SEIU Healthcare: FPT Health Ministers’ Meeting Ends In Disappointment With No Concrete Immediate Action For Struggling Frontline Workers Who Care For Seniors
Richmond Hill, Ontario — SEIU Healthcare, a union representing over 60,000 frontline healthcare workers in Ontario, is disappointed that as frontline healthcare workers continue to struggle—economically and with unsafe jobs—that no concrete immediate action resulted from the FPT Health Ministers’ meeting that took place this week in PEI.
Even as many elder care workers increasingly rely on food banks and predatory payday loans, the already approved $1.709 billion in federally approved investments for PSWs has gone unspent.
“Since the provinces show an unwillingness to act, we again call on the federal government to keep their promise to PSWs and institute an alternative direct federal program to ensure these funds get to care workers this calendar year,” said Sharleen Stewart, president of SEIU Healthcare. “As hospital and long-term care remains unsafe and undignified, and homecare services go undelivered, care can’t wait, and with the passage of the 2023 federal budget, the time to act is now.”
Stewart added: “The status quo is simply unacceptable and healthcare workers are disappointed with the inaction they see from all levels of government.”
This summer, Sharleen Stewart and Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, sent a joint letter to the Prime Minister and all premiers calling for federal action to raise wages for PSWs and all elder care workers across Canada this calendar year.
-30-
SEIU Healthcare represents more than 60,000 healthcare and community service workers across Ontario. The union’s members work in hospitals, homecare, nursing and retirement homes, and community services throughout the province. www.seiuhealthcare.ca