Spiritual care practitioners from Toronto hospitals join CUPE

Will join 40,000 other health-care workers in union

Spiritual care practitioners from Toronto hospitals join CUPE
Ontario hospitals are currently going through a series of mergers which will see the establishment of more hospital networks such as Our Shared Purpose that administer multiple hospitals. GOOGLE STREET VIEW

Chaplains and spiritual care practitioners from St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Providence Health Centre and St. Michael’s Hospitals in Toronto voted on March 19 to join the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).

The 32-person unit consists of hospital chaplains and spiritual care practitioners from different religious denominations across the three hospitals, which merged in 2017 and are now collectively known as Our Shared Purpose, said the union.

“With all the changes going on at the hospitals due to the merger, these workers decided they wanted to have a strong, unified voice in their workplace, equal treatment from their employer and respect for the services they provide,” said Deb Oldfield, organizer. “By joining CUPE they are in a better position to face these uncertain times.”

Ontario hospitals are currently going through a series of mergers which will see the establishment of more hospital networks such as Our Shared Purpose that administer multiple hospitals.

CUPE represents more than 40,000 workers in 60 hospitals across Ontario, making it the largest hospital union in the province. 

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