Gaps in the COVID-19 Response

On Saturday, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health announced that over 2,540 health-care workers have tested positive for COVID-19. To date, there have already been 4 tragic health-care worker deaths in Ontario.

Not coincidentally, they represent some of the most precarious workers in the field: three personal support workers and a hospital sanitation worker. These deaths were preventable.

Last week, the Ontario government announced that the province would be providing temporary pandemic pay to selected frontline workers in care homes, acute hospitals, shelters and other institutions, in the form of a 4 dollar per hour wage increase. 

We wholeheartedly agree that these workers (and all other frontline workers) deserve improved pay, but without paid sick days, wage premiums further pressure workers to go into work even when they’re unwell or symptomatic. This is in part because the financial loss of taking an unpaid sick day becomes significantly higher. The implementation of wage premiums without corresponding paid leave is a major gap in policy that could have a negative impact on the spread of COVID-19.

Moreover, as the province recognizes the essential nature of “frontline heroes”, it’s time for Ontario to recognize that decent pay should be a permanent measure, not a temporary one. 

Government officials are lamenting that there is no playbook for dealing with this crisis. But researchers, workers, and advocates are responding: for decades we have been vocal about flaws in public health and labour policy that put the health of precarious workers and patients at greater risk. Lives could have been saved if government officials had listened.

For example, following the SARS outbreak, a U.S. study warned that low wages and a lack of paid sick days led to a spread of the virus, but in 2018, the Ford government scrapped paid sick days and halted the move towards a $15 minimum wage. Shockingly, government officials have yet to address the issue of paid sick days as part of their COVID-19  response. 

Together with your help, we have been working tirelessly to send a unified message about measures needed to keep workers and patients safe during this crisis. Our demands are clear:

• We need at least 7 permanent paid emergency days and an additional 14 paid days during public health emergencies like the COVID-19 crisis. 
• All workers deserve decent pay and safe and healthy workplaces on a permanent basis.

Next Meeting: May 12, 7pm

Our organizing meetings will resume virtually. Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, May 12th, online from 7-8:30pm with the broader Fight for $15 and Fairness Campaign. RSVP here to receive the access link closer to the date. You can also join the facebook event here.

In Case you Missed it

The government says we are heroes, but we are the most vulnerable. If cleaners are heroes then give them the rights they deserve, and give it to them permanently,” Zaragoza said.

Share the article and graphic on Twitter here.

“Tina Dagnall, a nurses’ aide, says that the municipally-run nursing home she works at in Port Hope had just come out of flu season when the pandemic hit. The stress and anxiety haven’t let up. She says some staff are afraid of passing the virus to their children, "but many don’t have a choice” but to continue working.

Share the quote and article on Twitter here.

Thank you for your support for decent work for all and we hope to connect with many of you at the upcoming meeting.

- The Decent Work and Health Network team