Health Care

Atlantic Regional Director Jennifer Murray addresses rally attendees, urging government to put a stop to a two-tiered healthcare system in Canada. 

Unifor members joined the Canadian Health Coalition, the PEI Health Coalition and labour allies in Charlottetown for the Stop Two-Tier Health Care Rally, to stand up for Canada's public health care system and oppose the expansion of privatized health care during the Council of the Federation.

Members of Unifor Local 636 at Woodingford Lodge have ratified a new three-year collective agreement that delivers wage increases, benefit improvements and long-awaited scheduling changes aimed at improving work-life balance for workers.

“The quality of care residents receive is directly connected to the quality of working conditions for the people providing that care,” said Lana Payne. “This agreement recognizes that reality by improving wages, benefits and scheduling practices that help recruit and retain skilled workers.”

Members of Unifor Local 39 at Superior Greenstone Association for Community Living (SGACL) have ratified a new three-year collective agreement that secures wage increases, improved benefits and better job security for workers. 

The new contract covers Unifor members who provide support and services to people with developmental disabilities in communities across Northern Ontario. 

The new collective agreement covers more than 2,000 hospital workers across northern Ontario and builds on an established pattern that prioritizes staffing stability and wage parity.

“I’m incredibly proud of our members for holding their ground and standing up for patient care in the North, their determination at the table will translate to improved care and more staffing stability in a region where it’s desperately needed,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. 

Unifor is condemning another round of cuts at Quinte Health that will impact dozens of frontline health care workers, warning that the ongoing reduction of staffing is undermining both patient care and job security in the region.

Quinte Health recently notified Unifor Local 8300 that funding for services provided through the Behavioural Supports Transition Unit (BSTU) at Belleville General Hospital will be discontinued, with services being transferred to Providence Care in Kingston.

Unifor joined thousands of health care and social service workers, patients, union allies, and advocates in a march from union station to Queen’s Park on May 28, where they held a massive protest to demand urgent action to protect and strengthen Ontario’s public health care system.

Unifor health care and social services workers from across Ontario gathered at Queen’s Park this week for a legislative lobby from May 25-28, demanding urgent action to strengthen public health care, address staffing shortages and stop the expansion of privatized care.

“Health care workers are holding this system together under impossible conditions,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. 

Unifor is condemning plans by the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) to eliminate 49 positions, warning the cuts will place additional strain on an already overburdened Unifor Local 2458 health care workers and further impact patient care.