Who will staff new Vaughan long-term care beds?

VAUGHAN, ON – A severe, provincewide staffing shortage will prevent many of the Ford government’s promised new long-term care beds, including those announced today in Vaughan, from opening, according to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the province’s largest healthcare union. “Minister Calandra can make all the announcements he wants, but if there’s no…

North Bay hospital must answer for low morale, cutting positions, huge overtime costs, record grievances

NORTH BAY, ON – With Ontario hospitals dealing with record staffing shortages and now a pandemic sixth COVID-19 wave, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is raising serious concerns about North Bay Regional Health Centre’s (NBRHC) conflictual and costly approach to staffing stability and labour relations. In 2022 alone the hospital has cut 4%…

Big support for nurses, ward clerks and other hospital staff, Toronto/GTA poll shows. So why, just weeks from an election, are the Ford PCs offside in their treatment of hospital workers?

TORONTO, ON – Hospital staff are feeling demoralized, battle fatigued and burnt out following more than two years of pandemic-related workloads. But a new poll released today, shows that even though most hospital nurses, clerical staff, cleaners, paramedical and maintenance staff feel the Doug Ford PC government has turned its back on them by cutting…

Child care workers reach agreement with KDSB to continue vital services in Sioux Lookout

Sioux Lookout, ON—Families in Sioux Lookout can be assured that child care services will continue in the region after the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the Kenora District Services Board (KDSB) pen a deal to ensure Biidaaban and Sioux Mountain Public School Children’s Centres avert closure. “Families, workers, and the broader community of…

On World Water Day, CUPE commits to end water injustice in Indigenous communities and to fight privatization of water and wastewater services

Safe, reliable water and wastewater services are a human right and the heart of healthy communities. But these rights are denied to many Indigenous communities in Canada. Water services and resources are also under growing pressure to privatize. The COVID-19 pandemic has spotlighted just how important clean water is to our health and safety. Clean water…

Ford government nurses’ retention pay missteps and PSW wage increases mishandling compound discontent among health sector’s front-lines asking for Bill 124 to be scrapped

PETERBOROUGH, ON – The Doug Ford government’s mishandling of PSW wage increases and nursing pay issues while suppressing the right to bargain wages was the focus of a protest at the office of MPP Dave Smith, today by Peterborough and Lindsay area front-line hospital and long-term care staff. There is consensus across health care’s front-line…

ECEs call for a provincial child care workforce strategy, including a $25 minimum wage, to address Ontario’s growing child care worker shortage

Toronto, ON—More than 1,500 Early Childhood Educators (ECEs), child care workers, and supporters have signed an online letter calling on federal and provincial governments to ensure that the Ontario child care agreement includes a wage grid and strategy to address the province’s growing child care workforce crisis. Ontario has until March 31st to sign onto…