$1 million payout for vacationing hospital boss but no paid sick days for staff facing COVID “profoundly unfair and disrespectful”

Health Care

TORONTO, ON – By not announcing paid sick days for all hospital, long-term care and other essential workers, Ontario’s Premier missed a key opportunity this week to tell “this important workforce – who are at greater risk of COVID-19 infection – that the province has their back for the increased risk they face,” says Michael…

With COVID outbreaks in Hamilton surging, hospital unions urge Ford government to immediately vaccinate at local care homes

Health Care

HAMILTON, ON – With a flurry of new COVID-19 outbreaks in Hamilton hospitals, long-term care, and retirement homes this weekend – bringing the total to 36 outbreaks locally – today area hospital union leaders urged the province to include the region as a vaccination priority area. All residents, health care workers and essential caregivers at…

“Long overdue improvements,” but Ontario government moving in the right direction to increased resident care and staffing: CUPE Ontario

Health Care

TORONTO, ON – A long-awaited plan for staffing in long-term care released today by the Ontario government squarely recognizes that front-line care staff are a vital “pillar” to improve resident well-being, says the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario. “These are long overdue improvements. While we do not have the full details, what was…

Revera report ignores complicity of for-profit long-term care owners and operators in conditions that led to hundreds of residents’ deaths

Health Care

TORONTO, ON – In what can only be described as wilful omission – Revera’s carefully constructed new report – glaringly overlooks how their own for-profit model of ownership contributed to the sad and in some cases deadly outcomes for hundreds of long-term residents in the COVID-19 pandemic. “This report underlines the lack of distance between…

The Neighbourhood Group and CUPE Local 7797 launch campaign for permanent wage increase for PSWs

Health Care, Social Services

TORONTO, ON – The Neighbourhood Group and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 7797 are launching a new, collaborative campaign to advocate for a permanent wage increase for personal support workers (PSWs) in home and community care. The campaign titled “PSWs Deserve More Than Our Thanks” outlines the harsh realities of poor wages,…

With Ontario health care staff COVID-19 infections rising, study finds they worked under distress, feeling “sacrificed” and violated

Health Care

LONDON, ON – Working unprotected and facing psychological distress over fears of contracting COVID-19 nurses, personal support workers (PSWs), custodians and other Ontario front-line health care workers felt they were being “sacrificed” by governments, according to a new peer-reviewed study released today in London. As noted in the recent Auditor General report, the Ontario government…

With Ontario health care staff COVID-19 infections rising, study finds they worked under distress, feeling “sacrificed” and violated

Health Care

SUDBURY, ON – Working unprotected and facing psychological distress over fears of contracting COVID-19 nurses, personal support workers (PSWs), custodians and other Ontario front-line health care workers felt they were being “sacrificed” by governments, according to a new peer-reviewed study released today in Sudbury. As noted in the recent Auditor General report, the Ontario government…

Academic study released today in Thunder Bay finds Ontario health care staff worked under psychological distress in pandemic, feeling “sacrificed” and violated

Health Care

THUNDER BAY, ON – Working unprotected and facing psychological distress over fears of contracting COVID-19 nurses, personal support workers (PSWs), custodians and other Ontario front-line health care workers felt they were being “sacrificed” by governments, according to a new peer-reviewed study released today in Thunder Bay. As noted in last week’s Auditor General report, the…