By Zaid NoorsumarPart 8 of our Special Investigation into OPSWA The Ontario Personal Support Workers Association maintains a private Facebook group of 12,000 members. It is one of the main, regular platforms of communication between OPSWA president Miranda Ferrier and PSWs. During my investigation of OPSWA, I found multiple examples of her spreading misinformation. Here Continue readingOPSWA’s social media misinformation
Special Investigation
By Zaid NoorsumarPart 7 of our Special Investigation into OPSWA I just find it interesting that you see all these OPSWA posts that claim they are there for the PSW, and support all PSW’s and all this. But if you question anything, ‘No, you’re blocked, that’s it.’ Stephanie Lynn, home care PSW and former OPSWA Continue readingBlocked: OPSWA and its critics
By Alice Chen & Zaid Noorsumar Part 6 of our Special Investigation into OPSWA The Ontario Personal Support Worker Association (OPSWA) is one of the only associations representing Personal Support Workers in the province. It has a president, but it has no governing board because OPSWA is in fact governed by its parent body, the Continue readingOPSWA’s governance structure: A family affair?
By Zaid NoorsumarPart 5 of our Special Investigation into OPSWA In late February 2021, the Globe & Mail reported the Ontario Personal Support Workers Association (OPSWA) had 49,000 members. If this is to be believed, then the association represents about a third of the province’s 130,000+ PSWs. According to the news media – which has Continue readingDoes OPSWA really represent 49,000 members?
By Zaid Noorsumar Part 4 of our Special Investigation into OPSWA Most Personal Support Workers I have spoken with support the demand for self-regulation. The consensus is that a regulatory body would standardize educational requirements, establish benchmarks, and hold workers to account when they make mistakes. The Ontario Personal Support Workers Association (OPSWA) has been Continue readingOPSWA, self-regulation and the Ontario PC Party
By Zaid NoorsumarPart 2 of our Special Investigation into OPSWA I think the thing that’s worrisome is that they just have not been there calling for the things that everyone else is calling for that would improve the livelihood of PSWs…And then you look and see that there’s funding and sponsorships, and so on by Continue readingOPSWA and its corporate friends
By Zaid NoorsumarPart 1 of our Special Investigation into OPSWA PSWs have always fought and struggled for dignity and respect and to improve care and working conditions. In December 2013, Ontario PSWs struck for these reasons against Red Cross/Care Partners, a very large home care operator. The PSWs were members of SEIU Healthcare, one of Continue readingJustice for PSWs and OPSWA “betrayal”
Articles The Justice for PSWs strike and OPSWA “betrayal” OPSWA and its corporate friends Time to care? OPSWA’s inconsistency on LTC care standards OPSWA, self-regulation and the Ontario PC Party Does OPSWA really represent 49,000 members? OPSWA’s governance structure: A family affair? Blocked: OPSWA and its critics OPSWA’s social media misinformation Introducing the investigation The Continue readingThe Ontario PSW Association: A Special Investigation
By Zaid NoorsumarPart 3 of our Special Investigation into OPSWA In November 2020, the Ontario Progressive Conservative government finally committed to restoring a minimum care standard in nursing homes. The government’s decision was a response to intense criticism and months of activism by healthcare workers, their unions, family members of nursing home residents, and other Continue readingTime to care? OPSWA’s inconsistency on LTC care standards