OPSEU saw few layoffs in Oshawa

By Chris Jones/The Oshawa Express

Oshawa has been largely spared as massive layoffs rock the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) in the wake of the pandemic.

One union official says layoffs haven’t been as “widespread” in Oshawa because a majority of the city’s OPSEU members are essential workers. OPSEU has seen 5,000 layoffs province wide, with only a little more than 100 being in Oshawa.

“The layoffs in Oshawa haven’t been as widespread as other communities – largely because a large portion of OPSEU members in Oshawa are essential workers, and have been working hard to deliver services to the people of Oshawa,” says Sara-Jane Labelle, OPSEU chair health professionals division,.

“More layoffs may come down the road with university and colleges once we get closer to the start of the semester,” she adds.

She explains a lot of contracts with the postsecondary institutions were allowed to “naturally” expire in April, and while colleges and universities would usually hire people over the summer, they haven’t this year.

The fall may see even more layoffs and job losses at Durham College and Ontario Tech University if enrolment is down, she adds. But she also notes it could be the reverse as there may be a higher need as people retrain for a new career.

“The college and university aren’t sure what enrolment will look like in the fall with programs being offered online into the fall semester,” she explains.

She also says many Ontario Public Service ministries in Oshawa had already downsized prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Conservative government has been shrinking public services since getting elected,” she explains. “Healthcare was already operating in a lean capacity. There is nowhere to layoff without impacting programs and services.”

To Labelle there are several areas which could improve life around the province.

“It is clear from the past few months that a guaranteed basic income is possible and benefits society,” she says.

She also expects changes to come to the long-term care home system in Ontario after 14 residents lost their lives to COVID-19 at Oshawa’s Hillsdale Terraces, as well as other long-term care homes across the province.

“The homes need to be brought under public jurisdiction and regulated,” she believes. “Staff should be paid a decent wage with full-time hours and benefits in order to recruit and retain the skilled workers to care for our seniors.”

Labelle wants to see radical changes made to the Ontario long-term care home system.

“No more part-time, low wage, precarious work for the predominantly female, racialized workforce who are doing the heavy lifting in long-term care homes,” says Labelle.

She wants to see seniors living the last few years of their lives “in dignity” with the care they need.

Labelle, who works as a medical laboratory technologist at Lakeridge Health Oshawa, also hopes to see reforms at hospitals around the province, which have been consistently operating at over capacity.

“Our hospitals should always be running at 85 per cent occupancy or below so we have the ability to find beds for people in the event of a pandemic or seasonal flus,” she explains.

She doesn’t want to see Canadian hospitals reliant on other countries for personal protective equipment.

“Let’s refurbish manufacturing plants and get people back to work making medical grade supplies,” she says.

However, while she believes many areas are in need of a change after the COVID-19 pandemic, Labelle still sees hope.

“I am hopeful for our future as we have a once in a generation opportunity to build a society to benefit people,” she says.