PSLRTA update
On January 21, 2025, Ontario Health atHome and all five unions representing workers in the sector appeared at a hearing before the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB). In a show of solidarity, one representative from each of CUPE’s OH atHome local unions attended the OLRB hearing.
The employer (OH atHome) maintained their position for a 2-unit bargaining configuration. One for professional employees and one for clerical and technical employees.
Of the 5 unions present, 3 unions, OPSEU, COPE and UNIFOR took the position that the board did not have jurisdiction over the proposed changes to the bargaining units. Therefore, there will be a hearing which is scheduled for Friday July 25, 2025. Meanwhile each respective party will need to make submissions to the board prior to the July hearing date.
While we were at the Labour board conducting union business, we used this opportunity to hold a media conference at Queens Park where 3 CUPE local leaders provided a summary of the survey conducted of the sector membership, in the fall of 2024.
From CUPE Ontario Health atHome organizer/rep Brett Geneau:
Join us for a townhall February 11, 2025
Join the conversation on the CUPE OH atHome provincial town hall February 11th, 2025, from 6pm-8pm.
There will be updates on what’s coming next including from CUPE National lawyer Dave Steele on the Public Sector Labour Relations Transition Act (PSLRTA)
CUPE National researcher Doug Allan will review the findings of the survey so many of you filled out late in 2024. There will also be a Q&A period focused on your questions and we’ll discuss the next steps in the sector campaign and how you can get involved.
If you have questions that you would like answered at the town hall, you can submit them to bgeneau@cupe503.com
CUPE sector leaders at a Queen’s Park media conference
Issues identified in a CUPE survey of more than 1000 OH atHome sector members were the focus of a media conference at Queen’s Park on January 21, 2025.
CUPE sector leaders reviewed with media the survey responses and a selection of comments that reflect the current working conditions, morale, and changes to the workplace that restructuring has brought.
Increasing workloads, lack of transparency and uncertainty that adversely affect both patient care and the daily work lives of front-line staff at OH atHome, were among the topics highlighted.
Reporters responded with substantive questions and several media stories about the impacts of the changes to home and community care initiated by the Doug Ford PC government.
Next steps
Our sector campaign will launch new CUPE social media/digital platforms this spring.
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