Morally Courageous Staff at Ottawa’s Villa Marconi Out Mismanagement, Disturbing Failure to Ensure Supplies for Resident Personal Care and Wage Theft

OTTAWA, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--It takes a lot of moral courage and heightened concern about resident wellbeing for care home staff to whistle blow on their own employer about what they believe are multiple violations of Ontario’s long-term care Act and mismanagement at the home.

Despite the fear of reprisal, that’s exactly what the dedicated front-line personal support workers, nurses and other staff (CUPE 4793) at Villa Marconi are doing through their union, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). CUPE is calling on the Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care to do something to ensure that care staff have the supplies, equipment and devices they need to meet the nursing and personal care needs of residents. Shortages of resident personal hygiene products like wash cloths and wipes are so dire, they resort to using torn bedding.

In addition to concerns over resident personal care, there is a revolving door of staff because the workers’ collective agreement provisions aren’t being followed by the Villa Marconi management team, leading to instances where employees are being paid the wrong amounts. Retro wages for several years have not been paid and pension payments are simply not being made. Despite an arbitrator’s award ordering the employer to pay up, currently the care staff are owed nearly $500,000.

CUPE has engaged all legal avenues available, but Villa Marconi has completely failed to remedy the situation and comply with the arbitrator’s order.

WHO:	The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 4793
	Michael Hurley President CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU/CUPE)
WHAT:	Media conference to talk about resident care concerns, and unpaid employee obligations
WHERE:	1026 Baseline Rd, Ottawa -- sidewalk outside Villa Marconi
WHEN:	Thursday, December 12, 2024 at 1 p.m.

SY:pp/COPE491