All but 35 of Unifor union members working at Thunder Bay's two closing long-term care homes will be employed in the new facility.
Of the 310-member staff at Dawson Court and Grandview Lodge, 275 will be employed full- and part-time at the Hogarth Riverview Manor, a 530-bed institution set to open this year.
They will form the core of the Manor's 350 to 400 staff, a slightly higher ratio of clients to workers than they're used to in the city-run homes for the aged.
Unifor Local 229 president, Kari Jefford said staff has been aware of the transfer issues since 2007 and the union has been assisting in finding work for those whose positions don't fit with the Manor's vision.
Having eight-years notice, she added, doesn't mean the transfer between October and January will be easy.
"There's mixed feelings," Jefford said.
"A lot of folks are really happy they can go over to the new building. They're not actually taking a permanent layoff with the city and having to do job searching. There will be a number of folks that don't have a job match to go over to. They will just receive their severance when they're finished with the city and have to move on. But it's a stressful time for all the folks."
Negotiations between the union and the Manor-operating St. Joseph's Care Group assured severance for those with over five years experience and Jefford said other workers accepted early retirement packages.
