Two more hospitals back OPSEU arbitration plan

TORONTO – Two more Ontario hospitals say they support a union plan to resolve a dispute over arbitration for hospital professionals.

Stratford General Hospital and the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) join the London Health Sciences Centre in supporting a single unrestricted arbitration covering all 40 hospitals involved in central bargaining between OPSEU and the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA).

“We remain unclear… as to why the OHA remains opposed to a single, unrestricted arbitration,” Huron Perth Hospital Partnership vice-president Andrew Williams wrote to the OHA today (the Partnership includes Stratford General).

“PHRC… call[s] upon both OPSEU and the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) to seriously consider innovative solutions to the labour issues underlying this dispute such as proceeding with a single arbitration case to resolve the outstanding contracts of all 40 participating hospitals in the Central process,” the Peterborough hospital said in a news release today.

“A single arbitration that allows 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,” said OPSEU President Leah Casselman. “We appreciate the support of these important hospitals.”

-30-

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