REPEAT/Attack on Working Conditions, Wage Cut Not the Thanks “Pandemic Heroes” Can Accept Say Brampton Hospital Staff Protesting Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.

BRAMPTON, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Frustrated with the “lack of respect” they are getting from both the provincial government and their hospital employer in contract negotiations nurses, personal support workers, environmental cleaners and other hospital staff at the William Osler Health System are protesting tomorrow, Wednesday, August 11, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. at the William Osler – Brampton Civic Hospital site at the corner of Peter Robertson Blvd. and Velvet Grass Lane.

Nearly 70,000 Ontario hospital workers who are members of CUPE and SEIU Healthcare, are currently negotiating a new provincial contract. But after working the past 18 months at a hectic pace in a pandemic, these workers feel devalued and betrayed by both the province and their hospital employers.

Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) National President, Mark Hancock is the guest speaker at Wednesday afternoon’s Brampton Civic rally where hospital workers will ask for respect and better pandemic protections – safety measures, which will also benefit patients.

The hospital workers deserve a fair contract says CUPE but, they are instead, being “rewarded” by a wage cut under a provincial policy (Bill 124) that restricts them to a wage increase less than 1/3 of the rate of inflation. Bill 124 also impacts hospital workers’ ability to negotiate much-needed increases to mental health supports like psychotherapy and post-traumatic stress counselling.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford calls care workers pandemic heroes. But hospital workers face a cut to real wages under provincial legislation that restricts them to a wage increase less than 1/3 of the rate of inflation. The province has also severely limited hospital workers’ ability to negotiate much-needed increases to mental health supports like post-traumatic stress counselling.

The Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) the umbrella group that bargains on behalf of Ontario hospitals in central negotiations with CUPE and SEIU is seeking many takeaways, which would eviscerate workplace rights.

“Hospital workers have held the line for patients and the people of Brampton. They sacrificed to do that, and they were proud and grateful to be able to help. They did not expect a reward. But a cut to their modest real wages and the gutting of their contracts is not acceptable. We expect the provincial government to walk back from its 1% wage cap, as the British government has just done, in acknowledgement of the pandemic effort. And we expect the hospitals to pull their concessions and to address the priorities of the workforce, particularly in the areas of pandemic protection and violence.” says Michael Hurley, president of CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU/CUPE).

Health care workers in the National Health Service in the UK were also restricted to 1% increases by their government. But this week the British government announced that salaries would be increased by 3%, in recognition of the contribution of health care staff.

In addition to getting Bill 124 repealed, hospital workers are asking the OHA to take several concessions, including language around seniority and retirement packages, off the table.

The rally at Osler – Brampton Civic Hospital is one of four rallies at area hospitals this week. In July and early August, workers rallied at hospitals throughout Ontario’s northwest, northeast and east. Many similar rally actions are scheduled across the province through the end of August. A protest action is being planned for September 10 in Toronto.

CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU/CUPE) and SEIU Healthcare began bargaining with the OHA in June and will return to the table in early September.

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