OAHPP Labline: arbitration update

August 10, 2011

On July 13, the arbitration award came down.

We took the following issues to arbitration:

Wages

• Effective January 1, 2009:

• 3.25 % general wage increase for all classifications with the exceptions below:

• Parity with OPSEU Central Hospital for:

  • Lab Attendant 2 with Central Hospital – Technician 3

  • Med Tech 1 with Central Hospital – Registered Technologist

  • Med Tech 2 with Central Hospital – Senior Technologist

  • Med Tech 3, Hd Tech Immuno, Occupational H & S Advisor with Central Hospital – Charge Technologist

• Create new position called Admin Assistant 3 (to be paid at the OPS OAD 10 rate)

Effective January 1, 2010:

• 2.5% general wage increase across the board

Effective January 1, 2011:

• - 2.5% general wage increase across the board
  

Vacation

We asked for parity with the vacation entitlements of OPSEU Central Hospital

Benefits

We asked for the following improvements to benefits:

• Remove $120 cap on Hospital coverage

• 100% employer paid premiums for vision / hearing aids

• One eye exam every 24 months in addition to vision care

• Reduce dental deductible to $50

• Add pit & fissure sealant to dental

• Increase major restorative maximum to $2,000

What did the employer take to arbitration?

Zero increases and no improvements for benefits and vacation.

We understand that many of you are very disappointed and we share that disappointment. The award was not what we hoped for. But since we are moving directly into bargaining the renewal of the agreement, we hope that the next bargaining team will be able to address these issues.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW AGREEMENT

Though the new agreement came into effect on the date of the award, the parties still need to sit down and create the new agreement from the agreed issues and award. Every “i” must be dotted and every “t” must be crossed to create the new agreement. The new wage grid must also be proofed carefully so that calculations of retroactivity are accurately made. Though we had successor rights to the 2008 OPS agreement, this is a first collective agreement and the parties need to ensure that this agreement is operationalized in a consistent manner. This is not unique to PHO; this is something that happens at any workplace where a first collective agreement has been achieved.

We will be meeting with the employer on August 11 and 12.

We have been asked some questions to whom this agreement applies. This agreement will apply to all OPSEU members except those who transferred from the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care on July 1, 2011.

The non-monetary articles of the collective agreement also apply to those members affected by the Scope Transition Agreement (agreed April 13, 2011). Unfortunately, the transition group is not affected by the monetary provisions of the award.

MOVING FORWARD

This week OPSEU gave the employer notice to bargain.

Ruth Hamilton will not be bargaining the renewal of the agreement since she is now the supervisor of OPSEU’s OPS bargaining unit.

Steve Saysell is now the Negotiator assigned to work us. Steve brings years of bargaining experience to the table and has been working with the Canadian Blood Services sector in OPSEU, so he understands the nature of the work we do.

We will be working with Steve to begin preparations for bargaining. This includes preparing the bargaining survey, preparing for and collating the results of local demand setting and organizing the Provincial Demand Setting meeting.

At the Provincial Demand Setting meeting, in addition to setting the final demands to take to the bargaining table, there will be elections for the bargaining team and for the provincial Agency Employee Relations Committee (AERC) we negotiated into the collective agreement.

We understand that everyone wants to get to the table as quickly as possible so we hope to get this process moving soon.

Please watch for upcoming Lablines for updates on preparations for bargaining.

In solidarity,