Some parents may get direct payments from the Ontario government yet again this year. The payments, which were previously not included in the 2022 budget, were first mentioned in the government’s throne speech on Tuesday afternoon. Speaking in the legislature, Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell said that when the budget is re-introduced, it will include an additional…
Hamilton hospital staff have seen a rise in violence against them since the pandemic started, according to a new poll conducted for the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). The poll of more than 2,300 CUPE members in Ontario — 506 of which were in Hamilton — included registered practical nurses, personal support workers, health…
After running on a platform that presented their party as labour friendly, there has yet to be an official announcement that the Progressive Conservatives will extend the Worker Income Protection Benefit Program. The program, which legislates three paid sick days for workers who miss work for reasons related to COVID-19, will expire on July 31.…
“Let’s be real, it’s predominantly female workers who’ve had wages capped by Bill 124 while predominantly male workers, like police officers and firefighters, were exempted,” said Lisa Barker, a registered practical nurse and union member. “Those of us who are nurses, nutritionists, personal support workers and development service workers like Frederica, save lives and provide…
Ontario’s three paid sick days are set to expire on July 31, unless the Ford government again changes its mind. Premier Doug Ford’s labour minister, Monte McNaughton, didn’t respond to questions about the program on Wednesday, including whether it would continue. Toronto pediatrician Dr. Daniel Bierstone noted that the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t over yet. Even…
Worker protections have “absolutely without question, taken a step back” under Ford’s leadership, CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn told PressProgress. “Not only are they systematically negatively impacting and trying to trample on the rights of workers, but then they try to convince people that they’re doing the opposite,” Hahn said. “So we have double the…
Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford is proclaiming himself the right pick for working class Ontarians, sometimes even assembling hard hat-wearing workers behind him at media events. It’s a novelty story that’s getting some attention. Working class Ontarians deserve media attention. Front-line workers kept Ontario going. Then they got walloped with job loss, wage cuts, COVID-19…
Privatization of home care is a hot-button topic as Ontario moves toward the June 2nd election. Premier Doug Ford’s government has bandied the idea about wanting to bring back a competitive bidding model that started the “systematic privatization” of home care in 1996 under Mike Harris’ leadership. Under the privatization model, for-profit Home and Community…
Unionized health care workers in Sudbury shouted and hollered their disapproval of Doug Ford’s government and Bill 124 at a public rally near Health Sciences North on Tuesday. The event was organized by OCHU (Ontario Council of Hospital Unions) and CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees) and was attended by several Health Sciences North employees…
Nurses and hospital staff in Sudbury who are upset with limits put in place on salary increases held a rally Tuesday afternoon in front of Health Sciences North. Nurses at Health Sciences North joined other health care workers and union leaders to voice their concerns about Bill 124, which was introduced by the Ford government…
