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NSGEU members dishing up nutritious and delicious meals at CDHA

“Every employee that is here takes a lot of pride in the work that they do and they feel very proud that they are providing the service they do to the public, families of patients, and also patients that come down here." – Raymond Theriault, NSGEU Local President.

Halifax (20 March 2013) – When you think of support services workers, restaurant service workers are likely not the first to come to your mind. But at the Capital District Health Authority (CDHA), these workers are an integral part of the service community in hospital ensuring all vistors and staff enjoy healthy meals. Especially after the CDHA implemented its Healthy Eating Strategy at its facilities.

The workers who serve up and prepare meals are members of the Nova Scotia Government & General Employees Union (NSGEU/NUPGE). They provide between 5,500 and 6,500 wholesome meals each and every day. The new strategy includes more fresh fruits and veggies, lower fat items, and less salt, and yes – even the removal of deep fryers, French fries, gravy and donuts from the menus.

Almost everything served in CDHA cafeterias is homemade and made on-site, from scratch. Kelly Swinimer, a Journeyman Cook, has worked for Capital Health for more than 23 years. She cites the pension, job security and decent rate of pay as just a few of the factors that made the job appealing. It’s pretty clear from watching her interact with customers that she loves her job.

In the kitchen, whole seasoned chickens spin slowly on a rotisserie as Steve Huntley, another Journeyman Cook, stirs a vat of one of two daily homemade soup offerings.

Huntley makes soups, entrees and chilis, and decorates cakes for Capital Health’s on-site catering service, as well. He has worked for Capital Health for 19 years, and says that the best part of his job is “… at the end of the day when you’ve accomplished something. You’ve got everything done that you set out to do and you’re part of a team; it just feels good at the end of the day. It doesn’t happen always,” he adds with a smile.

Huntley’s low-sodium soup offerings are nestled right next to Campbell’s Soup varieties, but there’s really no competition – his fresh, from-scratch offerings, like Senegalese (a spicy sweet potato soup seasoned with cumin, curry, apples and raisins) have proven to be overwhelmingly popular with patrons.

Unfortunately, not all patrons are aware that their meals are prepared fresh, on-site.

“I’ve been sitting at a table and I can hear people talking about the butter chicken: ‘Oh, that comes in a bag,’” Steve said. He quickly corrects them.

Local President of the support services bargaining unit at CDHA, Raymond Theriault, is the baker at the Victoria General site. He fills racks with freshly baked loaves of wholegrain bread, pans of wholegrain cinnamon buns, cookies and scones, three varieties of tea biscuits, and multigrain dinner rolls. These treats are then packaged up (complete with nutritional information) and sold at CDHA cafeteria sites.

Theriault practically beams as he walks through his work area, showing off the 100-year-old bread oven and describing the effort that goes into preparing meals for hospital staff, patients and families.

“Every employee that is here takes a lot of pride in the work that they do and they feel very proud that they are providing the service they do to the public, families of patients, and also patients that come down here.” he said.

NUPGE

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE