To save lives, federal and provincial governments must order GM to make N95 masks says coalition

TORONTO, ON – The Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU)/Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, and Green Jobs Oshawa have issued a statement in response to both federal and Ontario governments’ media release that 3M will make N95 masks in Brockville, Ontario. Production is not slated to begin until…

As campus COVID cases climb, Ford Conservatives need to stop pointing fingers and start protecting Ontarians

Toronto, ON– With COVID-19 cases spiking on multiple Ontario post-secondary campuses, Premier Doug Ford’s Conservative government needs to move past deflecting blame for its own failures and focus on keeping Ontarians safe, the Chair of CUPE Ontario’s University Workers’ Coordinating Committee (OUWCC) warned today. “Time and again, in recent days, we are seeing the Ford…

Ramin Karimloo, London West End & Broadway star, hosts special Facebook concert to end for-profit senior care

TORONTO, ON – On Wednesday, September 30 at 7:00 p.m., Peterborough and Richmond Hill-raised Ramin Karimloo, London West End and Broadway star, will hold a special Facebook concert session in support of the Care Not Profits (carenotprofits.ca) advocacy campaign. The concert, happening at facebook.com/officialraminkarimloo, is part of the campaign to urge government to end for-profit…

Ontario Must Address Long-Term Care Staffing Crisis As Cases Surge: Unions

Candace Rennick, secretary-treasurer of Canadian Union of Public Employees Ontario, noted there is currently a private member’s bill in the Ontario legislature that would increase the hours of care a resident receives each day to four — also a recommendation from the province’s staffing study. “If the government is serious about staffing in this province, they could…

Problems in Ontario long-term care homes need fixing now, PSWs and unions tell province

Personal support workers and their unions are calling on the province to fix problems in long-term care homes now before an expected resurgence of COVID-19 cases this fall. Representatives of CUPE Ontario, SEIU Healthcare and Unifor said on Monday that the homes need adequate funding, increases in staffing to ensure there are “realistic” ratios of workers to residents,…

‘Start acting and stop chatting so much:’ Unions tell Ford to take action to protect long-term care homes ahead of second wave

“Clearly we have learned nothing from the first wave of this virus and residents and staff are again at risk of losing their lives,” CUPE Ontario Secretary-Treasurer Candace Rennick said during the news conference. “It is unconscionable and completely unacceptable. We cannot stand by and allow one more avoidable death or illness. Today we need…

“This is Premier Ford’s second chance to take action in long-term care”: SEIU Healthcare, CUPE Ontario, and Unifor continue to ring the alarm bells

TORONTO – Unions representing health care workers across Ontario held a press conference urging immediate action to end the crisis in long-term care. CUPE Ontario, SEIU Healthcare, and Unifor, unions which collectively represent more than 70,000 long-term care workers, are condemning the inaction of the Government of Ontario and are raising concerns about the significant…

SEIU Healthcare, CUPE Ontario, and Unifor hold media conference to continue the call for immediate action in long-term care

TORONTO, ON – SEIU Healthcare, CUPE Ontario, and Unifor, unions that represent health care workers across long-term care, are urging immediate action to end the crisis in the sector. The unions are highlighting their joint “Care Not Profits” advocacy campaign, which calls on Premier Ford to end for-profit senior care; worsening conditions of employment for front-line…