Some disabled residents at Winnipeg facility without care as health-care aides begin strike

March 6, 2024 Canuck

Workers at a Winnipeg non-profit health-care facility that houses people who live with physical disabilities hit the picket line Wednesday to strike for higher pay, leaving some residents without their regular care.

About 160 workers with Ten Ten Sinclair Housing — which provides care to 100 residents in seven facilities across the city — went on strike at midnight Wednesday, saying they haven’t got a fair collective agreement from the non-profit.

The workers are mostly health-care aides represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees of Manitoba. The union says the strike is the largest in Manitoba’s health-care system in more than a decade.

Talks for a new deal were unsuccessful before the union’s strike deadline at the end of Tuesday. The union says its members have had wage increases of less than two per cent since 2016.

Lori Ross, a resident at Ten Ten Sinclair’s Fokus Housing outlet for people living with physical disabilities, says her sister has come to help care for her since the strike began, but she’s also been going door-to-door at the 15-unit facility to assist others.

“She’s had to help people empty their leg bags, take their meds, get something to eat,” Ross told CBC News Wednesday.

“These are people who are normally independent, and because the staff is not here, they’re stuck in bed, lying in their own feces.”

Some residents without services: Ten Ten Sinclair ED

Ross says both the union and management dropped the ball, as she’s never seen the facility left with no staff attending to residents in the 40 years she’s lived there.

“There should have been arrangements made that you have at least a rotating shift that was coming in and out,” she said.

“Instead, they have zero bodies. Zero, and I have never heard of that.”

Gina McKay, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees of Manitoba, says the workers have been asking for higher wages amid inflation and passed a strike vote in September 2023.

She said Ten Ten Sinclair is responsible for finding care for its residents while the regular staff are on strike.

“It’s up to the employer to find those solutions,” McKay told CBC News at the picket line Wednesday.

A woman is pictured speaking with a group of striking workers gathered behind her. — Gina McKay, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees of Manitoba, says some residents have stepped outside to show their support for the workers, but management is now responsible to find care for residents during the strike. (Justin Fraser/CBC)

Debbie Van Ettinger, executive director of Ten Ten Sinclair Housing, told CBC News that the non-profit is disappointed about its workers going on strike and will continue to negotiate with the union to reach a solution as soon as possible.

“It is the case that there are people right now without services and the WRHA is helping us pull that together,” Van Ettinger said.

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority provides operating funding to Ten Ten Sinclair, which includes funding for wages.

A WRHA spokesperson said Ten Ten Sinclair is solely responsible for bargaining with the union of its workers, in a Wednesday statement to CBC News.

The authority will work with Ten Ten Sinclair leadership once an agreement is reached to understand the financial requirements and their management plan.

“What is most important to us right now is that the clients of Ten Ten Sinclair are being cared for,” the spokesperson said.

‘Much more than workers’

Community leadership from the WRHA has also been on site at Ten Ten Sinclair on Wednesday and is working with its leadership to make sure the non-profit can continue to provide services to its residents.

“This includes actively identifying Winnipeg Health Region staff who have the appropriate training to fill shifts for Ten Ten Sinclair wherever possible.”

Cameron Cole, a resident at Ten Ten Sinclair, was outside of the facility Wednesday to show his support for the striking workers.

He says the workers deserve higher pay for the work that they do.

“I’m proud to say that they’re in my life and supporting me,” he said.

“They’re much more than workers.”