This is an archive of news stories and research from the National Union of Public and General Employees. Please see our new site - https://nupge.ca - for the most current information.
"The Ontario Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission's final report has exposed the shameful and outrageous failure of long-term care. We're calling for an end to for-profit care and for public control of the sector."— Larry Brown, NUPGE President
Ottawa (04 May 2021) — The key final recommendations from the Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission have been long demanded by the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) and its Component, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/SEFPO).
Report shows for-profit facilities have to go
"The Ontario Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission's final report has exposed the shameful and outrageous failure of long-term care. We're calling for an end to for-profit care and for public control of the sector," said Larry Brown, NUPGE President.
Warren (Smokey) Thomas echoed that finding. “Anyone can see that facilities where profits come before people are an obstacle to having a sector where our most vulnerable citizens can live in safety and dignity,” said Thomas. “We need public control of long-term care and for-profit facilities have to go.”
Report reflects OPSEU/SEFPO's concerns
The commission’s final report released on April 30 made 85 recommendations, many of which are consistent with OPSEU/NUPGE's demands for increased staffing levels, better working conditions, more rigorous inspection and enforcement, increased investment in staff and infrastructure, stepped-up training, improved access to community and home care and minimum care standards.
“We’ve made some of the same recommendations during the pandemic, and for years before COVID-19,” said Thomas. “The commission clearly saw that front-line workers have many of the solutions that would have prevented this tragedy, and we can use their know-how to come out of this pandemic with a first-class Long-term care system. We are glad to see our submission to the commission reflected in the final report.”
NUPGE calls on federal government to protect seniors
NUPGE has been pressing the federal government to move forward on national standards by expanding the Canada Health Act to include long-term care. Most recently, a letter was sent on April 29, 2021, outlining NUPGE's position and calling for an urgent meeting to discuss the crisis. NUPGE believes that individual provinces have a responsibility to act, but that federal leadership is critical in reforming LTC in Canada.