The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

HB NEWS STRANGLING OUR BARGAINING RIGHTS HOSPITAL WORKERS STAGE RALLY OVER CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS MELANIE HENNESSEY mhennessey@ metroland.com Healthcare —_ workers came together in George- town this week to voice their dissatisfaction with contract negotiations and staffing shortages impact- ing hospitals across the province. The frontline staff ral- lied outside Georgetown Hospital on Tuesday (Aug. 10), with those involved calling on the provincial government to repeal Bill 124, which limits wage in- creases for a number of health-care workers to a ISEVicon District Noire) Board maximum of one per cent for three years. aint is strangling our bar- ‘ing rights,” said Sandi Sones, anurseandinternal organizer with union SEIU Healthcare. "We have the right to fair bargaining. We're out here today to show solidarity with the other union, CUPE, and let people know that we're not OK with this." The local staff among nearly 70,000 hospi- tal workers throughout Ontario currently negoti- ating a new provincial con- tract. In addition to bargain- ing issues, Jones said hos: pitals are experiencing staffing shortages onareg- ular basis "to the point that it's critical." "It's really important that the government recog- nizes the staffing shortag- - Mel Healthcare workers rally outside the Georgetown Hospital on August 10. es, but more importantly the retention issues that said. work in healthcare right now. We have nurses, EVS workers, logistics workers, porters leaving their jobs that they've been at for a very long time because Working the front lines of apandemic for the last18 onths, Jones said the z mental health of staff is ‘det terlorating every single Pre ording _to supports like psychothera- 5 py post- -traumatic 5 Ay stress counselling. In addition to getting 8 8 Bill 124 repealed, the union tirement packages, off the table. The Georgetown rally is one of 55 demonstrations ince this summer, with the unions also pl. to be at Queen's Park on Septem- ber 10. Halton Healthcare offi- cials declined to comment they just can't function Like this anymore. We really need to focus on supports for them, and certainly to increase their pay." ihe ® Classes Learn English fe) French _ weekend cla: Programs funded by: ed egeeea cc Fall Registration Open for English or French classes (LINC/ESL or FSL) for ADULT NEWCOMER LEARNERS, 18+ Convenient ise (morning, afternoon, evening & Ontario @ In person and online classes available Great school locations with lots of free parking © Childminding available (some restrictions apply) 4 REGISTER EARLY! SPACE IS LIMITED. pi “Gary Allan Learning Centres Greater j- Toronto Shine On Child Care Jobs Available in Georgetown and Acton Send resume to: childcarejobs@ymcagta.org