Politicians often compare household and government budgets. For one, they tell us they’re both about balancing income against spending. But there’s an important difference between them. For a household in crisis, cutting spending and saving money is usually a key response. But for a government which represents many people and communities with different challenges, the…
TORONTO, ON – Ontario’s Long-Term COVID-19 Commission released an interim report today, calling on the government to implement a minimum daily care standard of four hours of hands-on care per resident. “We thank the commission for their work and for recognizing the need to institute a staffing standard,” said Candace Rennick, CUPE Ontario’s Secretary-Treasurer. “Residents…
Over the course of this pandemic, we’ve seen that people who were already facing systemic barriers are the ones facing the greatest impacts now. Racialized communities, the LGBTQ2S+ community, and others marginalized by a foundationally unequal system have faced the brunt of COVID-19. And so it’s deeply concerning that, rather than extending more robust supports for all Ontarians, the Ford…
TORONTO – Members of CUPE Local 1281 are launching a social media campaign today, to highlight cuts to student services made by the Ryerson Student Union (RSU), and to urge the restoration of those services. Since May, the RSU has reduced funding support for campus groups, made cuts at the campus print shop, eliminated online…
TORONTO – Today the Chief Medical Officer of Health issued Directive #5, which provides clear guidance that N-95 or superior protection masks, face shields and other equipment are to be provided to health care staff working on the front line in long-term care facilities or hospitals dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks, among other improvements. “The updated…
(Toronto, ON) —The Throne Speech promises criminal charges for those who neglect seniors, but receding federal funding is a major driver of the understaffing and neglect in long-term care facilities, reports the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario and the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU)/CUPE. “We call for the federal government to be…
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…
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…
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…
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…
