GRAVENHURST, ON – Workers at a seniors care facility are taking a stance in the name of better treatment for residents and themselves.
According to a release from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) the 160 front-line staff members at Sienna Senior Living in Gravenhurst are owed varying amounts of back pay.
The union claims the facility owes each employee between $500 and $1,000 each. They say the back pay was retroactive to January 1, 2017, and was awarded by an arbitrator in November 2018.
Workers will be demonstrating Tuesday by picketing outside of the building between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Positions involved include personal support workers, registered practical nurses, housekeeping, dietary, and other care staff.
The release said Ontario has the lowest number of staff working in long-term care facilities in the country.
“For our employer to not pay us the money we are owed is, for us, incredibly disrespectful and demeaning,” said Sherry MacDonald, president of CUPE 2481, in the press release. “It has hurt care staff morale in a significant way.”
MacDonald added Sienna Senior Living is often short-staffed, but employees do their best to give residents the best care possible. However, she said workers often feel like they simply can’t give seniors the best care, because of the stressful situations that come with being understaffed.
MyMuskokaNow.com reached out to Sienna Senior Living for comment, but the employer didn’t reply by time of publication.
