Months after the Ford government’s abysmal and fractured restructuring of Ontario Health, OH, a group of unionized women’s health care workers are in the unfair position of having to fight for the same wages as their non-union co-workers doing the same jobs. 

CUPE 5516 is comprised of 45 health care workers spread out across Ontario, who does vital work as epidemiologists, health program planners, analysts and coordinators, currently earn up to $20,000 dollars a year less than their non-union co-workers, doing the exact same work, day in and day out.

“I’ve worked at Ontario Health for 18 years, and right now, I could be earning $10 to $20 more an hour if I were non-union. We do the same work, we have the same tasks, but we get paid less,” said Marthe Dumont, president of CUPE 5516.

“This is unfair and it’s unacceptable. Not having a wage increase in over four years has taken a toll on our members. We’re feeling the stress of rising inflation, mortgage rates, and the cost of living, on top of increased workload and a lack of appreciation from management. This is union busting – there’s no way around it,” Dumont said.

Fuelling the inequity and workplace division is Doug Ford government’s Treasury Board and OH anti-worker and anti-union refusal to negotiate a fair contract that recognizes workplace wage parity. The Ford government is so dug-in on this point that they outright refuse to negotiate a job evaluation system, says CUPE, who represents about 45 staff doing this important work at OH.
   

“Premier Ford, his Treasury Board minister Caroline Mulroney and the Ontario Health managers have dug-in and refused to negotiate a fair deal with a small group of mostly women health workers,” said Fred Hahn, President of CUPE Ontario.  

“They refuse to pay them the same wages as others doing the same job – but who are non-union. They are so dug-in on this point that they outright refuse to negotiate a job evaluation process. This government is 100% committed to unfairness and 100% committed to anti-worker and anti-union tactics,” Hahn said.

This restructuring failure is undermining Ontario health care while crushing the rights of workers. Adding to the unfairness is that this same group of workers has not seen a wage increase in four years at a time that the cost of food, rent and transport have spiked.

Workers are asking members of the public to send a message of support: Help Ontario Health Workers Today! - CUPE Ontario