The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is taking steps to alleviate a staffing problem that has developed at Riverview Gardens’ the municipality’s long-term care facility.
“We have had difficulty attracting and retaining personal support workers and we have been in discussion with Unifor regarding both short and long term solutions to the issue,” said Chatham-Kent Chief Human Resources Officer Cathy Hoffman in a press release.
“There has been a decline in the number of students entering PSW programs and that, coupled with normal turnover, has left us with fewer workers than we would like to have.”
She said in the media release that residents’ care and safety hasn’t been compromised, however, lower-than-desired staffing levels have led to decreased flexibility in scheduling.
Hoffman said she couldn’t comment on issues regarding individual employees and declined to discuss specific solutions being brought forward until administration and Unifor have had a chance to finalize some details and share them with their staff
“Both management and the union want to develop a way to better identify and keep workers,” she said. “We had some excellent discussions last week and we’re optimistic about the outcome. Both parties are genuinely committed to finding lasting solutions.”
Municipal officials say there are approximately 149 personal support workers at the facility which has 320 residents.
An information picket was held on Sunday outside of the 519 King Street West facility.
Becky Kitchen, a personal support worker and the Unifor union chair at the facility, said employees are not getting the vacation they are asking for at the municipally-run facility.
“The reason we are here today is to bring attention to the labour issue,” Kitchen told the Sydenham Current on Sunday, April 2.
“The lack of the vacation entitlement that is given to us through our collective agreement. Vacation is being denied by management.”
Here is our original story: ‘Vacation is being denied’ at Riverview Gardens
– Photo credit: Tami Eagen
