Unifor eyes SEIU-CUPE award for Ontario health care members

TORONTO, April 19, 2024 /CNW/ - Unifor expects to achieve the wage increases and benefit improvements awarded to Ontario OCHU-CUPE and SEIU Healthcare members by Arbitrator William Kaplan in a recent decision.

Unifor congratulates OCHU-CUPE and SEIU Healthcare on this award as all three unions hold firm to their Solidarity Pact to bargain collaboratively and plans to achieve a similar outcome for Unifor health care workers in Ontario.

"Unifor health care members expect the same increases that have been awarded to other unionized workers," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "Every person in this province wants, and needs access to quality, public health care. We can't do that without supporting the workers across the system with respectable pay and working conditions."

Unifor's Northern Group, encompassing 15 acute care units from Locals 229 and 1359 in Northern Ontario, opened negotiations on February 13, 2024 and will be in mediation on May 4. The bargaining committee is bolstered by news of the 6% wage gains and other improvements awarded to OCHU-CUPE and SEIU.

"These three influential health care unions are championing a 10-point Solidarity Pact, not as a symbol, but as a powerful framework to save our public health care, starting with improvements to worker pay," said Unifor Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi. "Canadians can no longer take public health care for granted, or as a given. Publicly funded health care is under daily direct attack and we will not allow it to be turned into yet another of life's core necessities to be milked for profit."

Learn more about Unifor's mission to restore public health care in Ontario so it's great for everyone at savehealthcare.ca.

Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad and strives to create progressive change for a better future.

SOURCE Unifor