FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 29, 2002
New contract for Canadian Blood Services
TORONTO – Ontario Public Service Employees Union members who work for the Canadian Blood Services have narrowly ratified a new four-year collective agreement that runs to March 31, 2005.
The contract covers 850 members who work in Windsor, London, Hamilton, Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, Barrie and Peterborough.
It provides wage increases totaling 12.6 per cent, with the first raises retroactive to April 1, 2001.
The top pay rate in the bargaining unit (for phlebotomists, the people who draw blood at donor clinics) will move from the old range of $15.24 to $18.14 an hour to a final range of $17.16 to $20.42. For telerecruiters, the lowest rate covered in the contract, the rates will go from the old range of $8.78 to $12.06 to a
final range of $9.88 to $13.57. The ranges represent the difference between the start rate and the rate earned after six years.
Other monetary gains include new or increased premiums for bloodmobile drivers, on-the-job trainers, people who work evenings, and people who work the preparation table.
Drivers get an additional $100 every two years for medicals for their licence renewals, and mobile clinic staff receive $100 every two years for safety boots.
Kilometrage rates rise to 30 cents from 26, and both vision and dental care plans will see gains over the term of the contract.
Scheduling issues were important to members, and the new contract requires schedules to be posted and dated in advance, allows members to exchange shifts, lets members volunteer for mobile clinics and establishes a minimum of four hours per shift. If a shift is cancelled with less than 12 hours’ notice, the member gets
paid time and a half for the shift.
Part-time workers will accumulate seniority for all hours worked, including overtime, and an employer demand to require part-time staff to be available for call virtually full-time has been withdrawn.
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For further information:
Katie FitzRandolph: 416-448-7440 or cell 416-788-9057 or kfitzrandolph@opseu.org
Walter Belyea: 613-739-9100
