time riding motorcycles and spoiling grandchildren.
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