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More than 120 Ontario long-term care workers showed solidarity in Toronto – March 24 to 25, 2022 – during Unifor’s Long Term Care Bargaining conference.
“While working through a humanitarian crisis, you have gone above and beyond for your residents,” said Katha Fortier, Assistant to Unifor National President. “You have made incredible sacrifices during the pandemic, and for this, we are forever grateful.”
The Long-Term Care Bargaining Conference was the first time when health care members have met in person in more than two and a half years since COVID-19 began. Delegates were excited to see each other, discuss bargaining strategies and plan for the upcoming Ontario provincial election.
“Premier Doug Ford’s days of disrespecting health care workers are numbered,” said Naureen Rizvi, Unifor Ontario Regional Director. “We have built an army of activists ready to take on Ford in this upcoming election.”
Delegates also listened intently to Sari Sairanen, Unifor’s National Director of Health Safety and Environment, on COVID-19 and its health and safety implications moving forward and from Unifor Human Rights Lawyer Niki Lundquist on vaccination policies and impacts to workers.
Guest speaker Natalie Mehra, Executive Director of Ontario Health Coalition, extensively outlined Doug Ford’s privatization plan, described the ongoing crisis in long-term care and shared the coalition’s plans for the upcoming Ontario provincial election.
“This premier talks a big game with little to no action,” said Mehra. “Health care workers need a government that will respect them and their residents.”
The union plans to launch its election website, uniforvotes.ca, in the upcoming weeks. The campaign will help shine a spotlight on Ford’s track record on health care, the economy and other issues affecting workers.
