Provincial bargaining breaks down over health and safety, violence and wages
Bargaining broke down in late September after 3 weeks of intense negotiations over these 3 issues:
- We could not persuade the hospitals to agree to put the right of employees to access the N95 mask into the contract
- We could not get the major issues around violence against staff addressed
- The hospitals position on wages would likely mean another real loss to inflation in the 4th year of a contract, especially after 3 years of provincial-government ordered wage increases of 1%. In addition, any benefit improvements, to massage for example, would have to be paid for at the expense of the general wage increase according to the employers
CUPE and SEIU have begun an escalating campaign to push back against the wage caps and for a collective agreement that recognizes your contribution.
Court refuses to intervene in hospital vaccine policy
The Superior Court of Justice for Ontario, in a decision issued today, refused to accept the request from employees of the University Health Network to strike down the hospitals mandatory vaccination policy.
CUPE intervened in this hearing and specifically asked that the part of the policy that allows the hospital to fire employees be struck down. This was also denied.
Employees must rely on the grievance procedure and not the courts in order to resolve these matters, the court ruled.
December 7: a day to sign postcards to the Premier and to call for a safer workplace
On December 7 we will ask you to sign a postcard to Premier Ford asking him to cancel the law that limits our wage increases to 1% for the next 3 years.
This will be the first in a series of actions building to the Ontario provincial election in June 2022.
Television and other forms of advertising are planned along with an escalating campaign of membership actions that begins with the sticker day December 7.
Please wear the sticker, and please get everyone you work with to sign the postcards to the Premier.
22,000 CUPE members in New Brunswick on strike
22,000 hospital, long-term care, education, university, social service, corrections, transportation and other workers represented by CUPE began a strike today in New Brunswick over wages.
They are seeking wage increases of 3% in each year of a 4 year contract. The new Brunswick government has offered these workers 8.5% over 5 years.
Inflation hits 4.4%
Inflation is now 4.4% year over year and predicted to hit 4.75% by January, the Bank of Canada says. Inflation of more than 3% is predicted in 2022. Under legislation passed by the Ontario Conservative government, health care workers salaries are held to no more than 1% increases, which would mean a real cut to take home income, after inflation, for our membership.
