Two victories for Canadian care and health workers
UNIFOR, Canada's largest private sector union has announced that Extendicare nursing home workers have ratified 10 new collective agreements with an overwhelming majority of 96% and that Nova Scotia health workers have reached a settlement with the government over bargaining rights. Read below for more information about each union win.
The new deal for members at the Extendicare Group of nursing homes will see improvements in wages, benefits, working conditions, shift premiums and union representation.
“I am proud of the agreement we were able to achieve and the progress we have made for our members,” said Katha Fortier, UNFOR's Ontario Regional Director. “This negotiated settlement was made possible by the hard work and dedication of the Unifor bargaining committee members from across Ontario. To receive such a high ratification is an endorsement of what our bargaining committee was able to secure on behalf of our members.”
“Bargaining in the health care sector is some of the toughest negotiations our union faces,” said Deb Tveit, UNIFOR's Assistant to the President. “To reach a bargained settlement and have it ratified by such a large percentage of the membership is a job well done by all of those involved. I want to thank all of the members for their support and solidarity and participation in the ratification process.”
And in the second piece of good news, the four unions representing health care workers have come to an agreement with the Nova Scotia government after months of arbitration hearings and dispute over bargaining rights.
“I am so very proud of the leadership role Unifor played in this ongoing ordeal. And I am so pleased to say that as a result of our work, Unifor members will remain proud Unifor members,” said Lana Payne, Unifor Atlantic Regional Director.
“Make no mistake, this is a huge victory for our members and for workers’ rights.”
The agreement will see the four unions in health care bargain together four province-wide collective agreements under a Council of Unions structure.
“I want to especially thank our wonderful members, activists and local leaders and the staff of our union who were part of this fightback, including our most excellent legal counsel, Barry Wadsworth,” said Payne.
“We stubbornly held to our principles and in the end justice was on our side.”
Members of all unions vote on the new collective bargaining structure in the coming weeks.
To keep up to date with UNIFOR news, check out the UNIFOR website at: http://www.unifor.org/en/whats-new/news
ABOUT UNIFOR
Unifor is Canada’s largest private sector union, with more than 305,000 members across the country, working in every major sector of the Canadian economy.