Last fall you voted to do Whatever It Takes to win a fair contract.
That led to a campaign of local actions, taking coffee breaks, wearing red t-shirts, and so on.
But so far the OHA has not listened.
Time to beef up the message. On Feb. 13, HPD members will crank up the volume.
Billboards and radio ads will back up the message that Ontario hospitals are on the critical list.
Workload and staff shortages among Hospital Professionals mean that hospitals are not as safe as they should be.
OPSEU polled more than 600 members of the Hospital Professionals group to find out just how bad it really is.
It’s bad. The vast majority of you (78 per cent) believe that staff shortages are hurting patient care.
Viewpoints Research, a respected polling company, did the survey in November.
One in five of you told the interviewers you were making too many mistakes because of staff shortages and difficult working conditions. One in five of you were aware of at least one instance in the previous six months where a patient’s condition had worsened because staff were unable to provide test results or care in a
timely manner.
What will it take to correct this situation?
More hospital professionals.
How do we get more staff?
Make the job more attractive.
That means higher pay and decent working conditions.
That will encourage more people to train for our jobs and help alleviate the shortages.
We know how bad it is. That’s why we have to take action to make it better.
What’s in the works?
The Day of Action will take different forms at different hospitals.
In some areas it will mean picket lines outside hospitals. Other locals will decide to visit their MPP and make a strong case for more money for hospital staff. MPPs hold the purse strings and they can direct more money into hospital budgets.
Supporters from other OPSEU locals and other unions will be out to help.
In Toronto, picket lines are gathering at 7 a.m. in front of the OPSEU office at 525 University Avenue.
In a wide variety of ways, OPSEU members in hospitals will be making noise on Feb. 13.
Keep tuned in.
Need more info?
