OWEN SOUND – Office and Clerical Workers of
the Grey Bruce Health Unit have voted 77 per cent to reject
the employer’s latest offer in a July 2 vote.
The members have been on strike since May 1.
Last week the parties met briefly. The union took a offer
from the employer back to the members with a recommendation
to reject the deal.
Local 276 members say they will continue to
picket the Health Unit until they receive an offer from
their employer that will bring their wages up to the average
wage of comparable jobs throughout the province.
“We were very disappointed on Saturday,”
said Linda Owens, a program assistant and member of the
bargaining team. “The employer offered to change the extra
one per cent in year three of the contract from a half year
to a whole year. That’s one half of one per cent or about
$190.00 per person.
“We think that they want to keep us out here
on strike for as long as they can. They think that they can
put a scare into the ONA nurses, who are in bargaining now,
by punishing us for going on strike.”
Members of the office and clerical unit work
in many programs at the unit including vaccine delivery,
rabies and bird flu, safe water, sexual health and
immunization clinics. The delivery and effectiveness of
those programs, and others, has been brought into question
due the strike.
For more information: Linda Owens,
519-794-3675
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