Negotiations for 27,000 hospital staff break down following Ontario hospitals’ refusal to address workplace violence

TORONTO, ON — Contract negotiations between the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) abruptly broke down today following the hospitals’ refusal to address the issue of workplace violence. Although other sectors have seen decreases in workplace violence, incidents in health care are rising in Ontario. Nearly half of direct…

Patients deserve freshly cooked, nutritious food to heal… so why is Toronto’s St. Joe’s going to factory-made TV dinners? Media conference Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.

  TORONTO, ON – Fresh, local, nutritious food is what’s best for convalescing patients. But St. Joseph’s Health Centre intends to close its in-house kitchens and buy plated, microwavable “TV dinner”-style food from a factory operation somewhere outside of Toronto.   “It’s the wrong decision,” says Anne Piper, a Registered Practical Nurse at St. Joseph’s Health…

Hamilton’s Hospitals Have Passed the Tipping Point: Urgent campaign launched to stop $27-million in cuts

Hamilton – Hamilton’s hospitals are already beyond their tipping point and another massive set of cuts is “reckless and irresponsible”, reported advocates today in a press conference. The Ontario Health Coalition joined leaders from the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions/CUPE to warn the public about the newest cuts which amount to $27 million. In September,…

Hamilton hospitals need influx of provincial dollars, not more budget cuts: Health coalition, CUPE media conference Tuesday (August 8) 10:00 a.m.

Hamilton, ON – Battered by years of provincial funding and care cuts and showing the obvious signs of system distress from overcapacity and not enough staff and ambulances, Hamilton hospitals announced recently that more services will be shed to balance budgets. $20 million will be cut from Hamilton Health Sciences’ (HHS) budget and may mean…

Below par provincial funding for Kingston’s merged hospital “is cause for alarm”; media conference tomorrow at 11 a.m.

KINGSTON, ON — A below par provincial funding allocation for the newly merged Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC), “is cause for alarm at a time of significant change,” says Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 1974 president Mike Rodrigues. A general 3.1 per cent increase in hospital funding was proposed in the 2017 provincial budget…

Almonte area long-term care staff hold rally tomorrow: “Too many tragic stories for province not to take urgent action on care levels”

ALMONTE, ON – Too many tragic stories about care quality and resident safety in long-term care homes, “should prompt the provincial government to urgent action to make a daily 4-hour resident care standard the law in Ontario,” say Almonte area direct care staff holding a rally tomorrow (Tuesday, August 1, 2017) – 11 a.m. to…

Ottawa area long-term care staff hold noon rally tomorrow: “Too many tragic stories for province not to take urgent action on care levels”

OTTAWA, ON — Too many tragic stories about care quality and resident safety in long-term care homes, “should prompt the provincial government to urgent action to make a daily 4-hour resident care standard the law in Ontario,” say area direct care staff holding a noon rally tomorrow (Thursday, July 27, 2017) at the Perley and…

Hamilton area long-term care staff hold noon rally tomorrow “Too many tragic stories for province not to take urgent action on care levels”

HAMILTON, ON – Too many tragic stories about care quality and resident safety in long-term care homes, “should prompt the provincial government to urgent action to make a daily 4-hour resident care standard the law in Ontario,” say area direct care staff holding a noon rally tomorrow (Tuesday, July 25, 2017) at St. Joseph’s Villa…