HSC reports sex assault, bomb threat as nurses vote on safety concern-driven measure

Winnipeg Free Press

4 days ago

As Health Sciences Centre nurses continued to vote on a measure encouraging colleagues to steer clear of the hospital because of safety concerns, the facility alerted staff about another sexual assault early Friday.
Manitoba Nurses Union voting on whether to 'grey list' the province's largest hospital is set to close at 4 p.m. Friday.
HSC officials sent a notice to staff at 11 a.m., reporting a sexual assault — the sixth in recent weeks — had occurred on the campus in the morning.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES
Manitoba Nurses Union voting on whether to 'grey list' the province's largest hospital is set to close at 4 p.m. Friday.
'HSC Security and the Winnipeg Police Service swiftly responded, with the WPS apprehending the individual and ensuring ongoing care for the survivor. There is no ongoing threat to HSC staff, visitors or patients,' reads the notice, obtained by the Free Press.
'We thank our security team and the WPS for their quick response and HSC staff for their care provided to the survivor.'
If the MNU measure passes, members at the hospital will formally urge their nursing colleagues not to accept jobs there until safety demands made to the employer are met.
It would not impact the jobs of the 3,000 members currently working at HSC.
Meanwhile, HSC officials also notified staff about a second security incident, involving a bomb threat, in a separate notice sent at 12:44 p.m. Thursday.
'An incident occurred involving a patient being transferred from Crisis Response Centre to the HSC Adult Emergency Department. The patient indicated they were in possession of an explosive device. Security and Winnipeg Police Service responded immediately. The patient was assessed and authorities confirmed there was no explosive device found on the person,' the notice read.
'There is no threat to the safety of staff, patients, or visitors.'
WPS Const. Pat Saydak confirmed police responded to the bomb threat, and it was quickly resolved without incident. Nobody was placed under arrest, and there was no evidence of a bomb, he said.
Saydak said he was still looking into the reported sexual assault and could not yet provide confirmation or details.
A union spokesperson said the two incidents highlight the safety risks nurses are forced to deal with.
'The failure to adequately address these issues — whether it's the lack of proper screening or the absence of crucial safety protocols like a Code Black announcement — makes it clear that the situation is not improving,' the spokesperson said in an email to the Free Press.
'Nurses are putting their lives on the line to care for Manitobans, and it's time the employer took concrete action to prioritize their safety.'
A Code Black refers to a bomb threat or similar security emergency.
The Manitoba Nurses Union criticized the hospital's response to the bomb threat in a social media post Friday, saying the HSC did not alert staff to the threat until after police resolved the incident.
'To our knowledge, the individual gained entry with their possessions, apparently unsearched or unscreened,' the union said. 'This is yet another example of an ineffective and insufficient safety protocol.'
The latest incidents come after several assault on women on or around the hospital grounds on July 2.
Police said a teenage girl was confronted by a man and assaulted in the area of Elgin Avenue and Sherbrook Street at about 7 p.m. that day. Later, an HSC staff member was assaulted walking near the hospital on Emily Street near McDermot Avenue.
Another staff member was assaulted while walking in the hospital tunnels, followed by a sexual assault report on the 600 block of Notre Dame Avenue, police said.
Police arrested a 28-year-old man the following day and charged him with five counts of sexual assault, one count of sexual interference, three counts of assault and one count of carrying a concealed weapon.
The union moved to grey list the hospital in the wake of the assaults.
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The union has resorted to using the measure only five times in its 45-year history. The most recent case was at Dauphin Regional Health Centre in 2007.
A union spokesperson said members voted in favour of grey listing at HSC in 2020 amid a number of unresolved grievances. The employer agreed to work on the issues, and the measure was not imposed.
The results of Friday's vote are expected to be available immediately after the voting window closes, a spokesperson said.
If nurses vote in favour, HSC would be asked to require swipe cards to access hospital tunnels, create an early alert system to warn staff members and patients about security incidents and ensure controlled entrances are staffed and maintained.
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Tyler SearleReporter
Tyler Searle is a multimedia producer who writes for the Free Press's city desk. A graduate of Red River College Polytechnic's creative communications program, he wrote for the Stonewall Teulon Tribune, Selkirk Record and Express Weekly News before joining the paper in 2022. Read more about Tyler.
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