Nurses have a special day celebrating their profession - Nurses Day on May 12. Paramedics also have their own day, as well as administrative professionals. So why don’t Personal Support Workers (PSWs) have their own day to acknowledge the critical role PSWs play in our health care system?

SEIU, one of the largest PSW unions in Ontario, rolled up its sleeves and took action by working with the Ontario government to create a day specifically for PSWs.

The Result: The Ontario Government will declare May 19 in the provincial legislature as PSW Day.

This day salutes all the hard work and dedication PSWs invest into their clients and patients. It recognizes the excellence and vital role they play in our health care system. It will also raise their profile with the media and decision-makers at Queen’s Park.

SEIU Local 1 Canada will be commemorating Ontario’s first-ever PSW Day by sending a delegation of SEIU PSWs to Queens Park on May 19 to speak to Ontario’s Minister of Health, cabinet ministers, as well as Liberal, NDP and Conservative MPPs about the state of Ontario’s home care system, the important role PSWs play, as well as advocate for increased investment, training, education, and creating standards for PSWs in the province.

PSW Day in 2010 is another big step in SEIU’s effort to spread the word about the valuable work PSWs perform on a regular basis. SEIU expects PSW Day will grow in importance in the future.