Waving CUPE banners and signs reading "Together for Respect" a group of hospital staff, supporters, and union representatives stood their ground in the cold in front of the North Bay Regional Hospital over the noon hour.
The group wants to make its voice heard and is demanding fair and respectful treatment of hospital staff across the province.
Members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Unifor, and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) were all represented.
The demonstration was held to show support and solidarity for the issue of fair treatment of hospital staff, and to protest, what the union calls, increasingly demanding conditions.
The hospital staff is feeling a growing call to action heading into contract negotiations this weekend. This will mark the first time since September 2017 that CUPE has engaged in contract bargaining.
This time, Unifor, CUPE, and SEIU have formed an alliance pushing for workers to be treated with respect not only at the bargaining table but in the workplace as well says Jennifer Barnett, National Representative for CUPE.
“Violent assaults in the workplace have increased, overcrowding and understaffing are major issues. Hospital staff are dedicated and have earned respect, so they should get it.”
Barnett also told CKAT that,"There are quite a number of concessions on the table that need to be removed and we're looking for a modest wage increase. We're not in a climate where takeaways are something we are looking for. The hospital workers have been hit pretty hard in the past couple of years with respect to cuts and layoffs. "
Workers in positions such as personal support, porters, nurses, clerical staff, infection control, and dietary aids are looking for the fair treatment that they feel has already been agreed upon between the Ontario Hospital Association and other positions within the hospital.
A demonstration like the one seen today is rare but organizers feel that this is an issue that needs to be brought to the awareness of the public. Understaffing and worn out workers are provincial issues that hit home locally as hospital staff is struggling to keep up with growing demands.
“There is more work, and less time to do it," Mike Turgeon, a House Keeper with the hospital explained as he joined staff and supporters gathered on the Health Centre property.
"Staff are dealing with high-stress situations and are still trying to give the same level of care to patients. Some are skipping breaks to meet the need.”
Hospital staff wants to send a clear message that a fair collective agreement must be agreed upon that reflects the value of the work done by staff and that a fair contract with no concessions would be the ideal result of the upcoming negotiations.
The demonstration today comes on the heels of the “Together for Respect” sticker campaign that launched earlier this month across the province which shed light on respect and fair treatment for all hospital staff.
In the wake of this, reception to the campaign and the message of increased respect has been overwhelmingly positive from the public, including patients, families, and staff says the union.
Organizers claim there has been an outpouring of support already, and with demonstrations such as the one seen today gaining momentum across the province, they may feel as though their message is finally being heard.
