Over 500 Atira housing workers succeed in bid to unionize | CBC ...

Workers at the province's largest provider of B.C. Housing-funded supportive housing have been certified to unionize.

About 500 workers at the Atira Womens Resource Society got the green light to join the BCGEU after a brief hearing at the Labour Relations Board Monday afternoon.

The union, in a statement, said the successful union drive covers 35 worksites and "a significant majority of workers" signed cards to join.

Under B.C. law, the board can automatically certify a union if 55 per cent of its employees sign valid cards. 

Atira worker Kadidja Youssouf said employees are "super excited."

"I know a lot of workers are feeling relief and joy and excitement for what the future holds. Especially now that we are able to have a voice at the table, have collective power and be the change at our workplace that we want to see."

Atira workers have previously highlighted poor working conditions — including working alone, the physical condition of the buildings they work in and their mental health  — as motivating the union drive. 

They have also complained that management has not listened or responded appropriately to their concerns.

"We found that alone we weren't being heard, but together we had more power to make change," Youssouf said. "And because of that, it kind of led us to decide that unionizing was the next step."

CBC has emailed Atira for a response to those allegations and the union certification and will update this story once one is provided.

Front-line workers at other housing providers like Raincity and Lookout are also represented by the BCGEU.

Union president Stephanie Smith says short-staffing and high turnover are ongoing problems at Atira. She adds pay is not standardized across worksites. She believes getting all workers under one collective agreement will help those problems.

"The workers themselves really expressed that they want to see things fixed so that the services that they are providing are top quality," Smith said. "It makes a real difference in the lives of the people who are accessing the services of Atira."

The union wants the Atira workers to join the agreement covering supportive housing workers under the Health Employers Association of British Columbia (HEABC), as Atira is mostly government funded. Smith says while the Atira workers are members of the union, getting them placed within the specific agreement could take a few months.

Atira has been embroiled in controversy in recent weeks after a scathing report found oversight and conflict of interest issues at B.C. Housing over its dealings with the non-profit, leading to the resignation of Atira CEO Janice Abbot. The former CEOs of both organizations are married to each other.