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Health care unions are issuing a SOS over health care to Premier Doug Ford.
Five of the largest health care unions are appealing to the government to take action and save public health care.
They say the system is buckling under the weight of severe staff shortages, overcrowding, lack of surge capacity and the spread of COVID-19, RSV and other respiratory illnesses.
Ontario Nurses’ Association’s Angela Preocanin says it is only going to get worse.
“It’s not going to get better unless this government acts. This government needs to act. It needs to come forward and give us the staffing that we need. The respect that all of the health care workers in this province deserve.”
Unifor’s Naureen Rizvi goes as far as calling it a manufactured crisis.
“That’s why we’ve seen a mass exodus of health care workers. Ford’s government has put the health care system on life support. They have justified their privatization push by pointing to this manufacturing crisis.”
The unions say they have tried to meet with the Premier without success.
They are calling for more investments in frontline and support staff and the elimination of Bill 124.
(With files from Randy Thoms)
