CUPE is celebrating the work of its thousands of members in health care support roles across Manitoba. The Manitoba Government officially proclaimed October 18 as Health Care Support Workers’ Day.
“Health care support workers are the pillars of our health care system,” stated Gina McKay, President of CUPE Manitoba. “They keep our health care system running, despite the government’s inability to provide adequate support to frontline health care workers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic”.
“Despite working short-staffed, health care support workers in Manitoba have been doing everything possible to care for the community”, said Debbie Boissonneault, President of CUPE 204, representing facility and community support workers in the WRHA and Shared Health. “We call on the government to recognize our work by providing enough resources for us to do it effectively, and while we recently achieved a new agreement, we know more needs to be done”.
“Health care support workers are often unrecognized in their day-to-day work ,” said Holly Chaperon, President of CUPE 4270, representing facility and community support workers in Southern Health – Sante Sud. “We know who the Doctors and Nurses are, and how important their roles are in our lives. But, do you know who the support workers are? Support staff work tirelessly every single day, and deserve to be acknowledged.”
“From Nunavut to the US border, Manitoba’s health care support workers deserve recognition and respect,” said Christine Lussier, President of CUPE 8600, representing facility and community support workers in the Northern Regional Health Authority. “It has been a difficult time for staff, especially in the North where we are working incredibly short-staffed every single day, but health care support workers in the NRHA continue to keep our community healthy”.
“Health care support workers who work in private personal care homes are working tirelessly to provide support to residents,” said Daniel Richards, Chair of the CUPE Manitoba Private Personal Care Home Committee. “These workers are also working short-staffed, and continue to call on the government to legislate mandatory minimum staffing requirements in care homes”.
Read the full declaration (English)
Read the full declaration (French)
The Canadian Union of Public Employees is Canada’s largest union representing more than 643,000 members. In Manitoba, CUPE represents approximately 37,000 members working in health care facilities, personal care homes, school divisions, municipal services, social services, child care centres, public utilities, libraries and family emergency services. CUPE Health care locals include CUPE 204, CUPE 500, CUPE 4270, and CUPE 8600.