“Healthcare workers rely on an engaged and stable workforce to help them in their jobs, and this decision also better protects support service workers in their positions,” Premier John Horgan said. “Previous government actions have cut health care wages, cut jobs they relied on and created a chain reaction of layoffs that has disproportionately affected women – the largest such layoffs in the world. history of Canada. Almost 20 years later, we are still living with the aftermath of those choices, with workers being paid less to do the same job as their colleagues in the public system. It’s time to put an end to it. »

The move will improve wages, working conditions, job security and stability for around 4,000 workers who depend on their jobs and the countless patients they help every day, according to the government. It will also help the government attract people interested in joining the job market, he said.

The movement began with Bill 47 or the Health Sector Laws Repeal Act, which came into force by regulation on July 1, 2019. Bill 47 repealed the Health Sector Laws Repeal Act. improvement in the delivery of health and social services (Bill 29) and the Act respecting partnership agreements in the health sector (Bill 94), which facilitated contracting out in the healthcare sector. health and caused significant impacts on the workforce.

More than seven in ten nurses (71%) in Ontario reported experiencing a job-related breaking point at the end of 2020, according to a report from the Association of Licensed Practical Nurses of Ontario (WeRPN) published in January.

Stakeholders

The announcement received positive responses from stakeholders.