SARNIA, ONT. -- Calling themselves the “forgotten front line,” dozens of health-care workers from Bluewater Health in Sarnia hit the street Wednesday to call on the provincial government to include them in the pandemic pay hike.
The temporary four-dollar-an-hour upgrade was put in place by the province to recognize the workload and dangers for those who work with COVID-19 patients.
“Staff feel devalued, that they aren’t worth it, and we just want to let the public know what we do and (Ontario Premier) Doug Ford to know what we do, and how important and how vital it is, and we are all front-line workers.”
As many as 300 health care employees at the Lambton Hospital do not qualify for the pay hike. That includes medical lab technologists, physio and occupational therapists and dietitians.
Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) Local Vice President June Weiss said these employees work side-by-side with workers who are getting the upgrade.
A number of other unions and organizations representing health-care workers also took part in the demonstration, including SEIU (Service Employees International Union) and and the OAMRS (Ontario Association of Medical Radiation Sciences).
This is one of a number of such health-care demonstrations across the province in recent weeks for the same cause, including a separate demonstration Wednesday at Humber River Hospital in Toronto.
So far, the government’s position has been that it has already added to the list of those who qualify for the pay bump, and there is not enough funding to further expand the list.
OAMRS Chief Operating Officer Jon Jones said he believes it’s not too late for the government to reverse the decision.
“We’re not giving up. We’ve been advocating and lobbying on behalf of our members for the entire time. Our president and CEO Greg Toffner has been working tirelessly to try to get the government to listen and understand that this is a glaring omission that needs to be corrected.”
