The union representing many employees at Hamilton Health Sciences has stated that the organization’s planned cuts of 413 jobs – which include a loss of 143 nursing positions and 84 health care aide roles – is a significant setback for a workforce that is already experiencing “very low” morale.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) mentioned in a release on Monday that the job cuts announced in a memo on Friday will harm services as the hospital system is “already buckling under the pressure of rising demand and insufficient staffing.” However, the Ontario government claims these cuts won’t affect patient care or access to services.
<p. The Friday memo, sent by HHS president and CEO Tracey Mac Arthur, indicated that the organization – which manages several local facilities like Hamilton General Hospital, Jurivinski Hospital, and Mc Master University Health Centre – anticipates a deficit of about $150 million for 2026-2027.
It also refers to the Ontario government’s Hospital Sector Stabilization Planning process, a three-year budgeting initiative based on expected reduced revenue, according to the Ontario Hospital Association.
As part of that plan, HHS intends to cut clinical budgets by two percent and administrative budgets by five percent for the fiscal year 2026-2027, Mac Arthur noted.
“In addition to $40 million in cost reductions achieved last year, further action is needed to operate within our available funding,” she explained in the memo, which mentioned that one-third of the jobs being eliminated are already vacant. The roles set for removal include 97 clerical positions, alongside 20 information technology jobs cut back in July.
“Given the high number of nursing roles and current vacancies at HHS, few if any individual nurses will exit HHS,” Mac Arthur stated. “HHS currently has approximately 557 vacancies across all job categories within the organization. We will make every reasonable effort to utilize those vacancies to provide affected employees with opportunities to continue working at HHS.”
Mac Arthur said “considerable attention has been given to maintaining patient care and reducing impact on services” when determining where cuts would occur.
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Union warns cuts ‘will cause pain and suffering’
Jillian Watt, president of CUPE 7800 representing around 4,750 HHS workers, expressed in her organization’s Monday release that she expects these cuts will “result in pain and suffering in terms of longer wait-times, overcrowded hospitals, increased toxicity and workplace violence, and unsafe conditions for both patients and workers.” The union highlighted provincial data showing only 18 percent of emergency room patients at Hamilton General Hospital are admitted within eight hours-the target-while average wait times reach up to 24.1 hours. She urged that the provincial government should cover full operational costs for running hospitals since these expenses are climbing over six percent each year across Ontario hospitals. Lily Barnes, spokesperson for Minister of Health Sylvia Jones told CBC Hamilton on Monday that funding is increasing by four percent-a record $101 billion.Ford government pledged against hallway healthcare back in 2018
“Since taking office we have boosted funding for Hamilton Health Sciences by over $750 million-a rise of seventy-five percent-invested over $8 million this year through our Hospital Infrastructure Renewal Fund; also nearly $1 million was allocated this past year connecting almost 3,000 more individuals with primary care as part of our Primary Care Action Plan totaling $3.4 billion,” she noted via email. She pointed out hospitals operate as independent entities responsible for their own operations and human resources decisions while reiterating these job cuts won’t affect service delivery. Michael Hurley , president of CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions remarked in CUPE’s release that governmental actions have eroded services leading over time towards normalizing patient care happening within hallways; something promised not be tolerated anymore since Ford took office back in twenty eighteen. “In Hamilton , hallway medicine is rampant , thousands are waiting surgical procedures often longer than medically advised time limits ,” he commented. “We plan fight hard gain additional beds staff ensure timely access quality acute-care services residents citizens from hamilton.” Barnes didn’t respond inquiries whether eliminating hallway health remains priority concern government’s agenda. CUPE plans hold protest against impending layoffs outside location hamilton general hospital scheduled take place oct thirteen noon.Source link
