Local 2458 president, Tullio DiPonti, leads the rally outside Copper Terrace in Chatham. October 3, 2018. (Photo by Greg Higgins)Local 2458 president, Tullio DiPonti, leads the rally outside Copper Terrace in Chatham. October 3, 2018. (Photo by Greg Higgins)
Chatham

Protesters rally against layoffs, cuts at Copper Terrace (GALLERY)

As promised, workers, residents and their families picked up signs and rallied outside of a local nursing home in protest of layoffs and cuts made over the past two weeks.

The rally was in response to three registered practical nurse (RPN) positions being eliminated at Copper Terrace Long Term Care Home in Chatham, and another 28 hours removed from the service unit. The hours impact personal support workers (PSW) at the nursing home. The protest was organized by Unifor Local 2458, the union which represents the employees. The layoffs took effect on September 22 and the cuts to the service unit took effect on Monday.

According to Local 2458 President Tullio DiPonti the owners of the facility don't care about its resident as much as they claim.

"They are more than OK to work short, not bring in people when they're needed and our residents are suffering," DiPonti said. "We see mission statements all over the walls of their homes said 'our priority is the residents of the homes,' but that's not true. Their priorities are the bottom line and shareholders."

DiPonti said the union's main problem is with Plan A, a nursing agency that outsources staff to nursing homes.  He claimed that owners of the nursing homes are cutting current positions and replacing them with outside workers.

The union president added many of the residents get to know their care workers so well, they end up considering them family.

"These people they bring in [from Plan A] might be here today, but they won't be tomorrow and that doesn't do the residents any good," DiPonti said. "Our goal is to make [the owners] understand that we need to maintain the staffing needed in order to give the proper care. These are the most vulnerable people in our society."

DiPonti added the constant change of workers confuses residents, which can add to their stress which is never good for seniors.

According to DiPonti, these new workers haven't been brought in yet, but they are being trained. He said once they are officially brought in, it could be a violation of the collective bargaining agreement because workers who get laid off have "recall rights," so they should technically have first dibs on any open positions.

Residents like Joanne Brower attest to DiPonti's claims that the owners care more about money than the people living in the facility.

"Waiting for your light to be answered and you have to go to the bathroom. Waiting three-quarters of an hour later is no good. You have to go then," she said. "It's irritating."

Brower added sometimes she has been left on the toilet for over 45 minutes waiting to get assistance to get up. She added baths have become few and far between.

"I like a bath, well I'd like one every day, but that's impossible," Brower said. "They cut it to two a week, then one a week, then it goes to none."

According to Brower, perhaps the worst part of it all is while cuts are being made, the price for residents to stay has continued to increase.

DiPonti said the rallies will not stop with Copper Terrace. He added that on Thursday there could be another rally and more after that until things are made right.

Workers, residents and their families rally outside of Copper Terrace nursing home in Cahtham in protest of cuts to care giver positions. October 3, 2018. (Photo by Greg Higgins)Workers, residents and their families rally outside of Copper Terrace nursing home in Cahtham in protest of cuts to care giver positions. October 3, 2018. (Photo by Greg Higgins)

Protesters rally outside of Copper Terrace nursing home in Cahtham in protest of cuts to care giver positions. October 3, 2018. (Photo by Greg Higgins)Protesters rally outside of Copper Terrace nursing home in Cahtham in protest of cuts to care giver positions. October 3, 2018. (Photo by Greg Higgins)

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