VICTOR ELKINS - 1st VICE-PRESIDENT
Local: PHSA Amalgamated (B.C. Children’s Hospital)
Job: Perfusionist assistant
A 20-year activist, Victor has served on the P.E. since 2006. He has held several positions on his local executive and is currently the assistant secretary-treasurer.
Like many HEU members, Victor became active when he needed representation from a shop steward to deal with a grievance against him.
“The secretary-treasurer of my local got me a shop steward the next day. I was very impressed with the support I received from my steward – it made a real impact on me. The steward was protecting me, fighting for my rights, and clearing my name.”
After that, Victor started to attend meetings, “then my first HEU convention, and in 2006 the equity groups started. It all snowballed from there.”
LOUELLA VINCENT - 2nd VICE-PRESIDENT
Local: WHR Lower Mainland
Job: Community support worker
Louella has served three full terms on the Provincial Executive and has been active in the union for about 11 years. She is currently the chairperson of her local and has held many positions on her local executive.
Louella was working for WHR in the community social services sector prior to HEU becoming certified. “When my co-workers started to sign up for the union, I thought it was a good idea. I had seen how certain staff were given preferential treatment and that everyone wasn’t treated equally. It was a while before I became formally involved with the local – I had children – but people were coming to me for help on different issues so I decided to step up and run for the executive. I really wanted to improve conditions for myself and my co-workers.”
CAROLYN UNSWORTH - 3RD VICE-PRESIDENT
Local: Queen’s Park (Queen’s Park Care Centre)
Job: Acute care aide
An activist since 1982, Carolyn has served on the P.E. since 2006 and has held several positions on her local executive.
Carolyn moved to B.C. from the United Kingdom in her early 20s. She wasn’t long in her new job before she felt the need to speak up about the deplorable working conditions she witnessed.
“I got my wings early,” she says. “I came here as a new immigrant from England where I worked for the National Health Service. My first job in Canada was working in a private nursing home. The patients and staff were treated terribly. I couldn’t watch the way the employer treated them. I knew that unions were good for workers and working conditions, so I phoned HEU… and HEU stood by us and fought for us every step of the way.”