The picket line outside the Hasting Prince Edward Public Health Unit building got bigger Friday.
Members of CUPE Local 3314 joined the Ontario Nurses’ Association in protesting for a fair deal with the Hastings Prince Edward Public Health Unit.
The union representing 70 public health workers was unable to come to a deal with HPEPH before a strike date set for September 22.
“Certainly wages are a component because we’re looking to get closer to keeping up with inflation but also the members have really expressed an interest in increasing a lot of the benefits that we have at the health unit and like paramedical, vision for glasses, mental health benefits,” President of CUPE Local 3314, Kimberley Craig, told media members.
“The employer really has not offered any of those even without the wage increase that we asked for. They really have provided neither.”
Craig says it’s unfortunate that a deal was unable to come together.
“The public health services that we offer, like the inspection services, the dental program for seniors and for children and school screening, all of those things have just ground to a halt and most of those services, the employers indicated, they’re not going to provide,” Craig said.
“Even some of the basic support like sending lab results, they’ve indicated they wouldn’t do and so it’s unfortunate for the public that’s going to be affected.”
ONA and CUPE members protesting for a fair contract in front of the exit of the Hastings Prince Edward Public Health Unit building. September 22, 2023. (Photo: Zach McGibbon/Quinte News)
Meantime, negotiation talks between ONA and the Hastings Prince Edward Public Health Unit broke down before they could really begin on Thursday.
“We met with the employer for a total of three minutes,” ONA Local 31 President Joshua Davidson Marcon told media.
“Unfortunately, what they offered us was not good enough. We did meet with them last week to discuss a third year. I informed them of where our low point was, and they came back even lower so we quickly rejected that and continue to picket.”
Davidson Marcon expanded on the third year option presented in negotiations.
“We were hoping to help supplement the first two years by getting the third year to find money in the 2025 budget. Unfortunately, they came back with another 2% which we know is clearly too low.”
Back in August, the Hastings Prince Edward Public Health Unit said that it had made an offer of 2% increase in wages upfront and said the contract was “fair and reasonable.”
ONA Local 31 President Joshua Davidson Marcon delivering a speech to both ONA and CUPE members as both unions hit the picket lines. September 22, 2023. (Photo: Zach McGibbon/Quinte News)
On Friday, both CUPE and ONA members protested outside the HPEPH building and held speeches encouraging members to not give up their fight and to continue to demand for a fair contract.
There is now a total of 120 workers on the picket line, including 70 public health workers from CUPE and 50 ONA members including registered nurses, registered practical nurses, and public health nurses.
