Workers at Peterborough Regional Health Centre achieve real improvements
in arbitrated award
November 26, 2012 Local 345, representing 245 office
and clerical workers at Peterborough Regional Health Centre, is celebrating
after receiving an arbitration award that brings them into line with other
hospital office and clerical workers across Ontario. The bargaining unit’s
collective agreement expired September 28, 2009.
The Employer would not agree to any compensation increases, and argued in
front of an interest board of arbitration chaired by Richard Brown that the
state of the provincial economy warranted a wage freeze for these OPSEU
members. A majority of the Board disagreed, noting the pattern had already
been set provincially for clerical workers and also noting that such an
award would create an unfair disparity.
Writing for the majority, Arbitrator Brown made the following observations:
“The employer proposed a wage freeze based in part on ability to pay and the
state of the provincial economy. Even assuming such factors would warrant
the denial of any wage increase, the resulting burden should be shared
equitably among all unionized employees at the hospital. As there has been
no wage freeze for other bargaining units during the relevant period, we are
not prepared to freeze wages for this bargaining unit based on ability to
pay or the state of the economy.”
The Board awarded a 2% increase in each year of a three year term as well as
improvements in bereavement leave, shift premiums, vacation, benefits and
compensation for last minute shift changes.
Local President Linda Matteau was elated. "The bargaining team and the
Research Officers all did their homework and made an excellent case. The
past three years of waiting for arbitration, surviving the hospital
improvement plan cuts of 2011 and the budget cuts of 2012 were very hard on
morale within the bargaining unit, but now there is renewed life going
forward."
