The union representing Department of Veterans Affairs employees says it will fight any efforts to increase the penalties against staffers who share confidential information about veterans.
Veterans Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn told CBC Radio One's Island Morning on Tuesday the current one-day suspension would be replaced with a 30-day suspension and possible termination.
The announcement followed a public tongue-lashing Blackburn gave employees after the department passed personal and sensitive medical information about veteran Sean Bruyea between various unauthorized employees and also sent the information to a hospital.
"It's the second time in the last month and a half that he [Blackburn] is blasting his own employees," said Yvan Thauvette, head of the Union of Veterans Affairs Employees.
"As a union representative, I would say that he will probably find us in his way because he cannot go from one-day suspension to 30-day suspension and losing your job."
Thauvette said all DVA employees are taking training on how to handle the private information of clients. He said politics is also paying a part on the increased spotlight on the DVA and its employees.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2010/11/10/pei-dva-employee-suspensions-union.html#ixzz14xJF4DbB
