July 29, 2021 ·
0 Comments
By Sam Odrowski
Healthcare workers across Ontario, including those at Headwaters, represented by the SIEU Union, held a rally in front of the local hospital on Tuesday (July 27) to speak out against wage cuts, concessions, and Bill 124.
The bill, which was enacted by the province, limits compensation increases for public sector workers to one per cent per year, which is less than one third of the current rate of inflation.
Bill 124 also bars healthcare workers from negotiating for much needed mental health supports, following a hectic 16 months of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are nearly 70,000 hospital workers across Ontario currently negotiating a new provincial contract and SIEU Union Representative, Laurie Chapman is one of them. She shared with Citizen at the local rally what prompted her to come out.