Welcome New Members!

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!

Over the last several years, our Organizing Team has been approached time and time again by workers in the healthcare sector. Working in healthcare is incredibly stressful whether we’re in a pandemic or not, and the employees are almost always short-staffed and underpaid. As a result, many continue to seek out Union representation to improve their working conditions using the strength of collective bargaining.

Our healthcare members at UFCW Locals 175 & 633 belong to the Health, Office, and Professional Employees (HOPE) Sector of the Union. This sector, divided into Community Care, and Long-Term/Retirement Care, has Reps dedicated to providing service to the members in healthcare workplaces.

Employees at the Waterford Grand Retirement Community residence in the Barrhaven neighbourhood of Ottawa vote Union Yes!

This facility is a brand new retirement home and has been open for just a short amount of time. Currently, about 46 members work at the Waterford Grand, but as residency reaches full capacity, it’s expected that about 115 unionized employees will work there.

UFCW Local 175 member Fawzia Mohamed, who is the Chief Steward at the Waterford Retirement Home, also located in Ottawa, reached out to the Union to let us know that the employees at the Barrhaven residence could benefit from belonging to the Union as well. Some of the reasons the employees gave for wanting Union representation with UFCW Local 175 were to achieve wage improvements, better benefits, job security, and overall enhanced working conditions.

Royal Henley Retirement Community employees join the Union

On October 28, 2021, the Organizing Team held a successful certification vote for more than 80 new members including full-time, part-time and casual workers at the Royal Henley Retirement Community in St. Catharines. The majority of the workforce at the Royal Henley consists of workers from the nursing department, including RPNs and PSWs. Additionally, there are workers in the Lifestyle, Housekeeping, Dietary and Kitchen departments that make up the rest of our newest members.

Prior to certification there were two Key workers responsible for the organizing campaign, which took approximately one month from start to finish. Throughout the campaign, the workers at the Royal Henley showed determination and commitment to achieving better wages, benefits, job security, health & safety, and working conditions. Even amidst a pandemic, these workers have chosen to fight for their rights to achieve a safe, secure, and healthy workplace.

Congratulations to all of our new members! Welcome to Your Union!

For providing the lead to a successful campaign, UFCW Local 175 member Fawzia (pictured here) received a prize as part of the Union’s incentive program. Find more information on how it works on page 13 of this issue of Checkout, or visit ufcw175.com/honorarium.