Workers at Ritz Lutheran Villa nursing home in Mitchell, Ontario flexed their collective strength and voted for SEIU at the ballot box on June 9, 2010.

SEIU Local 1 Canada won the vote by 74 percent, welcoming 132 new members into the Local. They are a diverse group of workers including PSWs, RPNs, dietary, maintenance, housekeeping, activities, laundry, and health care aides.

“There is only so much abuse people can take until they take action,” said Tyler Downey, lead organizer for the campaign. “These workers had taken enough and were ready to make a change.”

Key issues Ritz Lutheran Villa employees want management to stop harassing its employees, start to include employees in decision making and stop management from making too many changes.

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.