MEDIA ADVISORY: Workers & Families Can’t Wait: Home and community health care workers to deliver petition to Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones, PC MPP Prabmeet Sarkaria, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford urging PC government to offer a fair wage proposal

Event Information

Begins: 16 May 2024
Locations: Orangeville, ON; Brampton, ON; Etobicoke, ON

Home care workers say that it’s time for the Ford Government and the Treasury Board to come back to the table with a real offer!

PEEL REGION, ON –(COMMUNITYWIRE)– On Thursday a delegation of home and community health care workers will deliver a petition signed by a strong majority of the local’s members to the offices of Ontario Health Minister and Deputy Premier Sylvia Jones, PC MPP Prabmeet Sarkaria, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford, demanding that the Ontario government and the Treasury Board come back to the table to negotiate a fair wage increase.

CUPE members working in Home and Community Support Services (HCCSS) have not yet settled their wage reopener negotiations after Bill 124 was overturned. The bill capped salary increases for broader public sector workers at one per cent a year, for three years.

Members of CUPE Local 966.15 Central West working in home and community care say they’re struggling to make ends meet with the cost-of-living crisis. HCCSS workers include nurses, personal support workers, occupational and physiotherapists, IT and administrative support, and other health care workers who are committed to providing the care that Ontarians need.

Home care workers will begin their first action of the day at MPP Sylvia Jones’ office in Orangeville at 10 a.m., they will then make their way to MPP Prabmeet Sakaria’s office at 12 p.m. in Brampton, and will end the day at Premier Doug Ford’s office in Etobicoke at 2 p.m.

CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn and Secretary Treasurer Yolanda McClean will join the actions to support CUPE HCCSS members, as well as the Ontario Health Coalition. Over 70 per cent of CUPE Local 966.15 members signed the petition calling on the government to come back to the table.

Thursday’s action is one of eight actions held across the province by CUPE members working in home and community care as part of the CUPE HCCSS Workers and Families Can’t Wait campaign.

WHAT:
Health care workers to deliver hundreds of petition signatures to
Ontario Health Minister and Deputy Premier Sylvia Jones,
PC MPP Prabmeet Sarkaria and
Ontario Premier Doug Ford

WHO:
Home and community health care workers,
CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn,
CUPE Ontario Secretary Treasurer Yolanda McClean,
and support from the Ontario Health Coalition

WHERE:
MPP Sylvia Jones: 180 Broadway 3rd Floor, Suite A, Orangeville
MPP Prabmeet Sarkaria: Unit 402, 7700 Hurontario Street Brampton
Premiere Doug Ford’s Office: 823 Albion Rd, Etobicoke

WHEN:
Thursday May 16, 2024
Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
MPP Prabmeet Sarkaria: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

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For media inquiries, contact:

Shannon Carranco, CUPE Communications
scarranco@cupe.ca
514-703-8358