FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 26, 2005
OPSEU takes fight with St. Joseph's to the Ontario Labour Relations Board
The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) filed a complaint yesterday with the Ontario Labour Relations Board charging St. Joseph's Health Care of London-St. Thomas with multiple violations of the Ontario Labour Relations Act.
The union is seeking a cease and desist order from the Labour Board after 13 full-time registered practical nurses were given notice of layoff while the employer posted 50 new part-time RPN positions to replace them. The union is seeking both damages and reinstatement of laid off employees, stating the health care
organization was seeking to intimidate and coerce staff into withdrawing a legitimate overtime grievance.
St. Joseph's went on the offensive against the union after both sides failed to come to an agreement April 12 over compensation owed for unpaid overtime. While the union sought to continue meetings to resolve the issue, the employer told union representatives that it was going to layoff 72 employees within the next few
days as a result of the parties being unable to reach a deal that day.
The union offered to suspend continuing liability to forestall the layoffs and give the parties time to meet again. St. Joseph's refused, and instead convened meetings in the workplace where it blamed the union for the layoffs and the changes to the work schedules, telling staff it was necessary to avoid liability.
However, the changes and layoffs are also in contravention of the collective agreement.
"St. Joseph's is engaging in a multi-pronged attack on the union in order to avoid its responsibilities to respect the collective agreement it signed," said OPSEU President Leah Casselman. "It's time they were reigned in and told to respect the law."
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For more information
Rob Kinnear, OPSEU Sector Rep, 519-494-3035
Dave Erskine, Local 152 President, 519-765-8660
Rick Janson, OPSEU Communications, 416-443-8888 ext 8207.
