MEDIA ADVISORY: Union demands funding for cash-strapped Hamilton hospital ahead of provincial budget: media conference on Thursday

Event Information

Begins: 8 May 2025
Location: Hamilton, ON

CUPE 7800 says funding shortfall is exacerbating staffing shortages amidst increase in patient volumes

HAMILTON, ON –(COMMUNITYWIRE)– The latest statistics about patient care at Hamilton Health Sciences paint a bleak picture: only eight per cent of ER patients at the Juravinski site in February were admitted within the provincial target time of eight hours with an average wait-time of 25.4 hours. The Hamilton General site had similar wait-times with only 21 per cent of patients admitted on time.

Jillian Watt, the president of CUPE 7800, says that the provincial government’s funding policy is to blame as the hospital’s $25 million budget deficit prevents it from hiring the staff needed to improve wait-times.

“Long ER wait-times are associated with higher risk of deaths and readmissions. Understaffing causes delays in assessment and care, causes higher risk of medical errors and oversights in diagnoses, and overall lower quality of care,” says Watt. “In other words, the provincial government is putting people’s lives at risk by underfunding our hospitals.”

On Thursday, the CUPE 7800 president will be joined by Michael Hurley, the president of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU-CUPE), at a media conference in Hamilton to call on the province for appropriate funding for hospitals in the upcoming budget to be released on May 15.

The union representing 4,750 staff at Hamilton Health Sciences will also be providing more information about rising patient volumes at the hospital.

WHO:
Jillian Watt, president of CUPE 7800, representing staff at Hamilton Health Sciences
Michael Hurley, president of CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU-CUPE)

WHAT:
Media conference to demand appropriate funding from the provincial government

WHERE:
CUPE 7800 office, 795 King St E Suite 102, Hamilton, ON

WHEN:
10:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 8

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For more information, contact:

Zee Noorsumar, CUPE Communications
647-995-9859
znoorsumar@cupe.ca