Does the OHA want to destroy central standards and create regional standards? That’s what their recent actions would indicate.

All 40 participating hospitals have now gone through conciliation. After the first four hospitals (University Health Network, Timmins, Humber River and Niagara) went through the process, we said this was enough to establish a pattern for the sector. The OHA disagreed and pushed for three additional hospitals (Baycrest, Thunder Bay and Riverdale) to go through conciliation. The dates were set without OPSEU’s agreement.

OPSEU responded by asking for conciliation for the remaining 33 hospitals, which was done at a meeting held Oct. 24.

A Board of Arbitration is being set up to hear the first four cases (UHN, NHS, Timmins and Humber). Without bothering to first attempt to agree to an arbitrator, or even to inform us, the OHA applied to the Ministry of Labour for an arbitrator to be appointed for its two hospitals. We responded by applying for our two hospitals. The OHA made a subsequent, feeble attempt to agree to an arbitrator, and then refused to suggest more names. So now an arbitrator will be appointed by the Minister of Labour. The parties have agreed that one arbitrator should hear all four cases. Our nominee is Larry Robbins; theirs is Doug Gray.

With all 40 participating hospitals now able to go forward to arbitration, the logical next step would be to set up a process for that to happen.

But what did the OHA do? It asked us to add Kingston to the four hospitals. It said that would bring in a regional perspective.

We said no, because we are dealing with central, province-wide standards, not regional standards. Just as a nurse is paid the same, anywhere in Ontario, we too have province-wide wage rates. Hospitals are provincially-funded institutions, so why should local factors influence how much we make?

We said it would make sense to set up an arbitration board to deal with all 40 hospitals in one hearing. This would allow the parties to bring forward all the arguments they would make at 40 individual arbitrations, and ensure all outstanding issues are dealt with for all participating hospitals at the same time. And it would clarify what your pay and working conditions will be, and eliminate delay.

This obviously would also be a cost savings for the OHA and the hospitals, money they desperately need for patient care!

The OHA refused our proposal, saying it sounded like a central arbitration process.

The OHA wants arbitration for the first four hospitals to proceed with single arbitrations at each site. We suggested all four be heard together in Toronto. The OHA is canvassing hospitals on this, but not on our proposal for one hearing on all 40 hospitals.

Although the OHA intends to bring forward the same proposals at arbitration, it is signaling that an arbitrator may award differently on the same issue for different locations. This means the OHA may make different arguments on the same proposal in different places.

We will keep you posted as we continue to fight for central standards and central bargaining.

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HPD actions have OPSEU’s full support

The OPSEU Executive Board has directed that the full support of OPSEU be given to the Hospital Profesionals central bargaining team during this difficult round of bargaining.

While vote meetings are held over the next two weeks, OPSEU is planning mobilizing actions to support central bargaining. OPSEU has established a Provincial Coordinating Committee (see diagram page 3) to oversee the campaign and plan a series of province-wide coordinated actions.

Member mobilizers will be booked off for a month to help organize local activities. And we’ll set up Service Area Coordinating Groups (SACGs), made up of regional member mobilizers, local presidents, Board members and staff reps. The SACGs will help locals with local mobilizing plans, local media relations, and meetings with labour and area councils to get community support, and will advise the provincial committee on actions.

We are setting up a mobilizing room with a hotline (watch the OPSEU website for details) to address members’ questions and concerns. We will distribute more information about the OHA offer to locals in the next few days.

We’ve heard good things from the vote meetings so far. Meetings continue until Nov. 18. We will count the votes Nov. 19 and announce the results at hospitals across the province as soon as possible.

Region 5 members have a chance to voice their concerns with private (and P3) hospitals at an Ontario Health Coalition rally at the OHA convention, noon Tues. Nov. 19. Call Barb Linds at OPSEU (1-800-268-7376 x 203) for details.

Need help? Questions?

If you are getting threats or intimidation from your hospital administration, call your staff representative immediately.

If you need help with local media, call David Cox at OPSEU communications (1-800-268-7376 x 314).

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

Click here to download this issue of Hospital Table Talk for printing