ICYMI: Updates and next steps from health worker organizing meeting
Published April 25, 2023by Matthew Pi
Health workers got together recently to discuss how to support the demands of patients in precarious work who are experiencing the ongoing crisis in healthcare while also navigating an unprecedented affordability crisis. I’m excited to share some notes from our strategy discussion below, as well as all the actions that health workers are taking against this government’s attacks on healthcare.
1. Profit-making worsens patient care
The Ford government has been weakening our healthcare system for years through cutting access to paid sick days, to wage-suppressing and understaffing health workers, to allowing for-profit clinics to deliver care while slashing the essential program that provided care access to uninsured folks.
When health care is focused on profit rather than care, people will suffer, especially those who are already marginalized. We saw during the pandemic how for-profit long-term care homes, who had worse working conditions, also consistently had higher death rates than public ones.
NEW: Read this backgrounder on what’s actually driving the crisis in healthcare
Combined, these policy decisions are a direct assault on the healthcare system and especially the recipients of care: our patients. Health workers have the power to create change. Let’s connect all the issues to work together and build a movement for healthcare for all.
2. Doug Ford’s cruel cuts to healthcare access for uninsured patients
Last month, Doug Ford announced that his government would be cutting healthcare to all uninsured patients in Ontario. Now, uninsured patients are facing tremendous costs to life-saving procedures. As Drs. Goel, Beder, and Redditt wrote in their opinion piece, this severely affects society’s most vulnerable populations and puts countless lives in danger. This cruel decision is just part of the ongoing series of attacks this government has done to prioritize profits over health. Healthcare workers and community service providers are fighting against Doug Ford’s cuts to healthcare for uninsured patients. Sign this petition here to join their call asking Premier Ford and Minister Sylvia Jones to reverse the cuts and reinstate the program.
3. Health Workers say #EnoughIsEnough
It is of the utmost importance that we show solidarity across sectors. Inspired by last fall’s successful education workers' strike, the Ontario Federation of Labor is calling for a province-wide day of action on June 3. A key demand is health care for all. That means, no profits in healthcare, 10 paid sick days and fair wages for all workers, and access to healthcare for uninsured people. It is absolutely crucial that we build a movement around healthcare and to build a broad contingent that addresses decent working issues for our colleagues and our patients.
In the next six weeks, health workers are organizing in their workplaces, communities, and neighbourhoods. If we want to build a movement for healthcare that puts patients over profits, we need all of us to be part of it. We are creating a toolkit that you can use to have conversations with your co-workers and community about June 3 day of action and the movement for healthcare!
| Book your organizing toolkit |
Here are some upcoming actions that you can participate in. Most importantly, if none of these dates, times, or locations work for you, let’s plan something together! If you want to organize your own outreach please get in touch with us.
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