Waterloo-Wellington hospitals spent $31.9 million on for-profit staffing agencies in 2022-23, marking a 288 per cent increase over 10 years

Health Care, Municipal

Private staffing agencies drained $9.2 billion from public hospitals over 10-year period. Kitchener, ON – A new research report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives recommends Ontario make significant increases in hospital funding while phasing out costly for-profit staffing agencies and making investments in preventative health care. The report Hollowed Out: Ontario public hospitals…

CUPE Ontario and OMW join AMO’s, municipalities’ calls to deal with human and financial costs of Ontario’s homelessness crisis

Municipal

TORONTO – In response to the report “Municipalities under pressure: The human and financial cost of Ontario’s homelessness crisis,” released by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, CUPE Ontario and its Ontario Municipal Workers committee (OMW) issued the following statement: With both a federal and provincial election in the offing, CUPE Ontario and OMW recognize…

Peel Transition Act: “A solution no one wants from a government that won’t deliver what we need”

Municipal, Solidarity

PEEL REGION – CUPE Ontario has criticized the Ford Conservatives for interfering in municipalities’ business through the recently introduced Peel Transition Implementation Act. The bill downloads some services currently handled by Peel Region to the municipalities of Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon, while doing nothing – still – to meet residents’ housing and other needs. “Premier…

Frustrated by nearly two years of bargaining, workers at Kinark Child and Family Services vote to authorize strike

Municipal, Social Services, Solidarity

PETERBOROUGH, ON – For years, young people languishing on waitlists have known that all is not right at Kinark Child and Family Services; workers, too, have felt the burden of growing caseloads and shrinking resources. Now, with a resounding strike vote, everyone who cares about the well-being of children and families in Peterborough and Northumberland…

Will Western students find picket lines when they arrive on campus?

Municipal, Solidarity, University

LONDON, ON – Western University students may find picket lines on move-in day, after negotiations between the institution and its caretaking, landscape services and trades workers were unable to reach an agreement. Following a frustrating day of negotiations aided by a ministry-appointed conciliation officer, the workers, represented by CUPE Local 2361, filed for a “no…