Health-care workers rally in Milton in fight against wage caps
Published March 16, 2022 at 11:03 am
After gathering in Mississauga and Brampton earlier this week, health-care workers will continue to rally today (Mar. 16) to fight against wage caps.
This comes as a result of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU-CUPE), who said that health-care workers who have sacrificed their mental health and wellbeing during the pandemic are unfairly penalized through the Ontario Government’s Bill 124.
In 2019, the Ford government introduced Bill 124, which limits wage increases for health-care workers to one per cent a year.
As a result, during the rallies, health-care professionals will be asking MPPs to “stand with them, not against them” as well as help push their government to repeal Bill 124.
“The Ford government’s wage cap devalues and disrespects a largely female workforce that has made huge personal sacrifices,” says Wayne Stevenson, CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU-CUPE) vice-president.
“It cuts our real wages and leaves us with no ability to bargain badly needed mental supports after the trauma of caring for patients and residents through the pandemic. We think most Ontarians are on the side of health care workers. We are asking these MPPs to stand with us in calling for this Bill to be repealed.”
CUPE in Ontario represents almost 90,000 health-care workers.
Today’s (Mar. 16) rallies will be held in front of the constituency offices of MPPs Jane McKenna (Burlington) and Parm Gill (Milton).