Unifor, the influential union body advocating for nearly 1,400 health care personnel at Grand River Hospital, is vigorously urging the hospital’s management and board of directors to rekindle wage discussions. The request follows the Ontario court ruling last year which pronounced Bill 124, placing a limit on wage increments for public service employees, as unconstitutional. This legislation enacted in 2019 and confining wage hikes to merely one per cent per annum over a three-year term, lastingly marked the public workers’ compensation landscape.
Unifor National President Lana Payne expressed sheer astonishment that despite the invalidation of Bill 124, Grand River Hospital’s leadership remains adamant in their stance toward the health care employees, who courageously and selflessly served their patients and community. Ms. Payne emphasized their well-deserved entitlement to equitable remuneration. Payne further urged the hospital to rectify the situation without delay and clear the path for fair wage negotiations that have been left unresolved for far too long.
Details released from Unifor indicate the initial 2021 – 2024 collective agreement with Grand River Hospital was forged prior to Bill 124 being denounced. The release further revealed a concerning impasse, where despite wage renegotiation initiatives embarked upon by the union in February 2023, by October of the same year, no discernible agreement could be reached with the employer. Consequently, the union alleges the employer’s categorical refusal to deliberate on wage matters.
Unifor Local 1106 Vice President Colleen Steven denounced the management at Grand River Hospital, claiming they have persistently disacknowledged their calls for fair wages, consequently relegating their members behind their colleagues. Steven highlighted the critical urgency of the issue and the union’s determination to secure wage adjustments on par with those obtained by health care workers in other hospitals and fellow Unifor members, refusing to settle for anything less.
Responding to these pressing concerns, Grand River Hospital, through Interim Vice President Leigh Scott, commented to CTV News via email, emphasizing the active engagement between the hospital and Unifor in a discourse regarding the Bill 124 Reopener. Assuring their commitment to maintaining open dialogue and adhering to due process, Scott states they are prepared to invest their time and effort to ensure they get this right. He also acknowledged the real influence these proceedings have on frontline staff, expressing confidence in their undertaken process and their concerted efforts with representatives to safeguard a fair resolution for all parties involved.
