CUPE says Revera claims of 100% staffing at Maples false

CUPE Manitoba says "something is not right" at Maples Long Term Care Home.

The union representing health care staff at a care home who had eight deaths in 24 hours says despite Revera Inc, the owners of the facility and the province's statement, there was not enough staff at the home.

"Something is not right. There is no transparency, no accountability. We need the WRHA to assume full control of this facility now," CUPE says on Twitter.

In a press conference on Saturday evening and one on Sunday afternoon, the WRHA, Maples' owner Revera Inc, and the Province of Manitoba stated staffing on Friday night was adequate despite four ambulances being called to aid.

CUPE says staff at Maples are tired.

"We've just heard back from our evening support staff members at Maples PCH, who are exhausted and demoralized. Revera's claims that staffing was at 100% is false, and our evening staff are incredibly upset that management and government would claim otherwise."

They are sharing the numbers of staff at the facility with the public, stating that a social media post outlining Friday's events account of staff levels are true.

"Our evening staff members confirm the paramedic whistleblower's assertion that there were only 3 health care aides on the second floor on the evening of November 6."

On the first floor, there were four health care aides. There are 100 beds on the first floor.

On the second floor there are also 100 beds, and there were three health care aides.

They say other duties were being "augmented" by general labourers without the appropriate training.

"Revera indicated that there were 15 health care aides working that evening (accounting for the home not being at full capacity). But our members are telling us there were only 7 health care aides in total at the time the paramedics arrived."

They say they have confirmed with Manitoba Nurses Union that staffing was not at 100 per cent for nurses that evening.

CUPE says some of the day staff worked overtime into the evening to try to help residents, and due to exhaustion simply couldn't continue. They say this unsustainable and are calling for the WRHA to take control of Maples Long Term Care Home.

An earlier statement from CUPE stated there were three health care aides on the first floor and four health care aids on the second floor. This has since been corrected. 

UPDATE

We've just heard back from our evening support staff members at Maples PCH, who are exhausted and demoralized.

Revera's claims that staffing was at 100% is false, and our evening staff are incredibly upset that management and government would claim otherwise.

— CUPE Manitoba (@CUPEMB) November 8, 2020