Unifor nurses to hold a rally outside Sault Area Hospital

Starting at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, May 17, Registered Practical Nurses under Unifor Local 1359 will hold a rally outside the Sault Area Hospital, a news release issued today stated.

The nurses hope to send a message to the Ford government and address what they describe as the "unfair compensation and staffing issues" they have been facing throughout the pandemic. 

Full text of the release follows:

RPN’s represented by Unifor Local 1359 will protest outside the Sault Area Hospital at 11:00 am tomorrow (Tuesday, May 17th) to call on the Ford Government with respect to Nurses by addressing Poor and Unfair Compensation and staffing issues facing these workers.

Cathy Humulamaki, President of Unifor 1359 said “Over the course of the Covid-19 Pandemic, Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) have carried a heavy burden. Hailed as “Covid Heroes” with other Health Care Workers” she continued “RPNs have worked through outbreaks, dealt with the trauma associated with death and suffering, worked long hours and days and stepped up putting patients first”.

The Union is calling for a permeant Wage Increase and the repeal of (Bill 124) which caps wages at 1% for a three-year period. The Union reports RPN’s consider the legislation is an insult to RPN’s and has created greater wage disparity throughout the entire health care system.

Laurie Lessard-Brown, Unifor Staff Representative said that “We support the well-deserved permeant wage enhancement provided to PSW’s; but to not include other classifications of workers, like RPN’s shows that the Ford Government does not respect them despite his comments otherwise”.

Unifor Director of Health Care, Andy Savela said “We are going to send a clear message to Ford and MPP Ross Romano that we will be taking this to the ballot box on June 2nd.”

Unifor is Canada’s largest Union in the Private Sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The Union advocates for all working people and their Rights, fights for Equality and Social Justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a Better Future!