More than 1000 workers protest outside Hamilton’s General Hospital

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More than 1000 hospital and long-term care staff from across the province made their way to Hamilton this morning to demand more provincial funding for health care.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) says they began busing in workers from cities and town across Ontario early Monday morning to attend the massive rally outside Hamilton’s General Hospital.

CUPE is calling for a 5% increase for hospitals and long-term care in 2017 and a commitment of on-going stable funding.

In a statement, Ontario’s Health Minister says funding for long term care has almost doubled since 2003 and thousands more staff have been hired since 2008.  He says long term care homes are responsible for appropriate staffing levels.

The protest in Hamilton is the second in a series of similar rallies planned across the province over the next eight months.