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CBS News
08-07-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Health care workers in Stillwater begin 4-day unfair labor practice strike
Health care workers in Stillwater, Minnesota, kicked off a four-day unfair labor practice strike Monday. Over 80 workers across multiple departments of the HealthPartners Stillwater Medical Group are represented by SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa. Ninety-nine percent of the workers voted to strike if a deal could not be reached. Workers began a picket in front of the HealthPartners Clinic Stillwater facility at 7 a.m. The picket line will be followed by a rally at noon. The union says both sides have met seven times, but "remain apart on key issues like wages and benefits for their longtime employees." The group striking includes nurses, medical assistants and other service-unit health care positions. HealthPartners released a statement to WCCO. "Our colleagues represented by SEIU Healthcare are a valuable part of our team," the statement said. "While we are disappointed by the union's decision to move forward with the strike, we will focus on working toward a fair and financially responsible agreement. Our patients will continue to receive excellent care and service from us throughout this work stoppage." Last week, Twin Cities nurses reached a tentative deal with several Twin Cities health care providers to avert a strike after months of bargaining. This is a developing story and will be updated.
Hamilton Spectator
07-07-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
Demonstrators decry cuts to UCC hours in Fort Erie
Dozens of people rallied in Fort Erie Friday to protest Niagara Health's temporary cuts that have left urgent care centres in that town and Port Colborne with fewer hours. Organized by Fort Erie SOS Yellow Shirt Brigade and SEIU Healthcare, the demonstration brought together residents, health-care workers, union leaders and area politicians who say the local hospital system is failing the region's most vulnerable residents, and in tourist-heavy communities. Niagara Health last month announced the Fort Erie UCC would be closed Fridays and the Port Colborne UCC Saturdays throughout July and August as a result of ongoing staff shortages. Both are open the other six days of the week 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. However, the Fort Erie UCC will be closed Aug. 1-4 of the civic holiday weekend, and the UCC in Port Colborne will be closed Aug. 30 to Sept. 1 of the Labour Day weekend. Among people present for the rally outside Niagara Health's Douglas Memorial site were Fort Erie Mayor Wayne Redekop and Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates, who both expressed frustration over what they described as a health-care model that ignores community needs. Gates said he spoke with Premier Doug Ford about the issue a day earlier. 'The No. 1 issue in Niagara is health care,' he said. 'Premier Ford has to get involved. Our goal is to make sure we're representing the constituents that we represent.' Residents shared personal experiences that underscored the critical role the two UCCs have played. Louise Bain, a Port Colborne resident, said urgent care access helped her manage care for her husband who had a form of muscular dystrophy. 'He was there for five days and saved my sanity,' she said. 'It really did.' Bain said she could not understand how the province could allow closures during the summer, when tourists flock to the Lake Erie shore. 'It doesn't make sense.' Janet Chassman, a Fort Erie resident, recalled waiting with her wife at Niagara Falls hospital for hours after she broke her arm during a winter storm. 'She was in the emergency bay for hours and hours before they even brought her in,' she said. 'They said, 'Come back tomorrow.' The same people from the night before were all back there the next day.' Holly Hillard, a representative of SEIU Healthcare, accused Niagara Health of acting without warning or collaboration. 'Management at Niagara Health gave our union 45 minutes' notice before the weekend closures,' she told the crowd. 'There was no consultation, no planning, workers were left to scramble.' Ron Walker, a Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 4207 member from Welland, said the hospital system's fixation on 'centres of excellence' is coming at the expense of rural communities. 'There's no reason that we can't have both, centres of excellence and accessibility,' he said. 'What's the point of great care if you can't access it?' The rally came as calls for stronger oversight and leadership have grown in recent weeks. Fort Erie Ward 5 Coun. Tom Lewis presented a motion for the town to withhold its $3-million local share contribution to the new south Niagara Falls hospital until a resolution is met, which was approved by council June 23. Niagara Health responded to the motion in a statement, saying the funding is a one-time community contribution required by the Ministry of Health to help fund the bricks-and-mortar construction of the new hospital. It said 'backtracking on that now sends the wrong message to the province and other partners.' 'Any shortfall increases pressure on the hospital to reallocate funds that should go toward patient care.' To end Friday's rally, Yellow Shirt Brigade member Joy Russell delivered a message directed at provincial and federal leaders. 'Douglas Memorial and the Port Colborne hospital were built for their communities by the work and donations from the community, now look what we have here.' Organizers are now turning to Port Colborne, where a rally is scheduled outside the urgent care centre Saturday at 11 a.m. Gates said the fight isn't over. 'As you can see, the community's on board, you can tell by the cars going by, beeping and waving,' he said motioning to the crowd. 'They know the No. 1 issue in Niagara is health care, and I know I've always said working together is how you win.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
KILL A WORKER, GO TO JAIL; UNION SAYS FINES NOT ENOUGH FOR THOSE INVOLVED IN DEATH OF PERSONAL SUPPORT WORKER
RICHMOND HILL, ON, June 16, 2025 /CNW/ - The Ontario Court of Justice has found New Leaf: Living and Learning Together Inc., an organization that provides support for adults with developmental disabilities and/or other complex needs, guilty of multiple violations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), in connection with the preventable death of 50-year-old Personal Support Worker Ashiru Awoyemi, who drowned while supervising a client alone at New Leaf's swimming pool, with no lifeguard present, in February 2021. Despite the guilty verdict, nobody involved will face jail time. Instead, New Leaf and one of the managers involved in the tragedy will face fines totalling $255,000, which are payable over a ten-year period and will mostly go to the Ministry of Finance, not Mr. Awoyemi's family. SEIU Healthcare, the union representing Ashiru and other workers at New Leaf, says the verdict confirmed that this was a preventable tragedy and that the weak sentence will not send the much-needed message that unsafe working conditions will be met with real consequence. "$255,000. That's the price our justice system is putting on the life of a care worker," said SEIU Healthcare President Tyler Downey. "The neglect by New Leaf led to the death of a father and husband who went to work that day so he could provide to his family in Nigeria and reach his dream of bringing them to Canada. Instead, his life was stolen, and his families' dreams were shattered. These weak fines are not justice and won't prevent more tragedies in the future. If you kill a worker, you should go to jail." SOURCE SEIU Healthcare View original content to download multimedia: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Cision Canada
16-06-2025
- Cision Canada
KILL A WORKER, GO TO JAIL; UNION SAYS FINES NOT ENOUGH FOR THOSE INVOLVED IN DEATH OF PERSONAL SUPPORT WORKER
RICHMOND HILL, ON, June 16, 2025 /CNW/ - The Ontario Court of Justice has found New Leaf: Living and Learning Together Inc., an organization that provides support for adults with developmental disabilities and/or other complex needs, guilty of multiple violations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), in connection with the preventable death of 50-year-old Personal Support Worker Ashiru Awoyemi, who drowned while supervising a client alone at New Leaf's swimming pool, with no lifeguard present, in February 2021. Despite the guilty verdict, nobody involved will face jail time. Instead, New Leaf and one of the managers involved in the tragedy will face fines totalling $255,000, which are payable over a ten-year period and will mostly go to the Ministry of Finance, not Mr. Awoyemi's family. SEIU Healthcare, the union representing Ashiru and other workers at New Leaf, says the verdict confirmed that this was a preventable tragedy and that the weak sentence will not send the much-needed message that unsafe working conditions will be met with real consequence. "$255,000. That's the price our justice system is putting on the life of a care worker," said SEIU Healthcare President Tyler Downey. "The neglect by New Leaf led to the death of a father and husband who went to work that day so he could provide to his family in Nigeria and reach his dream of bringing them to Canada. Instead, his life was stolen, and his families' dreams were shattered. These weak fines are not justice and won't prevent more tragedies in the future. If you kill a worker, you should go to jail."
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Health care providers gather in Dunmore to lament Medicaid cuts
Health care advocates assembled Tuesday to express dismay over federal Medicaid funding cuts in the works. Around two dozen nursing home caregivers, providers and health care advocates gathered on a rainy morning under a gazebo behind Dunmore Health Care Center, 1000 Mill St., Dunmore, to present deep concerns around the cuts and to remind U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan, R-8, Dallas Twp., to 'do the right thing' by voting against cuts that would disproportionally affect Northeast Pennsylvania. Matt Yarnell, the president of SEIU Healthcare, a statewide health care union, addressed a wide range of frustrations amid a bevy of statistics. * Certified Nursing Assistant Lucy Hurst speaks to a crowd outside of the Dunmore Health Care Center Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) * Nursing Home Administrator for the Saber Healthcare Group Lori Steeves speaks to the media outside of the Dunmore Health Care Center Tuesday. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) * Union members and healthcare professionals gather to rally against proposed Medicaid cuts outside of Dunmore Health Care Center Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Show Caption 1 of 3 Certified Nursing Assistant Lucy Hurst speaks to a crowd outside of the Dunmore Health Care Center Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Expand 'Medicaid cuts could result in a loss of $3.4 billion in funding to our state annually, ripping health care coverage from vulnerable Pennsylvanians, and causing the closure of nursing homes, of home care services and rural hospitals, and other essential programs across the commonwealth,' Yarnell said. 'At a time when the state's population is older, sicker and needs more care than ever before, the last thing we need is funding cuts.' Yarnell shared a barrage of facts and figures, including that 78% of all Medicaid spending goes toward senior care, and 63% of nursing home funding comes from Medicaid, providing care for 67,000 Pennsylvanians. Additionally, he stated that 208,000 residents in the 8th Congressional District rely on Medicaid, with at least 25% of residents in the district under the age of 65 depending on Medicaid. 'This is a matter of life and death,' he said. Lori Steeves, a nursing home administrator with Saber Healthcare Group, said nursing homes are already 'hanging on by a thread' due to under-funding. 'We are constantly forced to make hard choices, while we work to ensure safe staffing for our residents and the recruitment and retention of employees,' Steeves explained. 'There is zero excess or wiggle room for Pennsylvania nursing homes.' Over the past five years, 30 nursing homes have closed across Pennsylvania, with two in the last 12 months locally, Steeves said, explaining that closures cause 'havoc and chaos,' and accentuating the difficulties family members, communities, residents and staff of facilities face. 'These jobs are tough, physically, mentally and emotionally,' Steeves said. 'It takes a special kind of person to work in a nursing home, so it is very challenging to find and keep staff at a time when our state's population is older and sicker than ever before in history,' she added, explaining that nursing homes need more funding resources and support to meet these kinds of challenges than previously. Steeves also addressed Bresnahan directly. 'The nursing home providers of Pennsylvania want to send this message,' she said to the congressman. 'We have been inspired by your courage to stand up for Medicaid funding for your district and for all Americans. We are calling on you, urging you in the strongest way possible to stay the course, vote down these catastrophic cuts. Continue standing up for seniors, people with disabilities, small businesses, and the future health and economic prosperity for Northeastern Pennsylvania.' Lucy Hurst, the union president at Dunmore Health Care Center and a nursing assistant for 'almost 50 years,' cited 'the terrible Medicaid cut' and shared enthusiasm for her work and the people she helps. 'I love my residents,' she said. 'We go above and beyond for them. This is their home.' Hurst explained that her sister lives in a care facility in Wilkes-Barre. 'I can't imagine telling her, 'You have to leave,'' Hurst said, adding that moving residents out of care due to funding cuts would be detrimental. 'The sad thing is, they're gonna die. … It makes me angry, really angry, that politicians are treating seniors and their loved ones with disabilities like they don't have any value to their life. It's all about greed,' Hurst said. Yarnell ended the gathering by asking anyone listening to make a phone call to their representatives. He added that 'fraud and abuse' are not relevant arguments for the actions of Congress. 'This program is a very regulated program. It's very hard for people to get on Medicaid,' Yarnell said. 'We live in the richest country on the planet. The last thing that anybody, elected president or Congress, should be doing right now is figuring out how to transfer more to the wealthiest people in this country and leaving the rest of us behind.'
