Maples care home staff demand more staff, better pay

More than 100 workers of a Winnipeg long-term carehome formed a picket line on Wednesday evening, saying they are being overworked and underpaid.

The workers, represented by CUPE Local 2719, heldthe information picket outside Maples Long-Term Care Centre to demand wage parity and improved staffing levels.

"The reason why we're walking is that we want to get more staff, more manpower to provide quality care to the residents," said Virginia Monton, the union local's president.

The union represents 130 employees at the care home, including health-care aides, dietary aides and kitchen staff.

Monton said there should be eight residents for each health-care aide, but she added that it's not the case at the Maples centre.

"Ten residents per one health-care aide, and on nights we are dealing with 20 residents for one health-care aide," she said.

Shannon, whose mother has been living at the Maples centre for several months, said she has been happy with the level of care there but agreed the work can be thankless.

"It's not an easy job by any means, and it just seems like a lot of the time they seem to be short-staffedI think they need more people to be helping them out," said Shannon, who did not want her last name published.

In a statement emailed to CBC News, an official with Revera, which runs the Maples care home, said it has been in collective agreement negotiations for some time, and the company believes its latest offer is "fair, competitive and reasonable."

"We are in compliance with care and staffing levels mandated by the government and the regional health authority, and since assuming ownership of the home in 2005, employee wages have risen by approximately 35 per cent," the statement reads in part.

Both parties are expected to meet with a provincial conciliator on Thursday to discuss outstanding bargaining issues, including pay and staffing.

If no resolution is reached, the workers could go on strike as early as Monday.