Agree to single unrestricted arbitration and we’ll cancel Day of Action, OPSEU tells OHA

TORONTO – The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) says it will ask its members to cancel a planned Hospital Emergency Day of Action if the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) agrees to a single unrestricted arbitration for all 40 hospitals involved in central bargaining.

The one-day protest by over 5,000 hospital professionals is slated for Feb. 13.

OPSEU president Leah Casselman said a single arbitration that allowed for wage comparisons with all other Ontario hospitals would be cheaper for Ontario taxpayers, would help communities keep and attract hospital professionals, and would be fair to all employees.

“The principle that central arbitration upholds is the principle of equal pay for equal work,” Casselman said. “It is perfectly logical. What hospital professionals want is the exact same process that the OHA uses in contract talks with the Ontario Nurses Association.”

In the absence of a settlement, frustrated Ontario hospitals have tried to cut “side deals” or acted unilaterally to raise wages for particular occupations at particular hospitals, Casselman said.

“This band-aid approach is a recipe for poaching,” she said. “It will not relieve the shortage – a shortage the OHA acknowledges – of hospital professionals across the province. It will merely cause staff to quit some hospitals and move to others. Our proposal will keep hospital professionals in every hospital in every community.”

Many hospitals are frustrated with the OHA bargaining team and want to see a settlement before Feb. 13, Casselman said.

“Our information is that, in a Feb. 6 conference call, the OHA tried to placate participating hospitals by saying that the contracts for six hospitals currently heading to arbitration would apply to the other 34,” she said. “That’s the first we’ve heard of it. If the OHA has a plan to broaden arbitration, we’d like to hear it before Feb. 13. The ball is in their court.”

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For further information:

David Cox: 416-443-8888 (ext 314) or cell 416-788-9197 or dcox@opseu.org  
Randy Robinson: 416-448-7441 or cell 416-788-9134 or rrobinson@opseu.org
Katie FitzRandolph: 416-448-7440 or cell 416-788-9057 or kfitzrandolph@opseu.org