Thursday: CAW to Picket London Extendicare Facility

LONDON, ON, May 19 /CNW/ - CAW members and supporters will be picketing outside the London Extendicare long-term care facility located at 860 Waterloo Street tomorrow afternoon, in response to the company's refusal to negotiate a fair deal with its workers. The company broke off talks with the union on April 26.

"Our members at Extendicare work hard to provide the best care possible, despite frequent short staffing and other challenges rampant in this sector," said CAW National President Ken Lewenza.

"Now the company is attempting to use the provincial government's wage freeze (Bill 16) as an excuse for failing to fairly compensate our members for the work they do, despite the fact that Extendicare is actually a for-profit company, not a government agency. This is not a position Extendicare workers are willing to tolerate."

According to its own figures, parent company Extendicare Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) earned $15 million in profits in the first quarter of 2010 alone, up from $3.7 million a year ago. "This company cannot possibly cry poor," said Lewenza. "We're calling on Extendicare to get back to the bargaining table and negotiate a fair contract."

    
    Extendicare Picket - Tomorrow

    Thursday, May 20, 2 - 4 p.m.
    860 Waterloo Street, London, Ontario
    

The picket is the second in a number of rotating pickets outside of Extendicare facilities across the province. The first one took place in Oakville on April 29.

The CAW represents 1,200 Extendicare workers in 10 long-term care facilities across the province, including London (CAW Local 302), Port Stanley (CAW Local 302), Kingston (CAW Local 830), Windsor (CAW Local 2458), Sault Ste Marie (CAW Local 1120), Oakville (CAW Local 504) and Ottawa (CAW Local 830).

For further information: please contact CAW Communications Shannon Devine (cell) [phone]