Toronto: Air ambulance dispatchers and staff at the
Infectious Control Centre based in Toronto have
asked for a no-board report and could strike Sept.
11.
Union members voted 95 per
cent Aug. 17 in favour of strike action if their
demands for a fair collective agreement are not met.
Bargaining dates are
scheduled with the employer and a mediator for Aug.
27 and 30.
The 71 full-time and
part-time members of Ontario Public Service
Employees Union Local 545 work for the new
privatized non- profit organization called ORNGE.
Union members, who are
responsible for the dispatch of helicopters to
highway accidents, and coordination of organ
retrival flights, as well as infectious disease
screening (including SARS) for all inter-hospital
patient transfer services and Critical Care Land
Ambulance transfer in Ontario are currently
bargaining for an improved collective agreement.
“The members are looking
for a fair collective agreement,” said OPSEU
Negotiator Mark Kotanen, noting voter turnout was 90
per cent. “The goodwill is there on the part of
these key workers to find a deal with this
employer.”
This is a first contract
for these workers who were divested from the Ontario
Public Service in 2006 and began bargaining in June
2007. The parties remain apart in bargaining on
meeting industry standards for wages, and improved
professional standards and training.
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