Who We Are
HOPE is a new union with a lot of experience. In 2011 and 2012, the workers at several LTC homes and other healthcare units decided to leave their old union and start their own – the Healthcare, Office and Professional Employees’ Union. It was a bold move but we did not have to go it alone. The Carpenters’ Union stepped forward and helped us get started with all kinds of assistance, from funding to expertise to political influence. Don’t be fooled by the name. Carpenters is a very progressive and powerful union that represents many workers not directly employed in the construction industry.
The leadership and staff of HOPE are highly experienced. President Paula Randazzo has negotiated hundreds of healthcare agreements and dealt with governments of every political stripe. The representatives all come directly from the healthcare sector so they personally know the work and its many challenges. Together, the officers and staff of HOPE have over 100 years of experience in the healthcare sector. It would be difficult to imagine a workplace problem they have not faced and usually solved.
HOPE is governed by an Executive Board that is elected by the members every four years.
With HOPE being financially sustained by membership dues, there are no divided loyalties. HOPE is always on the side of the members. Many have likened union dues to insurance premiums. But dues are better than insurance. Insurance covers you when something goes wrong, but union dues cover members 24/7 in the form of a Collective Agreement that guarantees wages, benefits, working conditions and other rights. If you have a problem, your well-trained Steward and your Representative will be there for you.
Backed by experience and resources, HOPE is a union on the move. With continuously growing numbers, members express great satisfaction with their representation. The union may be young but knows what it’s doing!
Contact us for more information. All inquiries are confidential.