2026 Health Care Stewards Conference

The 2026 Health Care Stewards conference took place October 29-30, 2026, with about 130 members from across our #UFCW175633 long-term care, retirement homes, and community care workplaces.

President Kelly Tosato kicked off the morning by welcoming all of our Stewards to this year’s event. With an upcoming UFCW Ontario Lobby Day at Queen’s Park, there will be a number of issues brought forward to our elected Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) that must be addressed to help build a better future for all working people, including those working in the health care sector. “Every member of our Local Union deserves to have dignity and respect at work and these asks we’re taking to Lobby Day are just a few of the many, many deeply concerning challenges facing working people across Ontario,” said President Kelly Tosato.

President Tosato also touched on the incredible courage of the members who continue to join our Union by organizing in their workplaces. ” Organizing your workplace is a brave thing. Because it does take courage. It takes a willingness to stand up and fight for better, together.”

Secretary-Treasurer Jim McLean also brought a warm welcome to our Stewards, thanking them for their hard work and compassion in advocating for people who are often at their most vulnerable when in their care. “I hope you know that your dedication to your work, and your advocacy for your clients in spite of all the challenges you face, makes such a difference in this world,” said Secretary-Treasurer McLean.

The morning included a discussion from Regional Directors Sandra Ashcroft and Sabrina Qadir along with Debora De Angelis, Director of Political Action and Engagement, as well as remarks from Tony Nigro, the Director of Organizing at UFCW Locals 175 & 633.

In the afternoon, Stewards got into workshop mode as they broke out into different training sessions covering Workplace Violence, Harassment, and Bullying.

Health care workers are often subjected to increased levels of violence, harassment, and bullying for any number of reasons, including – but not limited to:

• Working alone due to understaffing.
• Handling controlled substances.
• Managing clients with complex health concerns.

Day two of the Health Care Stewards Conference included town hall discussions where our Stewards got a chance to ask questions of a panel of staff from the Local Union. It’s always a great opportunity to hear from our Stewards on the concerns they have in the workplace and we’re looking forward to some in-depth discussion.

Thank you to all of our Stewards for your participation in the 2026 Health Care Stewards conference, and your ongoing commitment to the work you do.\

More photos to come!!