Employees at Elm Grove Living Centre, a nursing home in downtown Toronto, voted to join SEIU Local 1 Canada at a certification vote held on March 30, 2010. 110 staff members are now members of SEIU, the largest health care Local in Ontario.

“Elm Grove workers want SEIU to help them resolve some important issues in their workplace such as pay equity, wages and benefits,” said Rabia Syed, lead organizer for the campaign. “First thing tomorrow, SEIU will be rolling up our sleeves to help our new members at Elm Grove negotiate their first contract.”

SEIU’s new members at Elm Grove are a diverse group of workers which includes social workers, activity planners, RNs, RPNs, personal support workers, health care aides, dietary and housekeeping staff.

SEIU Local 1 Canada is an Organizing Union that represents more than 46,000 health care and community services workers in Ontario. Its members work in hospitals, home care, nursing and retirement homes and community services.