MEDIA ADVISORY: Toronto hospital workers rally on July 13 - Workers call on Unity Health CEO to push back against Ford’s healthcare privatization plan

TORONTO, ON, July 10, 2023 – On July 13, Toronto hospital workers, including frontline nurses, medical laboratory technologists, health care aides, cleaners, clerical staff and many more, will be holding city-wide rallies to protest against the privatization of hospital services.

The unionized health workers will be calling on Unity Health Toronto Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Tim Ruttledge, to push back against the Ford government’s plan to contract out hospital surgeries and diagnostic procedures to private clinics. Unity Health Toronto oversees three of the city’s major hospitals: St. Joseph’s Health Centre, St. Michael’s Hospital, and Providence Healthcare.

The healthcare workers represented by the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA), CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU/CUPE), and Unifor, will be presenting to hospital executives a petition signed by over 4,000 hospital staff. The petition demands a firm commitment from the Unity Health CEO and leadership to defend public healthcare delivery and fight against all attempts to privatize the system.

This is the fifth instance of such rallies being organized across the province by a coalition of Ontario’s five largest healthcare unions, including the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/SEFPO) and Service Employees International Union (SEIU Healthcare). The unions warn that the Ford government’s plan to privatize hospital services, and bring in investor-led clinics to perform these services, will irreparably damage Ontario’s public healthcare system, increase wait times and worsen the already-dire staffing crisis.

WHAT: Picket and rally at Unity Health Toronto hospitals to stop privatization of hospital services

WHO: Local and provincial leaders of ONA, CUPE, Unifor, and front-line healthcare workers

WHEN: Thursday, July 13, 2023

WHERE:

Providence Healthcare
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Address: 3276 St. Clair Ave. East, Scarborough (sidewalk in front of Providence on St. Clair Ave.)

St. Joseph’s Health Centre
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Address: 30 The Queensway, Toronto (sidewalk at the corner of Queensway and Sunnyside Ave.)

St. Michael’s Hospital
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Address: 30 Bond St., Toronto (sidewalk at the corner of Queen St. and Victoria St.)

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For more information: 

Sheree Bond, ONA, shereeb@ona.org

Zaid Noorsumar, CUPE/OCHU, znoorsumar@cupe.ca

Kelsea Mahabir, OPSEU/SEFPO, opseucommunications@opseu.org

Corey Johnson, SEIU Healthcare, c.johnson@seiuhealthcare.ca

Hamid Osman, Unifor, Hamid.Osman@unifor.org