MEDIA ADVISORY - Home-Care Workers Mark 7th Week of Lockout by CarePartners
SUDBURY, ON, July 17, 2019 /CNW/ - Seven weeks after being locked out of their jobs by for-profit service provider CarePartners, home-care workers will hold a picket line rally Thursday in downtown Sudbury, where they will call for greater accountability from the Ontario government.
WHO: | Locked-out home care workers, community and political supporters, including Nickel Belt MPP and Official Opposition Health Critic France Gélinas. |
WHAT: | Picket line rally and announcement regarding Ontario government's role. |
WHEN: | Thursday, July 18, 11:30 a.m. ? 1 p.m. |
WHERE: | Rainbow Centre, corner of Notre Dame Avenue and Ste. Anne Road, Sudbury |
About 30 employees at the CarePartners Sudbury office, members of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 2020, were locked out of their jobs on May 31 after they refused to accept a company contract offer. The company attempted to impose a contract that did not address key issues including low wages, workplace stress, sick leave and turnover, the union says.
The locked-out employees work as home-care co-ordinators and administration staff. All but one of the employees are women and their top wage, regardless of length of service, is $16.15 an hour.
"CarePartners decided to lock out its employees rather than negotiate a fair collective agreement. They tried to bully workers into accepting a contract that doesn't address their serious concerns," said USW Staff Representative Mike Scott.
"CarePartners is a private, for-profit company that is funded by our provincial tax dollars," Scott noted. "We will be calling on the Ontario government to take a serious look at this situation and whether it condones what is happening here."
SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)
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