Alberta Health Services (AHS) workers now on unpaid leave due to AHS’ vaccination policy are coming to Calgary with a display of staff shoes and boots representing those out of work..The Alberta Boot Project, spearheaded by Kate King, a 10-year primary care paramedic who was serving communities east of Edmonton, says she hopes the display brings awareness to the “human cost” of the AHS COVID-19 vaccine policy on medical workers..The display consists of more than 700 shoes and boots with posters and signs from frontline workers in the medical field who have been put on leave without pay for refusing to comply with the vaccination policy..King and volunteers set up the display for the group’s inaugural launch on Monday at the legislature building in Edmonton..“It went really well,” said King, who added she believed the extreme cold hampered attendance..King and volunteers will be in Calgary on Wednesday setting up the display of suspended AHS workers’ shoes at either City Hall or across the street at Olympic Plaza..“We are still working out the details for Wednesday,” King told the Western Standard..“We are hoping to raise as much awareness as possible so people can see we are real people who are suffering through this.”.AHS announced on August 31 all frontline workers, physicians, nurses and contracted staff working in AHS facilities would be required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 by October 31. That date was extended to November 30 to allow for more time to make sure “our workforce is as safe and robust as it can be,” said AHS President and CEO Dr. Verna Yiu in an October 22 address to the province..On November 29, one day before mandatory vaccinations were to be implemented for all staff, the deadline was again extended to December 13 on the recommendation of the Alberta government..The policy extension and update included the option for AHS to temporarily offer COVID-19 testing to allow for unvaccinated staff to continue to work at “sites considered at significant risk of service disruptions resulting from staffing shortages,” said a government release..“We fully support AHS’ immunization policy, and I appreciate the tens of thousands of health-care workers who have made the right choice to get vaccinated,” said Alberta’s Minister of Health Jason Copping in a statement..King was placed on unpaid leave by AHS on December 13 along with roughly 1,550 other unvaccinated full-time and part-time staff to date, according to the latest numbers from an AHS spokesperson..“Staff are able to return to work once proof of full immunization is provided,” confirmed the spokesperson..“These numbers will continue to fluctuate as those staff who do become fully immunized will no longer be on an unpaid leave.”.According to an earlier statement from AHS, casual staff account for about 29,000 employees. As of October 20, AHS confirmed: “about 74% of casual staff” had provided proof of immunization..AHS said they did not have any further information at this time on the number of casual AHS staff who have not returned to work due to the mandatory vaccination policy..King, along with a handful of supporters and volunteers, said she will bring the Alberta Boot Project display to other municipalities in the coming weeks including Red Deer on Thursday and Lethbridge, Grande Prairie, St. Paul, Bonnyville and Peace River after the Christmas break..Grievances have been filed against the implementation of AHS’ revised vaccine mandate policy by the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) on behalf of nurses who have been suspended without pay..The Western Standard contacted the UNA for an update on the grievances, but did not hear back in time for publishing..Melanie Risdon is a reporter with the Western Standard.,.mrisdon@westernstandardonline.com
