The OPSEU RPN Occupational Division sent the following letter of support to the members of the CAAT-A Division, currently on strike.
November 3, 2017
Dear members of CAAT-A (College Faculty) Division,
We are saddened to hear of the tragic passing of sister Amy Stiles – a Coordinator in the Personal Support Program in Schlegel Villages, Riverside Glen (near Guelph) and member of OPSEU local 237. On behalf of the RPN Occupational Division, we send our deepest condolences to Amy’s family, friends and everyone who worked with her.
As members of the OPSEU family, we must continue to support each other.
To our sisters, brothers and comrades on the picket lines, we would like to offer our support to you. In RPN college programs across the province, you are our professors, instructors and mentors; you not only shape us as RPNs, but you help to shape the health care system, and beyond.
We understand your fight, and as RPNs we get it. RPNs often face precarious work after graduation. We often work at two, three, or even four jobs just to get full-time hours. Sometimes, we work in these conditions for several years, where employers refuse to hire full-time staff.
Thank you for taking this stand, because when you stand up against your employer and demand fairness for all, you are also standing up for us. We will continue to stand with you in this fight.
In solidarity,
The OPSEU RPN Occupational Division