“Why are we excluded?” CUPE personal support workers to rally to be treated like every other profession in Ontario

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Postmedia has not reviewed the content. by Business Wire "Why are we excluded?" CUPE personal support workers to rally to be treated like every other profession in OntarioAuthor of the article:Rally to be held at Ministry of Health office in Toronto on Tuesday at noonTHIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountTORONTO — Personal support workers have been often treated as lesser workers in the health care system – often by management, and certainly by the government.The Ford administration’s new regulatory body for PSWs are only reinforcing those sentiments, according to Tera Engley, a PSW and the President of CUPE Local132.One of the fundamental problems with the Health and Supportive Care Providers Oversight Authority (HSCPOA) is the absence of PSWs on its board of directors, says Engley, who has been working as a PSW for 21 years.“PSWs are an integral part of our health care system and deserve to be treated with the same respect and dignity as other health care professionals,” she says. “Our peers in the health care sector – doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists – all have elected representation enabling them to have a real say in the future of their professions. Why are PSWs being excluded?”Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againSharon Richer, Secretary-Treasurer of CUPE’s hospital division (Ontario Council of Hospital Unions), says that the provincial government must demonstrate real respect for PSWs, who are predominantly women and increasingly racialized.“Personal support workers are stunned to be denied the same rights to representation and due process as every other regulated profession in Ontario. Given the gendered, racialized composition of the workforce, this model is tone deaf and completely unfair” she says. “For Ontario to address the PSW shortage, the Ford government must ensure that these workers have the rights enjoyed by every other regulated professional, in addition to fair compensation and decent working conditions.”HSCPOA’s registration is currently voluntary, but some employers are making employment contingent on signing up, sparking anxieties among many workers who have no intention of signing up for a body that disrespects them, says Debra Maxfield, chair of CUPE Ontario’s Health Care Workers Coordinating Committee (HCWCC).“If the government is going to regulate PSWs and maintain a registry, the framework should be fair, transparent, protect workers and provide PSWs with a meaningful voice in the system that regulates them,” Maxfield says. “Without those guarantees, PSWs feel like they are being coerced into a registry that will do more harm than good.”The government has made some positive changes to HSCPOA since the body’s conception in 2021, acknowledges Maxfield. But the pace of change has been slow. Five years later, PSWs are still demanding a fair system. Hence, the upcoming rally on Tuesday at the ministry’s office.Personal Support Workers Represented by CUPETera Engley, PSW and President of CUPE 132Sharon Richer, Secretary-Treasurer of Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU-CUPE)Debra Maxfield, Chair of CUPE Ontario’s Health Care Workers Coordinating Committee (HCWCC)PSW rally for fair regulationsMinistry of Health, 777 Bay St., TorontoTuesday, September 22, 2026View source version on businesswire.com: For more information, please contact: CUPE Communications RepresentativeThis advertisement has not loaded yet.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.