As advocates for defending and expanding public health care, Citizens For Quality Health Care condemns the decision of the new owners of New Horizons, Park Place Seniors Living, to layoff their staff.
According to press reports the sole reason for this attack on the workers and the seniors that they care for is to increase the profit of the private operator by reducing the wages and benefits of the staff.
Since New Horizons began operation as a private facility funded by the Vancouver Island Health Authority (now Island Health) from the public purse, workers have not been paid the industry standards in wages or benefits but have nevertheless done their work with dignity and respect for the people they care for.
Those who provide care for seniors and other vulnerable residents make a valuable contribution to a humane and caring society. They deserve to have secure employment, be treated with respect, and be compensated for the essential work they do. The workers and those they care for deserve better.
We will work with the New Horizons workers and families and the community to demand that Island Health and the Ministry of Health put a stop to the harm to seniors and residential care workers by Park Place Seniors Living.
For information contact 250-287-3096 (Campbell River) or 250-338-4067 (Comox Valley).
Lois Jarvis and Barb Biley on behalf of the Citizens for Quality Health Care