Tag: COVID-19
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OPSEU/SEFPO statement on PSW funding for Willis College
We are disappointed by the government’s proposal to give $2.4 million to a private career college, Willis College in Ottawa, to train 300 personal support workers (PSWs) for Ottawa-area long-term care homes. Both OPSEU/SEFPO and the government know there is a desperate need for more PSWs. Thousands of new PSWs must be trained quickly and…
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Long-term care members: Tell us your stories from the front lines
As an OPSEU/SEFPO member in our long-term care facilities sector, you are one of thousands of heroes on the front lines of long-term care homes, retirement homes, independent living centres, palliative care homes, and residential care homes. Your workplaces are ground zero for the COVID-19 pandemic. As a worker, you know what’s going on out…
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Let’s Talk about a better approach to mental health care
We know the physical dangers of COVID-19. But this pandemic has also been dangerous to our mental health. The grief and loss. The increased stress over work and safety. The isolation. The harsh realities of lockdown have taken a toll on our mental health and the consequences have been tragic and heartbreaking. The province’s Chief…
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Thomas: next budget must ‘rebuild’ Ontario
To emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever, OPSEU/SEFPO President Warren (Smokey) Thomas is urging the Minister of Finance to invest billions more in public services in the 2021/22 budget. “Decades of cuts have left Ontario defenceless against COVID-19. Those cuts have already cost 5,000 lives,” Thomas told Peter Bethlenfalvy during a virtual presentation on…
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FAQ: COVID-19 Pandemic Support for Workers
Note: The answers for Sections 1-3 were compiled from the information available on the Government of Canada website, retrieved at https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/cerb-application/transition.html Section 1: Employment Insurance (EI) What is EI? EI provides temporary income support for individuals who have lost their income due to job loss or temporary layoffs. How do I know if I’m eligible…
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OPSEU/SEFPO: province must crack down on COVID-19 vaccine queue jumpers
Toronto – OPSEU/SEFPO President Warren (Smokey) Thomas says the province must do more to crack down on COVID-19 vaccine queue jumpers amid reports of a hospital manager who pushed their own family member to the front of the line. “The success of Ontario’s vaccine rollout depends on fairness and trust,” said Thomas. “The province has…
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Making the best of bad times to prepare for better times ahead
It’s coming soon: the day we can all be together again – with our extended families, our friends and the members of our OPSEU/SEFPO family too. I’m looking forward to it, and I’m sure you feel the same way. The pandemic has made it a brutal year, but there is hope on the horizon. The…
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This isn’t just a health care crisis
Saying our hospitals are “on the brink of collapse,” the Premier has declared the second state of emergency in less than a year. Our province is in crisis. But we can’t make the mistake of thinking this is just a health crisis. Or that the crisis will be solved once we’re all vaccinated. Neither is…
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OPSEU/SEFPO calls out OHA for inaction over barrier to vaccine rollout in hospitals
Toronto – OPSEU/SEFPO is calling out the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) for not providing clear direction to hospitals that workers should be given time to get vaccinated against COVID-19 during work hours. OPSEU/SEFPO President Warren (Smokey) Thomas says it’s unbelievable that front-line workers at some hospitals are being told they have to use vacation or…
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Letter to Premier re. protecting front line workers by addressing aerosol transmission of COVID-19
OPSEU/SEFPO President Warren (Smokey) Thomas sent the following letter to Ontario Premier Doug Ford today regarding the aerosol transmission of COVID-19 and the need to protect front line workers. January 14, 2021 Hon. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario Room 281 Legislative Building, Queen’s Park Toronto, ON M7A 1A1 Re: Protecting front line workers by addressing…
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Consult front-line workers before reopening schools: OPSEU/SEFPO
Toronto – OPSEU/SEFPO is calling on the government to enhance PPE and contact-tracing protocols and to consult closely with front-line workers on a safe re-entry plan when Ontario’s public schools reopen. “Front-line workers know best what it will take to ensure their own safety and the safety of their students,” said OPSEU/SEFPO President Warren (Smokey)…
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Letter to Ministers re. vaccination rollout for Health Care Workers
OPSEU/SEFPO President Warren (Smokey) Thomas sent the following letter today regarding the province’s vaccination rollout plan for Health Care Workers to Christine Elliott, Minister of Health and Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Long-Term Care. January 8, 2021 Hon. Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health College Park, 5th Floor 777 Bay Street Toronto, ON M7A…
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Survey: Well-being of Workers during COVID-19
The Conference Board of Canada, Linda Duxbury (Carleton University) and Mike Halinski (Ryerson University) have created a survey for all OPSEU/SEFPO members on how they are coping with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey is divided into six sections: Demographics; Impact of COVID-19; Work environment; Work-life balance; Well-being; and Coping. Participation in this…