Muhammad Ali Bukhari, CNMNG News, Toronto

On the eve of International Women’s Day, 175,000 health workers from SEIU Healthcare, Unifor and CUPE Unions across the Ontario province launched a virtual call today; clearly demand “respect, protect and pay” to Ontario Premier Doug Ford.

Responsible health workers, most of whom are women, have urged Premier Ford of Ontario to stand by them instead not on the side of a broken system that profits from their labour in the wake of the Corona pandemic over the past year.

In their joint effort of demand for ‘honour, protect and pay’ in the health sector, full-time employment instead of part-time work, providing Covid-19 infected and probationary wages, providing protective gear and an additional $4 hourly wage to be considered as ‘pandemic pay’ are the key elements as revealed. The SEIU Healthcare reveals four demands in its news release today: First, reverse the staff exodus in health care by turning exploitative part-time work into full-time jobs with benefits. Second, provide paid sick leave for Covid-19 related illnesses and providing pay while staffs await Covid-19 test results or are in isolation. Third, provide the PPE that health care workers need to work safely. Fourth, Make the initial $4 per hour “pandemic pay” available to all healthcare workers and made it permanent going forward.

On Monday, March 8, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, these health workers will demonstrate in the hospitals, nursing homes and retirement homes of the province by wearing badges and holding placards in demanding ‘honour, protect and pay.’ These activities will be displayed on social media via the hashtag: #respectprotect.

And in this context, SEIU Healthcare President Charlene Steward says, “This International Women’s Day, women in healthcare want more than hollow words from Premier Ford’s government. After the devastating financial and emotional toll from serving on the frontline of the pandemic, healthcare workers want those words backed up by bold action to fully recognize their contribution to the care economy. That must include paying them a living wage, and for low-wage workers like PSWs, that means raising the base wage to at least $25 per hour. Premier Ford could support working women in healthcare by doing that right away.”

On the other hand, Katha Fortier, an aide to the national president of the Unifor Union, said: “The lack of respect for care work has become painfully evident during COVID-19 but it stems from a longstanding failure to recognize the value of this work simply because women are performing it. This is evidenced by workers in health and long-term care who are often precariously employed and not paid a living wage. Full-time work with benefits is rarely available and they are forced to work at multiple jobs to simply survive.”

Moreover, Sharon Richard, secretary-treasurer of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions in the CUPE, said: “Nearly 20,000 health care workers have contracted COVID-19 at work and 20 have died. Although health care staff were entitled to an N95 mask they couldn’t get one from their employers. They were told that this wasn’t necessary. The masks are under lock and key. This must change. This valuable female workforce deserves respect, protection and better pay. Mandating the N95 mask, as Quebec has done and $4.00 an hour in the form of pandemic pay would be strong gestures of appreciation by the Ontario provincial government.”