“Workers demand access to every avenue toward justice and reparations”: CUPE Ontario calls on the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario to maintain unionized employees’ access

Governmental, Racial Justice, Solidarity

TORONTO, ON – The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) needs to maintain the right of unionized employees to access the tribunal, says the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario. “Workers whose lives are impacted by systemic racism, ableism, homophobia, and all forms of oppression have always had the option of either filing a…

Who will staff new Vaughan long-term care beds?

COVID-19, Governmental, Health Care, Solidarity

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

COVID-19, Health Care, Solidarity

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%…

Injured workers are facing benefit cuts: CUPE Ontario says benefits should at least match cost of living increases

Governmental, Injured Workers, Solidarity

TORONTO, ON – The refusal on the part of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) to apply cost-of-living benefit increases as required by law for injured workers means devastating income reductions for already vulnerable Ontarians, says the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario. “Far too many injured workers are already on the economic…

Front-line workers deserve permanent wage increases, not more spin: CUPE Ontario calls Bill 106 a crass political ploy before an election

Governmental, Health Care, Social Services, Solidarity

TORONTO, ON – Don’t be fooled by the Ford Conservatives’ saying they’re increasing wages for personal support workers, says the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario. “Imagine the excitement that burnt out, underpaid, and incredibly vulnerable personal support workers in health care and developmental services felt when they saw headlines saying the Ford Conservatives…

As part of ongoing efforts to bargain better outcomes for patient care and hospital staff, health care unions launch television ads aimed at the OHA

Health Care, Solidarity

TORONTO, ON – Three unions negotiating with the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) to resolve the ongoing hospital staffing crisis, job safety concerns and pandemic-related mental health supports, today launched a province-wide television advertising blitz to fix the mess and save hospital care in Ontario. CUPE, SEIU Healthcare, and Unifor, representing 95,000 registered practical nurses, personal…

Ontario at the bottom of the pack for spending on services since 2011: CUPE Ontario

Governmental, Solidarity

TORONTO, ON – When Ontario should be making historic investments in our public services, reports show that it’s actually spent less per person than any other province in 2020, says the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario. “We were undeniably unprepared for this unprecedented health crisis because governments, culminating in the Ford Conservatives, failed…

Ontario child care advocates celebrate hard-won victory with signing Canada-Ontario child care agreement; call for stronger child care workforce strategy

Child Care, Social Services, Solidarity

Toronto, ON— Ontario child care advocates are celebrating the signing of the Canada-Ontario child care agreement, but are also warning that child care expansion will fail without addressing the sector’s plummeting staff retention and growing worker shortage. “Today is a huge step forward, but we must learn from the mistakes of our past and correct…