LTC chiselling wages; they should be rising

Re LTC homes seek stable role for entry-level

assistants, Oct. 15

The long-term-care sector is arguing with itself about creating “new entrylevel positions” so it can pay even less

for the caring work done predominantly by women, many of whom are racialized, while making society think that doing this will be a generous improvement.

Let’s compare: median salary for an Ontario firefighter?

Similar to firefighters, our long-termcare workers risked their lives every single day they went into work. Even as Delta spreads, and we race to achieve herd immunity ahead of a vaccineresistant variant, there is a continuing risk to them.

How about the Ontario median salary for a Registered Nurse?

For an Registered Practical Nurse? For a PSW?

These “entry-level positions” in LTC homes pay less than $18 per hour, only a few dollars above minimum wage.

After everything we have learned about long-term care, don’t our “frontline heroes” deserve better?

Lorna MacGregor, Toronto