Ontario’s Homecare PSWs Are Running on Empty

Across the province, personal support workers (PSWs) in homecare are facing a difficult decision: visit their clients or be able to afford the necessities of life.

Why? The astronomic rise in gas prices has taken a toll on their bottom line. Most homecare employers reimburse mileage at a rate well below what would normally be sufficient—sometimes as low as $0.44 per kilometre. Add to that gas prices that have risen well above $2 per litre and show no sign of stopping, and the province is at risk of a mass exodus of workers from this important sector.

The Ontario government can—and should— help. Join us in asking the government to provide a per-hour wage increase to these essential in-home healthcare workers. Our workers, our sick and elderly, and the economy depend on it.

Running on Empty is an initiative of CLAC, an independent, all-Canadian labour union founded on the belief that people, businesses, and work communities flourish when workplaces are based on cooperation and mutual respect.