Thousands of CUPE members working at hospitals in Ontario will benefit from a recent settlement to share millions of dollars of gains made in the 1990s when the insurance company that provided the disability income plan changed its corporate structure.
As of June 1, 2010 the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) is holding approximately $22.5 million in demutualization proceeds in trust. An agreement on how to share the proceeds was recently achieved by CUPE along with four other unions and the OHA. It covers around 41,000 current and former workers who were employed as of December 29, 1997 by OHA member facilities that were part of the Hospitals of Ontario Disability Income Plan (HOODIP).
“This is an important settlement that will benefit many of our members,” said Michael Hurley, President of CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions. “More than a decade ago, a coalition of unions came together to make sure that health workers shared in the gains from the corporate restructuring. We stuck with it - and ultimately succeeded,” said Hurley.
Eligible member information
Eligible members will benefit in two ways. Current employees who were covered by HOODIP in December 1997 will receive a holiday for their disability plan premiums for a period of time, as will OHA member hospitals. Former employees will receive a $100 cheque.
Go to the Demutualization page on the OCHU website to find more information about:
- The settlement
- Frequently asked questions
- A list of participating hospitals
Other unions that worked with CUPE to achieve this important settlement include the Ontario Nurses’ Association, Ontario Public Sector Employees Union, Service Employees International Union and the Canadian Auto Workers union. The outcome resolves a class action lawsuit launched by the unions.