In November 2022, thousands of Central Hospital workers received their Arbitration Award for their two-year Collective Agreement. Unfortunately, the arbitrator could not award more than a 1% increase in total compensation due to Doug Ford’s anti-worker Bill 124, which we, along with other unions, challenged this anti-worker legislation on constitutional grounds. Bill 124 also impacts increases to benefits, including much-needed mental health supports.

Leading up to bargaining, during bargaining, and since the Arbitration Award, we have been relentlessly fighting the Ford Government to repeal Bill 124 and to allow us to bargain fairly.

On November 29, 2022, our efforts were rewarded, and we won our court challenge: Bill 124 was ruled unconstitutional and void.

Rather than correcting their mistakes and investing in all healthcare workers, they are wasting your tax dollars and further disrespecting you by appealing the decision.

The Ford Government continues to attack public healthcare workers, and the Ontario Hospital Association fails to recognize their struggles and offer a helping hand.

So now we turn to the Central Hospital’s Board of Directors.

While the Directors and their loved ones are probably enjoying their holidays, hospital workers keep hospitals running, despite not receiving pay to keep up with the rising inflation. During the most wonderful time of the year you are overworked, stressed out and struggling to pay your bills.

Dedicated frontline workers deserve to enjoy the holidays instead of spending time fighting for better wages and working conditions.

We have launched our Hospital Holiday Message campaign, and we need your help. It is essential that all hospital workers from every department participate in this campaign. From housekeeping to clerical, from MDRD to PSWs, nurses and porters. Every classification in your hospital should share a message with their hospital board and the government.

Please take a few minutes to record a short video and share how Bill 124 and other workplace issues affect you and your loved ones.

Here are some questions to consider for your video:

How does it make you feel that the government has limited your total compensation to 1%?

With the rising cost of living, how has Bill 124 impacted the quality of life for you, your family and all those you care for?

Do you think you deserve a 1% cap during this global pandemic?

How much longer are you willing to work in the hospital sector with Bill 124 in place?

How did Bill 124 impact staff retention and turnover?

How does it make you feel that you have to cut corners at work to see all your patients?

How often do you miss your breaks? How often do you work short? How often do you sacrifice your own time to stay at work? What other sacrifices have you made the past few years?

How has your mental and physical health been affected?

What do you need from your employer and the Ford government to be successful in your role as a healthcare worker?