OPSEU reaches tentative contract extension deal with hospitals

TORONTO, Oct. 12, 2017 /CNW/ - Hospital professionals represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) have reached a tentative contract extension with the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA).

If ratified by both sides, the contract extension will extend the current central collective agreement by three years, to March 31, 2022.

The tentative contract extension with OPSEU's hospital professionals maintains all provisions contained in the current collective agreement reached 18 months ago, and provides for annual wage increases of 1.75 per cent effective April 1, 2019.  Click here for the tentative extension agreement.

"I'm very excited by the outcome we've reached," said Sandi Blancher, chair of the OPSEU team, which also included OPSEU Region 3 Vice-President Sara Labelle, team vice-chair Betty Palmieri, and staff members. "It gives our members and the hospitals stability for an additional three years."  

Labelle, who is also chair of the union's Hospital Professionals Division, said the tentative agreement reinforces OPSEU's position as the leader in representing hospital professionals in Ontario.

"This demonstrates that OPSEU can work with the OHA from a position of strength unmatched in organized labour. It's another example of how OPSEU keeps building on the experience gained from representing hospital professionals for almost 50 years," said Labelle, whose members work in more than 250 occupational groups inside many provincial hospitals.

OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas said talks with the OHA went quickly and delivered the results OPSEU sought.

"We worked hard at this," said Thomas. "Our members and patients are the winners. This extension recognizes the value that allied health professionals bring to the health care system."

SOURCE Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU)