The Problem

Did you know that over $1.25 Billion was spent on temporary staffing agencies in Canada in 2022? Source: CBC, The Globe and Mail.

This all started when the staffing crisis began during COVID. Temp agencies starting popping up everywhere and began taking advantage of the healthcare system. Even now, healthcare facilities everywhere depend on temporary staffing solutions and have nowhere to go but the temp agencies and the newly emerging temp agency uber companies (like a regular temp agency, but with an app, and the ability to grow faster).

Temp agency workers often bring serious problems. Too often, they don’t have the training or don’t know how to do the job, they lack accountability, have poor work conduct, and even refuse to do work. They are supposed to help the full time staff, but too often the full time staff are required to work even harder to pick up the slack left by temp agency workers.

The temp agency problem isn’t going anywhere, but we can and will do something about it.

The Solution

WorkersFirst is the new way for SEIU members to pick up shifts at SEIU represented workplaces. Flexible work, quality union benefits, and giving back to members.

WorkersFirst is shifting employers away from using temp agencies when they need to fill shifts, and instead, participating workplaces are posting the shifts on the WorkersFirst platform to be offered to SEIU members who have signed up to WorkersFirst, have completed the background check, and have completed an orientation at those workplaces.

Where do these shifts come from? In accordance with the collective bargaining agreement, after the internal overtime callout has been exhausted, participating employers will post those shifts on the WorkersFirst platform instead.

Members can access shifts on their mobile device on their WorkersFirst account and see real time updates with text notifications. Employer-pad orientation shifts are step one at every new workplace. Once members are signed up and completed their background checks, they can sign up for orientations at participating workplaces. Once the orientation is complete, members will receive text notifications when new shifts are available. WSIB is covered on all shifts. Members also receive benefits that have never before been provided in a flexible work platform. There are zero restrictions on pursuing full-time roles at workplaces found through WorkersFirst.

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