ADVISORY - Premier Ford urged to stop rewarding pandemic profiteers while denying workers paid sick days

TORONTO, MAR 1, 2023 - Health professionals will hold a joint press conference with workers’ rights advocates and small business community leaders at Queen’s Park on Wednesday, March 1 at 9:00 AM ET. They will call on Premier Ford to stop rewarding pandemic profiteers for bad employment practices while denying workers permanent paid sick days.

Ontario’s COVID sick days under the Worker Income Protection Benefit (WIPB) has transferred a staggering $189 million to the same corporations who sent workers into the pandemic without any protection. This is in line with the Ford government’s devastating record of using public money as handouts for big corporations while leaving behind workers and our public healthcare system in shambles. 

At Wednesday’s press conference, community and health leaders will demand accountability and immediate action from the government to address the dual healthcare and cost-of-living crises.

What: Press conference and interview availability

Where: Queen’s Park Media Studio, Ontario Legislature

When: Wednesday, March 1 2023, 9:00am

Speakers:

• Deena Ladd, Executive Director of Workers' Action Centre
• Julie Chowdhury, former health worker without paid sick days
• Dr. Bernard Ho, emergency and family physician, member of Decent Work and Health Network
• Debra Slater, personal support worker, Coordinator of EMPOWER PSW Network
• Jess Carpinone, small business owner, member of Better Way Alliance

For more info and to arrange an interview contact:

Sarah Shahid
Coordinator, Decent Work & Health Network
[email protected]  | 514-415-4666

About the organizations:

The Decent Work and Health Network is a coalition of health providers advocating for improving working conditions to help protect and promote the health of our patients.

Workers’ Action Centre (WAC) is a worker-based organization whose members work in precarious jobs.

Empower PSW Network is a policy coalition network created by PSWs for PSWs to drive systemic change that results in better work conditions, ultimately improving care and outcomes for patients.

The Better Way Alliance is a group of business owners leading the way on ethical employment practices that develop more resilient and community-focused Main Streets across Canada.  

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