TORONTO – Yesterday’s announcement that the Ontario government will undertake an independent review of Ontario’s competitive bidding process for home care is a major victory for OPSEU and home care workers.
Health Minister George Smitherman made the announcement in Toronto, acknowledging that “contract changeover is creating instability in the home care labour force and the homes of the patients they serve.” The McGuinty Liberals had previously refused to intervene in the competitive bidding process, even though they had criticized it when they were in
Opposition.
OPSEU President Leah Casselman said the new stance shows that campaigning efforts have paid off for home care workers. Last June, the union and its community allies launched a lobbying, media and advertising campaign against competitive bidding process the trend to private companies making big profits on home health care.
“Our members will continue to actively campaign in their communities to force the McGuinty Liberals to keep their promise to rebuild public services,” Casselman said.
Since the competitive bidding process was instituted by the Harris Tory government’s Community Care Access Centre system, numerous for-profit companies have entered the home care market, underbidding traditional home care providers such as the VON. The lack of successor rights for home care workers means they lose their jobs when contracts change. As a
result, home care clients in Niagara, Ottawa and Kingston have lost long-time care-givers.
Casselman called on the Ontario government to declare a moratorium on all home care contract changes until the independent review is completed.
“We plan to keep the pressure on the Ontario government until we have a rational, accessible, well-funded system of public home care in this province,” she said.
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For further information:
Paul Bilodeau, OPSEU Communications 416/443-8888 ext 780
