Medical Radiation Technologists (MRT's) want the same recognition as their peers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The group, which administers diagnostic tests for everything from a broken finger to chest congestion, was left off a list of frontline workers receiving Pandemic Pay on April 25.
Chantal Beausoleil works as a tech in Windsor-Essex, and says it's not about the money.
"They left out a lot of hospital workers that do work with COVID-19 patients, my group being one of them ... and we're more disheartened that we were not acknowledged," she says.
She says nearly every suspected case of the virus will go through her department.
"Essentially when a patient comes into emergency with any respiratory problems like shortness of breath and they're suspected COVID- 19 positive, they will receive a chest x-ray or a CAT-scan just to assess their lungs," says Beausoleil. "We're very hands on and in close proximity with these patients; our job involves direct contact."
Beausoleil says staff in her department is just as exposed as everyone else in hospital.
"With nurses in our own radiology department and the ER and the ICU, throughout the hospital; they're all getting the pay and we're dealing with the same patients," she says. "We just want that recognition as well."
Ontario Association of Medical Radiation Services President Greg Toffner said he's reached out to the province on The Afternoon News - but has yet to receive a response.
The temporary pandemic payment accounts for a $4 increase on top of front line workers' regular hourly wage and includes incentive payments for working long hours.
An MRT averages $31.63 per/hr in Ontario, according to www.ca.indeed.com.
The federal government announced its spending $4-billion to top up the wages of essential workers making minimum wage in Canada on Thursday.
— with files from AM800's Teresinha Medeiros.