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Unifor Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi met with long-term care workers at the Ontario Finnish Resthome in Sault Ste. Marie, joining members of Unifor Local 1359 for a workplace tour and important discussions about the future of care work in the province.
During the tour, Hashi met with frontline staff and union leadership to hear directly about the day-to-day realities of working in long-term care and to discuss Unifor’s ongoing advocacy for better working conditions, increased funding, and stronger supports for both residents and staff.
“Our members in long-term care do some of the most important and emotionally demanding work in this province,” says Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi.
“They show up every single day for residents, often under immense pressure and without the resources they need. Their dedication deserves not only our respect, but real investment and action.”
The visit comes at a time when long-term care workers across Ontario continue to face chronic underfunding, staffing shortages, and rising demands.
The Ontario Finnish Resthome (OFRA), a not-for-profit facility, offers a unique and community-based model of care that includes long-term care, assisted living, and market- and income-geared senior housing.
Unifor has long called for a public, not-for-profit model of long-term care that centers quality care and good jobs.
Facilities like OFRA show what’s possible when unionized workers and forward-thinking employers work together toward common goals.
“Care work is the backbone of our health system, and that means it deserves stable, long-term investment,” Hashi added.
“It’s not enough to applaud workers, we need to ensure they’re properly paid, fully staffed, and supported by a system that values the care they provide.”
As the province continues to face a growing need for long-term care services and aging infrastructure, Unifor is calling on the Ontario government to commit to robust, long-term funding that supports care workers, expands services, and puts people before profit.
