Health-care workers in Unity are calling on the public to support them as they push for fair wages, safe staffing levels and recognition of their contributions to the system.
Jessica Raycraft, a licensed practical nurse at the Unity Health Centre and member of SEIU-West, said employees will be holding an information picket on Sept. 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Co-op service station in Unity.
“We are holding an information picket to provide the public with details in support of a fair collective agreement for health-care providers,” Raycraft said. “These include housekeepers, care aides, licensed practitioners, lab staff and kitchen staff.”
She said the goal is to raise awareness in the community about the many roles SEIU-West members play and to give residents a chance to meet the people who keep the health system running.
“We want to have staff available so people can come and ask us questions about what we do, and so we can share our contributions to the health-care field,” she said. “It’s important for people to see the faces of their health-care system and hear our stories about the struggles on the front line.”
Raycraft said staff have been working without a contract for more than two years and many are struggling to keep up with cost of living.
“When I started in health care 10 years ago as an LPN, the wage was strong. I was able to support my family of four without worry,” she said. “Now, I have to pick up at least two overtime shifts a month to cover my bills.”
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She added that support staff such as care aides, laundry, and housekeeping workers have seen even smaller increases over the past decade.
“When I began as a care aide, I made $20 an hour as a student. The maximum wage at the time was $22,” she said. “Today, the maximum wage is $24 an hour. That’s only a $2 increase in 10 years.”
Raycraft said chronic understaffing has left many employees burnt out and working excessive overtime.
“It’s not uncommon for care aides and LPNs to be working 16-hour days, four, five or even six days in a row,” she said. “We’re so short-staffed that people are burning out.”
She said the public often doesn’t see the teamwork required across departments to keep residents cared for and facilities running.
“The way I explain it is if one cog in the wheel isn’t working, the entire day falls apart,” Raycraft said. “If housekeeping isn’t able to clean rooms, my care aides can’t provide baths. If laundry isn’t done, beds can’t be made. We all rely on each other to do our jobs.”
Despite the challenges, Raycraft said she and her colleagues remain committed to their residents.
“Our residents become like family to us,” she said. “I bring my kids in on holidays to visit, and when residents pass away, we grieve with their families.”
She said the rally is also a chance for community members to learn more about healthcare careers, the union’s role, and the struggles frontline workers face.