Challenging authority alone – or together
So you met with your manager to talk about work overload – and you didn’t get anywhere. What’s next? It’s time to mobilize.
Solidarity between colleagues is the key to creating a power dynamic that will make your employer pay attention when workload is a problem on your team.
Different avenues for action
There are many ways for your work team to take action with the support of your local union team:
- meet to get the commitment of all team members;
- take your breaks (2 x 15 minutes);
- report overtime;
- invoke your professional judgement when an action or a decision is imposed on you that’s contrary to your values or that could create work overload for you;
- build an argument based on the quality of care and services for service users;
- distance yourself from organizational dysfunction (waiting lists, management and ministerial targets...);
- know your code of ethics (if applicable);
- send a message calling out the problem of work overload (using buttons, posters, stickers, electronic signatures, etc.).
Don’t hesitate to contact your local representatives to develop a joint plan and put it into action.
Cooperation and determination
It’s a matter of impact and strategy: whatever you do should be done in cooperation with your local union team. They can support your work team’s mobilization by taking union actions that involve other channels of communication with decision makers.
Taken together, all of these actions will achieve the desired results. Another important ingredient: maintaining solidarity among colleagues even when it takes a while to achieve gains. Determination and patience are necessary in this type of effort, as experience shows.
Ripple effect
A work team that makes gains is a role model that encourages other teams to engage in similar efforts in order to deal with problems that might seem insurmountable to them. This is how, little by little, change happens.
This is also how we give others the hope and strength to mobilize. The ripple effect we create can lead to collective action. And that is still the best antidote to work overload in the health and social services system, where the problem is unfortunately rampant.