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CONTACT
Greg Dwulit
905-660-1800 ext. 35 | g.dwulit@seiulocal1.org
Barry Smith, Director of Communications
905-660-1800 x 303 | b.smith@seiulocal1.org

Reaching goals to standardized language as monetary issues are discussed

Friday, August 14, 2009

Betty Fraser

Betty Fraser

Lennox and Addington County General Hospital


As chair of SEIU’s Part-Time Committee I am very pleased that we are focused on the needs of part-time members. Everyone is working very hard to get for part-timers what full-timers have.


TORONTO, 14 Aug. 2009 – Thursday’s bargaining progressed straight into early Friday morning as representatives of the Service Employees International Union Local 1 Canada and the Ontario Hospital Association worked towards a new collective agreement for SEIU’s hospital employees.

The milestones for the marathon bargaining was standardizing language and agreement on many RPN issues. Though for SEIU, the balance of the day’s bargaining was focused on the needs of part-time employees, and then wages and benefits.

“We are getting down to the nitty-gritty issues, including monetary issues, and both sides have tabled wage proposals, which we will continue to discuss,” summed up SEIU Chief Negotiator Brad Philp on the monetary issues.

SEIU also continued to offer alternatives for cost savings, which the OHA has yet to discuss with their member hospitals.

The SEIU Bargaining Committee caucus further agreed that emphasis on part-time issues is needed to “fill the holes in our agreement that need to be filled,” said Piera Naddeo of William Osler Health Centre.

“The Bargaining Committee is committed to addressing the needs of part-time members and will not allow lesser contract conditions going forward,” SEIU President Sharleen Stewart reminded the committee in caucus Friday morning.

Thursday’s negotiations finished at 2:30 a.m. on Friday, and reconvened later Friday morning at 7:00 a.m.

Daily bargaining updates appear on the SEIU Local 1 Canada’s website (www.seiulocal1.org). Bargaining bulletins are distributed by noon each day of bargaining, and an automated telephone call to members homes from President Stewart is scheduled for Mon. Aug. 17 to summarize bargaining’s progress.

In attendance at bargaining is senior SEIU staff, HWC Servicing staff and representatives of SEIU’s RPN Division, Research and Communications departments, as well as the elected Bargaining Committee members from the SEIU Executive Board and members-at-large from SEIU’s seven provincial regions.

SEIU represents 17,000 hospital workers, and 46,000 health care members throughout Ontario. 
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