Red Cross personal support workers on strike by Hilary Caton and David Lea Metroland West Media 3 | Thursday, December 19, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Approximately 4,500 personal support workers (PSW) for the Red Cross Care Partners continue on strike, including 49 in Oakville. According to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Union, PSWs were in a strike position for several weeks and recently voted to reject a tentative agreement with the Red Cross. They walked off the job the week of Dec. 12. The role of PSWs consists of providing or helping with personal care for seniors and people with physical disabilities in their home and those who live in long-term care and ambulatory-care facilities. They also assist with home management. There are roughly 380 PSWs working in the Mississauga/Halton region according to the SEIU Healthcare Union. PSWs have been working without a new contract since April. According to an SEIU's press release, PSWs earn $15 per hour and are expected to pay for gasoline out of their own pocket. It also states their earning power has been reduced by about seven per cent due to wage freezes, inflation and the increase in gas prices. 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"Nobody wants to be on strike in this economy and at this time of year, but the fight for justice doesn't always fit into a neat calendar. Our members are determined to take a stand." As for those who use the services of the unregulated healthcare workers, the Red Cross is currently working on alternatives for them. "We have been working on contingency plans and we have been working closely with Community Care Access Centres (CCACs) on that. The safety and well-being of our clients is a top priority right now," said Tanya Elliott, the director of communications for the Canadian Red Cross. "We'll be making every effort to minimize disruption to service, our offices are well informed of each client's particular needs and certainly those with higher priority needs are ensuring that they receive care." Caroline Brereton, CEO of the Mississauga/ Halton CCAC, said plans for coping with the strike are in place and her agency has been able to meet the needs of all 1,600 patients that were under the care of PSWs with Red Cross Care Partners. "We have already on contract with us several providers who do provide personal support worker services in different regions," said Brereton. "So we have been able to safely transition many of the patients who were under the care of the Red Cross Care Partners PSWs to other providers in our area. Those are providers that are already on contract to us so we manage their performance in the same way that we do Red Cross Care Partners so there is continuity in terms of the kind of care patients will be receiving." Brereton acknowledged there are patients with complex needs who have stayed with Red Cross Care Partners. These patients are being cared for by PSWs who are not scheduled to strike at this time and other providers brought in by the Red Cross Care Partners. Those in need of CCAC services can call 905-310-2222. "We are still taking new referrals and bringing patients onto home care services during the strike," said Brereton. According to Elliott, there are no dates scheduled for meeting with the SEIU representative, but "the lines of communications with the union remain open." The strike does not affect any other Red Cross services. A rally on the first day of the strike was held at Queen's Park. PSWs gathered at Toronto City Hall and marched up University Avenue to the Ontario Legislature. Experience the East Coast right here in Oakville! Custom Seafood Party Platters STILL ACCEPTING CHRISTMAS ORDERS! 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