Forty-six retirement home employees in Ottawa now have a union to call their own. On Dec. 20, 2007 83 per cent of the staff at Governor's Walk Retirement Residence voted to join SEIU Local 1 Canada.

“SEIU will help these new members kick off 2008 by negotiating a contract that will improve working conditions and resident care,” said Linda Elliott, Deputy Director of Organizing for SEIU Local 1 Canada. “SEIU is the union of choice for Ontario’s retirement home workers.”

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.