Long-term care workers are planning a rally in Chatham after they say negotiations have come to a standstill.
A collective agreement between Unifor Local 127 and Riverview Gardens Long-Term Care expired on January 1, 2022. The bargaining committee says negotiations with the employer have come to a full stop.
"Throughout the pandemic, our members have always put residents of long-term care first and they demand fair pay and respect," said Katha Fortier, assistant to Unifor's National President. "It's time Riverview Gardens listened."
The main issues affecting workers include staffing shortages, lack of time off, wages, and benefits. The union also says registered practical nurses and personal support workers are being brought into the home on a regular basis.
"Agency workers are often paid more than double the wages of bargaining unit members," said Fortier. "When employers are prepared to take on those excessive costs, this clearly is not about money. They have the resources to negotiate a fair collective agreement, especially in light of what they have been through the last two years."
According to the union, its members are often refused vacation time as well as being refused grant leaves to attend union business.
"We held a bargaining update meeting with the membership on June 22, 2022, which was well attended and held a 'mock strike vote' and 100 per cent of the membership was prepared to consider a strike if it was legal in Ontario," said President of Local 12 Jeff McFadden. "That just shows how low the morale of our workers is. They deserve some relief."
Union members plan on holding a rally on July 7, 2022, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in front of Riverview Gardens Long-Term Care Home at 519 King Street West in Chatham.