Carpenters' District Council of Ontario United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners of America 222 Rowntree Dairy Road, Woodbridge, ON L4L 9T2
Tony lannuzzi, Executive Secretary Treasurer Mike Yorke, President
April 7, 2020 VIA FACSIMILE
The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, P.C., M.P. Prime Minister of Canada Langevin Block Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A2
The Honourable Doug Ford, MPP Premier of Ontario Legislative Building, Queen's Park, Room 281 Toronto, ON M7A 1A1
Dear Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Ford:
Re: Recognition for Healthcare Workers
April 7th is World Health Day and, therefore, the Carpenters' District Council of Ontario (the "Carpenters”) is taking this opportunity to write to you concerning the healthcare workers of our country and our province.
We in Canada are rightly proud of our amazing public healthcare system and of the healthcare workers who are the back bone of that system. This has never been truer than during this crisis involving the COVID-19 pandemic. The amazing women and men that keep Canada's and Ontario's healthcare systems functioning are nothing short of heroic.
While all of us are making sacrifices, the healthcare workers of Canada and of Ontario are literally putting their lives on the line to help others. The Carpenters acknowledge that both of you and your respective Governments have repeatedly praised healthcare workers, and their level of commitment to others, throughout this ongoing crisis. However, we in our Union believe that these women and men deserve to receive something more than simply kind words.
Both the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario have instituted a plethora of new financial benefit plans during this crisis. The recipients of such benefits range from businesses (both large and small), laid off workers, those repaying student loans and parents with school-aged children. Given this, we believe that something must be done for our healthcare workers. As everyone knows these men and women are working long hours, in extremely difficult conditions (including with limited personal protective equipment) and putting their own health, and that of their families, at risk. Surely, in these circumstances, our country and our province should provide a tangible benefit, in the form of some sort of premium pay, for these workers.
The Carpenters realize that these are difficult times for Canada and Ontario. However, in these dark times our healthcare workers have risen to meet every challenge. We know they do not do their jobs purely for the money but surely they deserve something extra for everything that they are
doing for us. Accordingly, the Carpenters are urging you to consider some form of premium pay for all healthcare workers to remain in place until the current emergency is over.
Thank you for your attention to this matter and we appreciate all of your efforts for Canada and for Ontario.
Yours sincerely,
Tony lannuzzi Executive Secretary Treasurer Carpenters' District Council of Ontario C.C. CDCO Executive Board
HOPE Local 2220 All CDCO Local Unions
Mike Yorke President, Director of Public Affairs and Innovation Carpenters' District Council of Ontario