Niagara Health and Hotel Dieu Shaver Members meet with MPP Jennie Stevens

During COVID 19, SEIU Healthcare has led the fight for our 60,000 healthcare members across Ontario. Our president Sharleen Stewart has brought our concerns to the government and is always discussing the issues our members face every day. Along with pandemic pay for all healthcare workers, we have asked the government to increase wages, create more full-time job positions, provide benefits, retirement plans, and paid sick day. The pandemic has brought several issues to light, and our members have taken the initiative to approach their local MPPs to share what is happening on the frontlines.

Several of our member leaders from Niagara Health and Hotel Dieu Shaver met yesterday with
Jennie Stevens MPP to discuss pandemic pay, staff shortages, PPE, nursing, the second wave, and other important issues facing Ontario healthcare workers. Thank you, Jennie, for agreeing to bring our voices to Queen’s Park.

“When I worked in healthcare at Hotel Dieu Shaver, I was a member of SEIU. I wear that experience of being a frontline healthcare worker on my sleeve. I refuse to see my former colleagues as frontline healthcare workers being called heroes, then denied PPE, or the recognition of pandemic pay, or being told they will have wages capped under inflation, or nurses being laid off when budget cuts come in the middle of a pandemic. No one should make our frontline feel devalued and disposable. This is the difference experience makes to my politics and my advocacy – it is why I am proud to bring this fight to Queens Park,” Jennie shares.

We encourage all our members to reach out to their local MPP and share their own personal experiences. As we head into a second wave, it is important that the government is aware of what is going on in your workplaces.