“The resilient flame of resistance shines on”: CUPE Ontario’s statement for the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

It’s been said so many times it’s become cliché: the pandemic exposed the deep inequities running through our communities from the local to the global. But unlike other clichés, this well-worn phrase must be recognized as an important truth, deserving attention and urgent action. Nineteen months into this crisis, and after multiple waves of this…

Image shows the inside of Sunnyside, a long-term care home, with bright green walls and a large wooden sign that says "Life is Beautiful." A few of the home's residents are in the photo's background.

Ontario LTCs brought in entry-level assistants during the pandemic. Will they play a role in nursing homes’ future?

As nursing homes prepare for the end of pandemic emergency orders, operators want a permanent role for new, low-paid workers. But advocates like CUPE Ontario’s Candace Rennick question the use of inexperienced staff with vulnerable residents, saying it is a “very sad policy choice.” Called “resident support assistants,” the entry-level job was approved by a…