THUNDER BAY – Hundreds of local healthcare workers had their holidays brightened this weekend thanks to free turkeys given away by their union, SEIU Healthcare.
It’s a small gesture to recognize the large sacrifices made by workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, SEIU leaders said as they prepared to hand out over 10,000 turkeys to workers across the province over the weekend.
"We know that many healthcare workers have been forced off work due to COVID-19 or had their hours reduced due to only being allowed to work one job,” said SEIU Healthcare president Sharleen Steward. “For those workers, this may be the only way they're able to put a turkey on their table this holiday.”
Cathy Bishop, a registered practical nurse at Thunder Bay’s regional hospital and SEIU Healthcare’s executive representative for the region, said healthcare workers could use a boost after an incredibly difficult year.
“A lot of our members are struggling, a lot are working in homes that have COVID,” she said. “Some have lost their lives, lots have lost income because of limits on where they could go to work [or being] off sick with symptoms. Mental health-wise, you’re worrying about taking it home to your family.”
“We just wanted to give our members a little bit of a lift before Christmas.”
The SEIU represents over 60,000 frontline workers in Ontario hospitals, nursing and retirement homes, and community services.
Karen Kirkpatrick, who provides home care with ParaMed, was one of nearly 300 local members picking up a turkey from the Real Canadian Superstore over the weekend.
“I’m really appreciative of it, and I’m sure a lot of the other workers are as well,” she said. “Just to show a thank you to us for all the work we’ve been doing.”
Her job, which puts her in close contact with patients, required her to take strict precautions to protect herself, her clients, and her children, one of whom is immuno-compromised. That’s included having her children learn from home, a challenging situation to juggle with long shifts.
“It’s been stressful,” she said. “I had to make a big decision, because if he was to go to school and bring this home, I wouldn’t be able to go to work for 14 days or more.”
SEIU members also signed cards destined for residents in the long-term care homes they serve as they picked up turkeys, which staff filled in with messages and pictures.
Bishop and Kirkpatrick agreed the best gift healthcare workers could receive over the holidays would be compliance with public health advice by members of the public.
“If members of the general public would just follow the rules – wear your mask, stay home if you don’t need to be out, and limit your get togethers,” said Bishop. “I know this is hard, but it’s super important, because if people don’t, after Christmas we’re going to see a bigger spike and more hardship.”
However, she noted the year would end with a light of hope at the end of the tunnel, as healthcare workers and others begin to be vaccinated against the virus. The first doses of the Pfizer vaccine are expected to arrive in Thunder Bay before the end of the year, with healthcare workers among the first to receive it.
