Members of CUPE Local 1182 held an Information Picket at a highly visible and busy intersection, that happens to be in front of their place of employment: Extendicare York. “To put more pressure on to the government and onto the employer to bargain appropriately,” said Jason Harasymchuk, a member of the union’s bargaining committee. More than 200 members work at the private 288 bed long-term care home on York Street at Regent Street in Greater Sudbury. They work as practical nurses, personal support workers, in the maintenance department and in the kitchen. The previous contract expired Dec. 31, 2025. Despite having worked without a contract for more than seven months, no new bargaining dates have been scheduled. “Workers are dedicated to their job and to the people that they serve and work for. And they deserve respect, they deserve to have a process that is quick, not drawn out. They deserve to be respected,” said CUPE Ontario Secretary Treasurer Dawn Bellerose. She travelled to Sudbury from Markham to be a part of the event. In an email to CTV News, Extendicare said it’s “fully committed to meaningful negotiations and continues to work diligently with our union partners throughout this ongoing negotiation.” CUPE Local 1182 is one of eight locals across Ontario participating in central table bargaining with Extendicare. “This coordinated bargaining has set the pattern for long-term care wages and benefits in Ontario. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to improve the conditions for workers in long-term care and retirement homes across the province,” a CUPE said in a news release. “Our negotiations set the standard for Long-Term Care workers across the province,” said Sheena Bracken, Local 1182 president. “Long term care workers shouldn’t have to wait for a fair deal.” Among the issues, the group wants to see an increase in wages – comparable to those at not-for-profits. “We still don’t get paid as much as some of the other places like the hospital (Health Sciences North) and Pioneer Manor, the municipal home in Sudbury,” said Harasymchuk said. “We do have issues that way. People would much rather work where they get paid more.” In Ontario, health care workers don’t have the right to strike. When parties can’t reach a new negotiated contract arbitration is imposed. Previous negotiations are often used to guide the process. “This process has created a significant backlog in the long-term care sector, with some employers negotiating agreements that expire before they are even signed,” the CUPE news release said. On hand for the information picket was Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas, who is also the Health Critic for the provincial New Democrats. She said profits for the private provider have come at the expense of workers. “They care for people just as much in a not-for-profit than they do in a for-profit. But the number one goal of a for-profit long-term care is to make money for the shareholders. The number one goal for not-for-profit is to provide high quality care,” Gélinas said. Last year Extendicare posted $96.6 million in profits for shareholders. The Ministry of Long-Term Care does not own or operate long term care homes and told CTV News it is not a party to labour negotiations, saying “collective bargaining is a matter between the union and the employer.” “We have continued to maintain the four hours of direct care for residents per day in long term care homes across the province while investing $1.92 billion each year to support our nurses, personal support workers and allied health professionals in long term care homes,” a Ministry spokesperson said in an email to CTV News. “This is in addition to our action to make the PSW wage enhancement permanent and combined over $5 billion we are investing to retain and attract more nurses and PSWs to the long-term care sector.”
