Equal access to personal protective equipment needed for all workers at London hospital

LONDON, ON, April 3, 2020 /CNW/ - Unifor is calling on London Health Science Centre (LHSC) to immediately provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to all health care workers, regardless of their occupation.

"We are not going to flatten the curve by picking and choosing which health care workers receive personal protective equipment," said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. "We know COVID-19 is now spread through community transmission and it's mind boggling to see LHSC pick and choose who they will protect on the job when they have a responsibility to provide PPE to every worker, regardless of what task they perform in the hospital or their occupation."

Over the past week Unifor has held daily conference calls with LHSC management and has reiterated the union's position that regardless of your job title in hospital, workers on their way into the facility through the screening process should receive a mask.

"The argument that some workers have no chance of being exposed to COVID-19 is simply false," said Brian Chapman, President of Unifor Local 27. "In a time of crisis LHSC needs to stop these dangerous games and put workers first."

Recognizing the global shortage and increasing demand for PPE, Unifor's positon is that the priority of governments and hospital administration should be in securing PPE from other industries in less urgent need and not on hoarding PPE, or otherwise refusing access to PPE for workers at risk, on the frontlines.

Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector and represents 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.

Information about the union's response to the pandemic, as well as resources for members can be found at unifor.org/COVID19.

SOURCE Unifor