MEDIA ADVISORY - March 25: Quality of Care Town Hall for residents and staff of Aspira Kingsmere Retirement Living in Alliston, Ontario

TORONTO, March 22, 2024 /CNW/ - The Local Executive of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 332, which represents the staff of Aspira Kingsmere Retirement Living in Alliston Ontario, is hosting a Quality of Care Town Hall for Kingsmere residents, families, staff and concerned community members on March 25^th at 11:30 a.m.

Participants at the town hall meeting and roast beef lunch will have an opportunity to share their experiences and their concerns about how the quality of care at Kingsmere Retirement Living (owned by Sienna Senior Living) is affected by staffing shortages.

Date:                     Tuesday, March 25, 2024

Time:                    11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Location:             New Tecumseth Recreation Centre, 7300 Industrial Parkway, Alliston, Ontario

Special guest speakers:

• Natalie Mehra, Executive Director of the Ontario Health Coalition (OHC)
• Sara Labelle, OPSEU/SEFPO Regional Vice President, and OHC Board Member

Background information:
Sienna Senior Living charges Kingsmere residents thousands of dollars every month, but pays many of the PSWs, nurses, dietary workers, housekeepers, concierges and activity assistants who care for them less than a living wage. This results in staffing shortages at Kingsmere.

The pandemic showed everyone in Ontario that the way retirement homes do business has to change – cutting corners and understaffing is deadly.

Kingsmere staff represented by OPSEU/SEFPO Local 332 are in bargaining right now for their next contract. They are focused on bargaining a contract that ensures better care for Kingsmere residents, and living wages and better working conditions for Kingsmere staff.

SOURCE Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/SEFPO)