FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 23, 2000

Political brass joins information picket

HAMILTON – A demonstration Thursday supporting better home care will include a number of senior politicians who normally make their views known through more official channels.

Hamilton Mayor Bob Morrow, Liberal MPPs Dr.Maria Bountrogianni and Dominic Agostino, NDP MPP David Christopherson, and both partys’ candidates in the Sept. 7 byelection, Ted Meekin (Liberal) and Jessica Brennan (NDP), will participate in an information picket in support of home care workers.

Where: Community Care Access Centre, 310 Limeridge Road West
When: noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, August 24

They are supporting about 200 members of Ontario Public Service Employees Union Local 269 who work for the Victorian Order of Nurses providing home care in the Hamilton area.

Local president Lois Boggs said government cutbacks to home care, combined with the move to "managed competition" have driven pay levels so low the agency can’t attract and retain the nursing staff it needs to provide quality home care.

"Staff shortages have created a series of issues around workload and scheduling. Our clients and our community deserve better. We need more funding for front line workers to give Hamilton the service it should get," she said.

Members of Local 269 have set a strike deadline of Aug. 30. They have been without a contract since March 31.

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For further information:

Lois Boggs (905) 541-5212
Katie FitzRandolph (OPSEU Communications) (416) 448-7440 or home (416) 967-5964