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March 19, 2019
KITCHENER- Unifor is calling on Grand River Hospital administration to stop further lay-offs or redeployment of frontline health care workers in order to ensure patients receive adequate care.
“What separates us from our neighbours south of the border is our firm belief all Canadians deserve access to health care,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Grand River Hospital is framing these cuts and redeployment measures as budgetary constraints. Though that may have some truth to it, the fact/or truth is the administration is prioritizing profits over people.”
Unifor confirmed that in addition to the 40 registered nurses laid off, approximately 20 registered practical nurses, clinical assistants, personal support workers and clerical staff were either given lay-off notices or redeployed. The union believes these deplyoments and layoffs will result in longer wait times for patients accessing hospital services. “On the campaign trail Doug Ford promised not to cut health care jobs and services. And here we are today, where Grand River Hospital is cutting services to patients by reducing staffing levels creating vacancies which are actual cuts to service,” continued Dias.
The union has asked Grand River Hospital if there will be further layoffs or redeployment of front line health care workers and has yet to receive a response.
“Reducing and redeploying the number of frontline health care workers will greatly impact the quality of service patients receive at Grand River Hospital,” said Ruth Pryce, Unifor Local 1106 President. “Patients deserve a health care system that is adequately funded and staffed, not Grand River Hospital’s Rob-Peter-to-Pay-Paul model of taking away service from one patient and providing it to another.”
Unifor Local 1106 represents health care workers at Grand River Hospital is holding two general membership meetings today for workers to discuss current staffing situation.
Unifor represents more than 30,000 health care workers in hospitals, long-term care, emergency services, and community and social services.
For more information, please contact Unifor Communications Representative Hamid Osman at @email or 647-448-2823 (cell).
