
Mental health workers picket northern CMHA branch
May 5, 2011
Workers are fed up waiting for a contract at the
Cochrane Temiskaming Branch of the Canadian Mental Health
Association.
On May 4th, CMHA staff, represented by OPSEU
Local 631, held an information picket at three of the employer’s
sites in northern Ontario.
Efforts to negotiate a new collective agreement
have taken 18 months and staff have been without a pay
raise since 2006.
“A contract is good for our mental health,”
said President, Maggie Wakeford, noting this is taking place
during Mental Health week. “ We need our collective agreement
now.”
The employees hope their picketing will pressure
the employer to get back to the table with a serious offer.
The bargaining team returns to the table on May
9 and 10.
CMHA became an OPSEU workplace in December 2008
and has four locations in Timmins, New Liskeard, Kirkland Lake
and Matheson.