CHRs tackle compensation

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Community Health Representatives (CHRs) attending the National Indian and Inuit Community Health Representatives Organization's (NIICHRO) annual general meeting in Ottawa June 12 to 14 got an update on wage parity, and heard about NIICHRO's work on issues affecting the CHR role and compensation.

The CHR program started in 1961 under the Department of National Health and Welfare, Medical Services Branch. Since 1978, First Nations have hired CHRs through contribution agreements. By 1984, more than 75 per cent of CHRs worked for First Nations' band councils or other agencies.

NIICHRO president Karen Kershane said in her opening remarks: "CHRs have been around for a long time. They brought in a lot of the programs the bands have now."

NIICHRO opened its doors in 1986, following the first national CHR conference. It launched a successful human rights complaint, based on the salary difference between CHRs working for the federal government and those working for First Nations. A settlement was awarded June 30, 2000, and the compensation office began its work Sept. 9, 2000.

Kershane expressed her appreciation for the work of the compensation office. Trustees for the CHR compensation settlement, NIICHRO executive director Margaret Horn, Tara Bjornson (Health Canada), and Scott Hamilton (Royal Trust), greeted delegates.

Natalie Beauvais and Debbie Dedam-Montour attended from the CHR compensation office, and Dedam-Montour delivered the report. She reviewed the criteria for awarding settlement: The applicant must have had the job title "Community Health Representative" and must have been employed by a First Nation community, tribal council or health centre. The period of employment must fall between Sept. 9, 1980 and June 30, 2000 and the settlement applies only to those employed outside the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Also, the salary paid to the CHR must have come from a contribution agreement between a First Nation and the Crown.

June 30, 2003 was the deadline for submitting an application for compensation from the CHR trust settlement. Many claims remain from November 2002, and many details still must be checked. Processing new applications will take several months, and applicants might not see payments until late fall 2003. CHRs may check the latest issue of the Compensation Newsletter on the NIICHRO Web site at http://www.niichro.com.

Velma LeBillois, NIICHRO vice-president, spoke about issues affecting CHRs, a big concern being the lack of protection for their salary base. Priority areas for NIICHRO lie in the development of national occupational standards, enhanced training, and formal recognition of CHRs as health professionals.