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They honked for health care workers.
More than 100 health care workers rallied outside London, Ont.’s Meadow Park London Long Term Care on Wed., April 6, 2022, waving signs and cheering as supporters honked their horns as they drove by.
Organized by Unifor Local 302, this is the second rally involving workers at “the group of 11” long-term care homes – including Meadow Park – who turned to protest after their employers stalled bargaining since December 2021. The first protest took place at Trillium Village in Sarnia, Ont. on Dec. 15.
“We need a fair collective agreement for the group of 11,” said Local 302 President Lisa Tucker. “The wage increase they offered was below cost of living, which would leave workers and their families struggling. They claim that these are COVID heroes, yet they disrespect them at the bargaining table. This is our only recourse – to demonstrate and go to arbitration and arbitration really hasn’t been worker-friendly.”
Tucker said Local 302 workers – which represents nurses, personal support workers (PSWs), activation assistants, as well as dietary, housekeeping, laundry and maintenance workers at the 11 long-term care facilities – are upset that there seems to be a two-tier system in which the Ontario government gave $3 raises only to PSWs.
A Unifor bargaining committee member and PSW at Meadow voiced her frustration at the rally.
“When we were in negotiations as the group of 11 (LTC homes), the employers were not willing to discuss monetary increases with us,” she said.
“The only kinds of raises they’re willing to give is the government-funded raise, they’re not willing to dig into their pockets, even though the shareholders made record profits since COVID. They keep saying, ‘It’s all about care of the residents,’ but that’s BS.”
The worker, who has more than three decades of experience, said there was a staff member who forgot she had booked the day off and when she found out that the home was short-staffed, offered to work to relieve some of the pressure of her co-workers.
“They were already three PSWs short that morning,” she explained. “As soon as the staffing coordinator showed up and immediately sent the worker home, even though one of the senior managers already approved it. The proof is right there that they don’t care about residents.”
The Doug Ford government needs to step up and ensure the working conditions are desirable in order to retain people in long-term care, the worker added.
“We had new school graduates come to work and once they get into the field, they quit,” she said.
Unifor locals – 88, 27, 636 and 444 among others – came by to support their brothers and sisters. The location and date of the next rally hasn’t been determined yet.
“Today’s demonstration is very important for us sending a message – not only to for-profit operators, but to the Ford government, in advance to the next provincial election in June,” said Unifor Health Care Director Andy Savela.
“Ford needs to fix long-term care. He committed to put an ‘iron ring’ around long-term care during the pandemic and the only iron ring he’s put is around the private operators to protect them – not the workers, not the residents.”
