‘It’s just disrespectful not to be considered’
Respiratory therapists and paramedics among front-line workers asking province for clarity on premium eligibility
KITCHENER — Respiratory therapists and other front-line workers left off the province’s pandemic pay premium list are calling on the Ministry of Health to release its criteria for eligible professions.
The premium, available to front-line employees who work more than 100 hours per month, is adding $4 per hour on top of regular wages, along with lump-sum payments of $250 for each of the next four months.
For employees that work a 40hour week, they can receive up to $3,560 in additional compensation through the fourmonth measure.
It is available to about 350,000 staff in the health care, longterm care, social services and corrections fields. A full list can be found online.
But that number could soon be growing.
The province’s Emergency Operations Centre held a call with representatives for respiratory therapists, paramedics, diagnostic imaging workers and other front-line professions on Monday to discuss whether the province would be expanding its list of workers included in the premium.
Hayley Chazan, spokesperson for Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott, confirmed Monday they are continuing to discuss which professions meet the criteria.
“We’re grateful for the tireless work of our front-line healthcare workers and will continue to stand behind them as we respond collectively to the COVID-19 outbreak,” she said. “We’re continuing to consult with our health-care partners to address questions and determine who might meet the criteria for pandemic pay.”
Respiratory therapists want clarification
Kelly Hassall, president-elect for the Respiratory Therapy Association of Ontario, said she was overwhelmed with questions when the announcement was made last Friday.
There are about 3,500 respiratory therapists in the province.
“When we don’t see (respiratory therapists) listed on this as front-line workers, it brings up the concern that we’re not recognized as an occupation that works along the continuum of care for patients,” she said. “And we do.”
She has since sent a letter to Premier Doug Ford, asking for clarity on the specifics of the initiative.
Jocelyn Stocco Hurst, a respiratory therapist at Kitchener’s Grand River Hospital, said she feels like her profession is not being recognized for the risk they put themselves in on a daily basis.
“We are at the forefront of the dangerous aerosol generating procedures that are most risky and yet we received no ‘thank you’ from the government,” she said. “It’s just disrespectful not to be considered.”
Her colleague, Fatima Foster, a respiratory therapist at St. Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton, called the announcement “disappointing.”
She said the best way for the province to move forward is to release its criteria used for choosing the professions, so they can see for themselves where they fit into the equation.
Paramedics feeling ‘left out’
Ontario Paramedic Association president Darryl Wilton said the slight on paramedics started before Friday’s announcement, when paramedics were first left off the province’s essential services list in March.
That decision was met with heavy criticism from paramedics across the province before being changed.
“But we had to coax government to do the right thing,” he said.
In Quebec, paramedics were also left off that province’s original rollout of premiums for front-line workers, a decision that was later reversed as well.
“It’s unfortunate that paramedics are not top of mind,” said Wilton.
“Why are we continuously being left out of the narrative when we are performing such important and high-risk procedures on the front lines?”
Wilton, who is quick to point out the association is not a labour group, is hopeful the province will follow in Quebec’s footsteps and add paramedics and other front-line workers to the list.
But some of the damage is already done, he said.
“Corrections have to continuously be made,” he said.
“That’s the part that is rubbing paramedics the wrong way. It’s not the money, it’s the realization that government clearly doesn’t know what paramedics do.”