Stay Safe

In an in-depth report, The Midland Mirror spells out the terrible consequences of the dangerous conditions that OPSEU members face working at the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care. “You can’t drag somebody out of their room, fight them, jab a needle in them, and then try and provide passionate nursing care the next day,”...

Penetanguishene – An arbitrator has ruled in favour of OPSEU on the union’s allegation of an unfair labour practice against Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care. In his decision, dated June 12, 2019, Arbitrator Robert W. Kitchen ruled that Waypoint had indeed broken the law by violating section 70 of the Ontario Labour Relations Act,...

Toronto – Warren (Smokey) Thomas, President of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), is applauding an NDP motion passed September 14 in the Ontario legislature that calls on the government to broaden the Wettlaufer inquiry to include understaffing, underfunding, and other systemic issues in long-term care. “Over a month ago, I asked the government...

Penetanguishene – Ministry of Labour charges against the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care haven’t done anything to stem the flow of injured hospital staff to the local Emergency Room, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union says. “In an eight-day span in August, we had 11 people sent to hospital with injuries received from patients who...

Toronto – In the wake of yet more attacks on staff by patients at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) is urging health care leaders to act on the recommendations contained in the report of the Workplace Violence Prevention in Health Care Leadership Table. OPSEU has published a...

On August 8, 2017, a patient at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care came out of the shower swinging. He knocked one nurse unconscious and hit two others in the head, sending all three workers to hospital. Two nurses have black eyes and contusions around their face. The third nurse suffered a loose tooth, a...

Penetanguishene – The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) has released a new video calling for improved worker safety measures at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, that take the environment and patients into consideration. {“fid”:”29683″,”view_mode”:”default”,”fields”:{“format”:”default”,”filename_field[en][0][value]”:”Through the shadows : Dangerous and unpredictable”},”type”:”media”,”attributes”:{“alt”:”Through the shadows : Dangerous and unpredictable”,”class”:”media-element file-default”}} The provincial forensic division at Waypoint is a...

Penetanguishene – The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) is demanding that Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care provide caregivers with specialized training in self-defence.  Waypoint includes a maximum-security forensic division that is home to patients who have been found not criminally responsible or unfit to stand trial by the courts.  Workers say patient-on-staff attacks...

Caregivers at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care work with some patients who have committed serious crimes. Workers say violent incidents are increasing in both frequency and severity.  Yet, the caregivers aren’t trained in appropriate self-defence techniques.  Without proper training their lives are in danger every time there’s an attack.  Waypoint workers need self-defence training...

Penetanguishene – The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) has released a new video that emphasizes the correlation between worker safety and patient safety at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care.  The video is the fourth in OPSEU’s series Through the shadows. {“fid”:”29653″,”view_mode”:”default”,”fields”:{“format”:”default”,”filename_field[en][0][value]”:”Through the shadows: Everyone needs to be safe”},”type”:”media”,”attributes”:{“alt”:”Through the shadows: Everyone needs to...

Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care includes a maximum-security forensic division for patients who have been found not criminally responsible or unfit to stand trial by the courts.  Workers say patient-on-staff attacks are becoming more frequent and more severe.  Yet caregivers often have to work alone, which puts them at a greater risk for violence....

Penetanguishene – The Ontario Public Service Employees Union is calling on Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care to implement safer staffing levels.  Workers say patient-on-staff attacks are becoming more frequent and more severe.   Yet caregivers at Waypoint often have to work alone, which puts them at greater risk for violence.     Waypoint includes a maximum-security forensic...