Layoff notices issued at Regency Park Long-Term Care Home

Layoff notices have been issued at a long-term care home in Windsor.

According to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), seven full time employees at Regency Park Long-Term Care Home in downtown Windsor at 567 Victoria Ave. received layoff notices on September 12.

The layoffs go into effect on October 4 and are for two dietary aides, three personal support workers, one registered nurse, and one registered practical nurse.

CUPE National Representative Suanne Hawkins says the union is outraged by the layoff notices and says the home is already short staffed.

"These staff got people through the pandemic and every other long-term care out there is crying for staff," says Hawkins. 

She says there are no management layoffs, just frontline staff.

"We were advised by this employer that the reason they're laying people off is because they're over budgeted due to hiring too many agency staff during the pandemic, which seems to be a their problem, not an our problem," she says. 

Hawkins adds CUPE has filed grievances on all of the layoff notices.

"They also haven't followed other parts of the collective agreement," says Hawkins.  "People that are temporary and on probation have not been terminated and under the collective agreement that needed to happen.  I don't think it's a reasonable reason to ask for a layoff because somebody's mother, father, grandparent, aunt or uncle isn't going to be cared for at the level they should be cared for."       

She says the union plans to contact Windsor-Tecumseh MPP Andrew Dowie about the layoffs.

Hawkins says the union is also encouraging families to contact Dowie and UniversalCare, the company that operates the home.

CUPE says the home has beds for 72 residents and employs about 65 staff.