Unifor members demand fair deal for health care workers

LONDON, ON, Nov. 6, 2014 /CNW/ - Unifor members across the province are gathering for demonstrations to demand a fair deal for health care workers after years of wage freezes. Health care workers and supporters from several communities are marching to MPP offices and at workplaces to encourage adequate funding for the health care system and its employees.

"Health care workers in this province have been years without any wage increases and it's time for that to end," said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. "Health care is our greatest public asset and it's time we invested in the system and in the workers themselves."

Unifor represents nearly 27,000 health care workers in Ontario, 17,000 of whom have contracts that have expired or will expire in the coming weeks. The union has made a point to focus on negotiation of health care contracts rather than defaulting to arbitration, which has typically been the means for the government to impose austerity.  

Locations:

London
November 6, 11:00 a.m. at Victoria Park

Speakers include Jerry Dias, Unifor National President; Sid Ryan, President of the Ontario Federation of Labour; and Fred Hahn, President of CUPE Ontario.

Sudbury
November 6, 11:00 a.m. at Provincial Building, 159 Cedar St.

Sault Ste. Marie
November 6, 11:00 a.m. at Great Northern Rd. & Lukenda Dr.

Thunder Bay
November 7, 12:00 p.m. at Michael Gravelle's Constituency office, 179 South Algoma St.

Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing more than 305,000 workers, including over 30,000 in the health care sector. It was formed Labour Day weekend 2013 when the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers unions merged. Unifor works to protect its members and play a leadership role in building thriving, safe workplaces and a strong economy so all workers in Canada have a good job, a decent standard of living and greater equality.

SOURCE: Unifor

For more information, please contact Communications Staff Representative Shelley Burgoyne at (cell) 902-717-7491 or at [email protected].