Quebec bargains 2% increases for health care workers. Ontario limits our increases to 1%.

Day of action June 14

Inflation was 2.2% from March 2020-2021 and the Ontario government has limited our wage increases to 1% for the first 3 years of our contracts. But the Quebec government just signed deals that give its health care workers 2% increases in each year of the contract and 1% lump sum payments in the first and third years.

OCHU-CUPE and SEIU will ask our members to hold a workplace sticker day action on June 14 to demand that the wage restraint legislation be lifted and that we be able to bargain wage increases that at least cover the rising cost of living.

Provincial bargaining starts June 21. Regional meetings to plan local bargaining in June

 rovincial hospital bargaining starts June 21 and 22 between OCHU-CUPE, SEIU and the Ontario Hospital Association.

Priorities for the bargaining were chosen in November at a conference, after a membership bargaining survey and 4 regional meetings with local leaders. See website (ochu.on.ca) for details.

Preparations for local bargaining are also underway and regional meetings will be held in May and June.

There will be a provincial local issues bargaining conference September 8 & 9, 2021.

Ontario finally agrees that Covid is Airborne

Read the report from Public Health Ontario: https://bit.ly/3yKHDop

But province still does not strengthen health care worker protections

Despite announcing that Covid-19 is Airborne, Ontario has not amended its Guidance for health care workers to increase protections.

ONA in Court over this issue

The Ontario Nurses Association is in court with the  government to strengthen protections for health care workers.

Nurses’ Week a huge success thanks to leadership by many RPNs across Ontario

Many RPNs participated in Nurses Week in May, organized by OCHU-CUPE and by the SEIU.

OCHU polled RPNs (see OCHU website) and SEIU did a survey and these results were released in media conferences across the province.  

RPNs from many different CUPE locals participated. There were over 200 TV, Radio and Press stories generated by these media conferences. 

OCHU-CUPE’s RPN committee also designed the RPN pin which was provided to all locals for distribution.