As you know, OPSEU and the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) couldn’t agree on a central arbitration process because the hospitals wanted us to give up our right to compare with non-participating OPSEU units. So, in accordance with our letter of understanding with the OHA on behalf of the participating hospitals, unresolved central and local issues will go to arbitration on a hospital-by-hospital basis.

Before arbitration can happen, conciliation is the first step. OPSEU has applied for conciliation for our bargaining units at the 40 participating hospitals, for both central and local issues. Although local issues negotiations may not be finished – or even started – at some locals, because we are arbitrating outstanding central and local issues on a local hospital basis, we have to do conciliation for both central and local issues.

Strangely, the OHA applied for conciliation for only 11 hospitals: Kingston General, Peterborough Regional, Chatham-Kent, Timmins and District, Thunder Bay Regional, University Health Network, Riverdale, Baycrest, Collingwood General and Marine, Guelph General, and Stratford General.This could be an effort on their part to unilaterally control the process.

We proposed there be one meeting to do conciliation for all 40 hospitals, instead of holding meetings at 40 different locations around the province. The OHA refused. We are now scheduling conciliation dates for individual hospitals starting in September. The dates are being coordinated through staff representatives.

No central issues negotiations at local table

We’ve heard that some human resources staff think their hospitals will be bargaining central issues at the local level. We will not. Our letter of understanding says there will be no bargaining on central issues by the parties locally in participating hospitals. The OHA denies hospitals have been told to bargain central issues. However, if the employers try this in local negotiations, you should refuse. Remind them of the letter of understanding, and that only the central team has the authority to negotiate the central issues. If the hospitals want to make an offer on central issues, we will be glad to bring in the central team to meet with the hospitals’ central team.

The central parties have just signed off on three issues that are being referred to the local parties for negotiations: paid time for local president or designate to perform union business, premium payment for working consecutive weekends, and negotiation of wages for non-central classifications. We have sent language to staff representatives so local teams can set demands for the local table.

Arbitration

Once through conciliation, the parties will inform each other of their nominees to the Arbitration Board. The nominees then try to agree on a chair. If the parties cannot agree, then either party may request the Ministry of Labour to appoint a chair. Then a hearing date is set. Although we do not completely control the timing, we are trying to move quickly and in a way that assures the best results. Your team has met to decide which demands to take to arbitration. OPSEU’s researchers are doing a brief on central issues, tailored to reflect the circumstances at each hospital. We will keep you informed as we move through the process.

Hospitals’ rhetoric doesn’t match reality

Members have told us they have heard from employers that the central team ‘turned down a sweet deal’; or that we are fighting the “rectification of the Devlin award”. If it was such a sweet deal, your team would have grabbed it. The reality is the OHA came to the table with its own agenda to deal with a narrow set of problems. They refused to address our issues. On wages and other priority areas the offer fell far short. Tell your employers if the OHA wants to make it a “sweet deal,” we will grab it. Failing that, we’re off to arbitration.

Your bargaining team

Aimee Axler, Chair Local 444 Kingston General Hospital
David Hancock Local 571 Toronto University Health Network
Robby Hersh Local 583 Baycrest Geriatric Care Centre Toronto
James O’Leary Local 106 London Health Sciences Centre
Patty Rout Local 348 Lakeridge Health Corporation Oshawa
Leslie Sanders Local 348 Lakeridge Health Corporation Oshawa
Yves Shank Local 659 Sudbury Regional Hospital
Moya Beall Staff Negotiator
Michèle Dawson Haber Staff Researcher

Copies of this bulletin will be mailed to HPD stewards and posted on our web site. Please print, post and distribute.

Authorized for Distribution:
Leah Casselman, President

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