(TORONTO, ON) Today, April 24, the Federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry announced that the government signed a letter of intent with General Motors to reopen the Oshawa assembly plant in order to produce a million masks a month for essential workers, something CUPE Ontario has advocated and organized for. “Our local community is…
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CUPE Ontario Secretary-Treasurer Candace Rennick said many of the conditions contributing to the spread of COVID-19 in long-term care and nursing homes existed long before the virus emerged. “People can be saddened by what’s happening here, but absolutely nobody who’s been paying attention can be surprised,” she said. Rennick has fought for several years to…
DetailsTORONTO, ON – The crisis in congregate living environments, like long-term care, can be solved by following the strategies of nations which are more successful: aggressive testing of all residents and staff and the relocation of those with COVID-19 to specialized facilities, CUPE said today. A limited number of military personnel will bolster hospital staff…
DetailsCUPE Ontario’s 280,000 members joins all Canadians in mourning the tragedy that took the lives of at least 22 people in Nova Scotia. Our deepest sympathies are with the families, friends, and neighbours of these victims. While we can’t imagine what they’re experiencing, this senseless event has rippled through all our communities, across the country. A former…
DetailsThere are growing signs that the 2.6 million Ontarians with disabilities are being left behind during this crisis. Underlying medical issues mean people with disabilities are more susceptible to contract the virus and to experience its more severe effects. If they do contract the virus, the province has failed to provide home testing. And while…
DetailsWe all certainly are in this fight against COVID-19 and its impacts together, but some of us are experiencing the impacts of this crisis more than others. While most Ontarians are stuck inside, others are on our front-lines. They’re in our long-term care facilities caring for the elderly; in group homes caring for people with…
DetailsWhile the world and our communities are, understandably, prioritizing the global COVID-19 pandemic, there is another global crisis that we can’t forget: the climate crisis. Even as we are fighting this pandemic, let us also remember there is a lot of work needed to fight climate change, and to move our economy towards a greener, truly sustainable…
DetailsTORONTO, ON – As thousands of hospital staff from many different occupations selflessly volunteer to work in long-term care (LTC) homes afflicted with COVID-19 outbreaks, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is asking whether the decision not to transfer residents to hospital is sound. In other jurisdictions, which are far more successful at containing…
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“We know there is a complete staffing crisis with respect to shortages and retention and recruitment. They are so reliant on this temporary agency contract work that they need to exempt them from a fundamental order to keep people safe.” – Candace Rennick, CUPE Ontario Secretary-Treasurer Click here to read the full article.
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