Union says it will cause 'more health and safety issues' in already challenging profession
Long-term care (LTC) workers from Newmarket Health Centre and Maple Health Centre have been taking to the picket lines, voicing their strong opposition to a planned schedule change proposed by York Region. The introduction of rotating and 12-hour shifts, set to be implemented this fall, sparks significant health and safety concerns among the staff, leading to weekly midday protests organized by CUPE 905, which represents over 550 LTC workers.
“Working in LTC is such an important job, but it is also physically, emotionally, and mentally demanding,” says Katherine Grzejszczak, president of CUPE 905. “Workers want to be at their best to provide the quality care that residents deserve.” The proposed schedule change, however, threatens to undermine this ability, according to Grzejszczak and her colleagues.
In May, 85% of CUPE 905 members voted to oppose the new schedule. “This schedule change is going to cause more health and safety issues in a workplace that already has a lot of health and safety issues by the nature of the work itself,” says Grzejszczak.
Heightened risks of injuries, fatigue, and mental health issues
The shift extension from eight to twelve hours is expected to increase the risk of workplace injuries, a major concern in a field already marked by high injury rates. “There is a high injury rate in long-term care in general,” Grzejszczak notes. “Obviously, moving from eight-hour to 12-hour shifts will result in higher injury rates to the workers themselves.” The extended hours mean prolonged physical strain, leading to fatigue and a higher likelihood of accidents.
Fatigue and mental health issues are at the forefront of the workers' concerns. The new schedule involves rotating shifts, which disrupts workers' sleep. “The sleep deprivation associated with working 12-hour and rotating shifts impacts the sleep cycle, posing additional health and safety issues in terms of potentially making errors when it comes to tasks like medication administration,” Grzejszczak explains. The mental toll of disrupted sleep can also exacerbate stress and irritability, affecting both workers' well-being and their ability to provide high-quality care.
Long-term care work involves significant emotional labour, especially when dealing with residents who have cognitive impairments such as dementia and Alzheimer's. “There’s a lot of emotional labour that goes into making sure that things run smoothly and that potentially violent behaviours are redirected and de-escalated before they occur,” Grzejszczak states. Fatigue and sleep deprivation can hinder workers' ability to manage these behaviours, putting both residents and staff at risk.
Employer's perspective
In response to the picketing, York Region maintains the new scheduling model aims to benefit both residents and staff. “Our primary goal remains the health and well-being of our residents and staff,” a York Region spokesperson states. “York Region will begin implementing a new scheduling model that will increase the number of full-time permanent positions to meet the legislated system average of four hours of direct care per resident per day under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021, and enhance resident care with a consistent, stable workforce.”
York Region says they engaged an external consultant to develop optimized staff work schedules, which include some 12-hour and rotating shifts. “Many staff have shared they are in favour of the new 12-hour schedule as it provides more days off and longer breaks,” the spokesperson adds. They also emphasize the implementation will be staggered, allowing time to review and adjust the new schedules if necessary.
Comparison with other healthcare settings
Grzejszczak points out that while 12-hour shifts exist in other healthcare settings, the context differs significantly. In hospitals, workers often have downtime within their shifts, unlike in LTC homes, which are typically understaffed. “It’s not a good idea for a personal support worker that does heavy physical labour that’s also very emotionally intensive to work for 12 hours non-stop,” she explains. The potential for shifts to extend beyond the 12 hours due to short staffing further exacerbates the issue, leading to even less rest and higher stress levels.
The continued picketing by LTC workers aims to raise awareness of the severe implications of the proposed schedule change. Grzejszczak concludes, “These are really serious health and safety concerns. It will lead to higher injuries, it will lead to more errors being made.” The goal of the protests is to halt York Region's plans and ensure a sustainable working environment that prioritizes the health and safety of both workers and residents.
York Region, on the other hand, remains committed to the changes, saying its goal is to improve care and work conditions. “This work will support our ongoing dedication to ensure continuous improvement of quality care and to provide an enjoyable work experience, promote staff wellness, and increase stability,” the spokesperson reiterates.
