Katherine Hamilton is being unfairly treated by BCNU.
Soon after the 2019 proposed BCNU contract was released, a senior and well-respected nurse made a heated comment on her Facebook about it. She stated her opinion about certain aspects, that she wouldn't be voting Yes and aired her disappointment with the union contract. We do not believe that the statements "BCNU wants the right to RIP us out of our municipal pension plan" and "they are pushing this through quickly over the holidays are disparaging or defamatory.
She was then served legal papers within 6 hours, on a Saturday morning.
She then amended her to post to make it more professional, removing the part the union felt was inflammatory.
Omar and a union exec served her with Article 24 papers calling for her termination and payment of general damages, special damages, punitive damages and special costs to the BCNU for her "defamatory post".
She is not allowed to bring a lawyer to an Article 24 proceeding.
This is unacceptable of our union. The union needs to stop these punitive and damaging proceedings against this nurse. If the proceedings must continue according to due process, then Katherine should be exonerated. Why was she not spoken to by the executive instead of proceeding to such extreme measures? Others have received personal calls from Omar in regards to their opinions on Facebook.
We do NOT agree with our union dues being utilized to punish this nurse for her minor infractions. We look forward to our union correcting their wrong, and restoring the faith we had in our strong and proud union continuing to uphold their Values of Solidarity, Integrity, Democracy, Collectivity and Equality
