This afternoon, the Ontario government announced an extension of the temporary wage enhancement of up to $3 an hour for personal support workers until June 30, 2021.
SEIU Healthcare has been pushing Premier Ford to do the right thing and pay workers what they deserve—all workers! Today’s temporary wage enhancement fails to give workers like you the long-term stability you deserve.
You have heard us bringing your voices to the government and your employers:
Respect Us, Protect Us, Pay Us.
When it comes to pay, our demand remains the same; for the Ontario government to bring back the initial $4 per hour “pandemic pay”, make it available to all healthcare workers, and make it permanent. Today’s announcement falls short of what you deserve. Every healthcare worker plays an important role and deserves permanent stability.
That’s why for low-wage workers, like PSWs, cooks, cleaners and everyone else on the health team struggling to make ends meet, we continue fighting for full-time jobs and living wage of at least $25 an hour. Today’s announcement is only a temporary half-step towards that. We will continue to be your voice and fight for the wages you desperately need and deserve.
We have several actions planned next week to continue to bring these issues, and others such as paid sick leave and worker safety, forward, so please keep an eye on your emails and our social media pages for more information and details.
Thank you for all you continue to do on the frontlines of COVID-19. We are proud to support you and fight on your behalf.
Sincerely,
Sharleen Stewart
President, SEIU Healthcare