Ottawa workers protest Perley Health job cuts

Workers Protest Layoffs at Perley Health Long-Term Care Home

Workers at Ottawa’s Perley Health long-term care home held a demonstration outside the Russell Road facility on Wednesday to protest planned layoffs.

The long-term care home, previously known as The Perley and Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre, has informed the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) that its planned “staffing adjustments” will include 39 unionized and 13 non-unionized positions. This represents about six percent of its workforce.

Perley Health’s director of communications, Jay Innes, stated in an email to CBC on Tuesday, “The core nursing and personal care model at Perley Health remains unchanged, and we continue to meet all provincial requirements for staffing and quality of care.”

Innes added that all affected employees have been notified.

He explained, “The unionized roles being eliminated are part of a float and replacement pool and are being managed through a structured redeployment process in collaboration with CUPE. Our shared goal is to minimize job loss as much as possible.”

The union indicated that the cuts will impact personal support workers (PSWs), as well as housekeeping and kitchen staff.

Patty Lowe, a personal support worker at Perley Health and head of the union’s local branch, expressed concern that the quality of care could decline due to the job cuts.

Some demonstrators outside Perley Health on Wednesday shared worries that the layoffs might lower the standard of care for residents of the 450-bed facility.

Lowe noted that many residents require assistance with tasks such as feeding and getting in and out of bed. She said, “We’re dealing with human beings. It’s a huge factor … and having the additional residents for a PSW, it’s not good, it’s just not good.”

Amanda Jiron, another PSW at Perley Health, agreed with Lowe’s concerns. She stated, “It’s heartbreaking. It’s something that shouldn’t be happening. They’re human beings and care is a basic human right — it should not be rushed. It’s already challenging as it is.”

The facility reported that there has been no change to its funding, except for the loss of additional money received during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of October, over 1,200 people were on a wait-list to move into the facility.

The Ontario government stated it is making “record investments” in health care, including long-term care, but noted that staffing is the responsibility of individual operators.