Canadian Hearing Services workers call on MPPs for help in 3rd week of strike
Now on their third week of picketing, union members are calling on MPPs to "step in" and help to negotiate with Canadian Hearing Services (CHS).
"I really think that we're going to need the help of MPPs to step in and make sure that CHS is acting fairly when it comes to employees," said Rachel Vandenberg, a CUPE 2073 member and steward. Vandenberg is a mental health counselor at the CHS office in Kitchener.
CUPE 2073 union members across Ontario started picketing on April 28 in the hopes of securing longer contracts and higher wages for their members working for CHS.
In Waterloo region, union members were picketing Friday outside MPP Brian Riddell's office in Cambridge. Last week, they picketed at MPP Jess Dixon's office.
The two sides last met on May 6, but a collective agreement has not yet been reached.
Reaching an agreement
CBC K-W reached out to CHS for comments, and they responded with an FAQ document related to the on-going negotiations with CUPE 2073.
In the document, CHS said they "proposed a generous renewal offer for a one-year collective agreement with the union."
"This proposal includes an overall compensation increase of 4.9 per cent over the prior year, reflecting our ongoing investment in the wellbeing and security of our staff," the document continued.
However, Vandenberg said this offer was not on the table during the May 6 negotiations.
"They had come to us earlier with a proposal that would be dead, would be cancelled in 24 hours," she explained.
Vandenberg said the union was very hopeful heading to the negotiation table saying they had a very "thorough proposal," but that CHS "chose not to look at it or not to give any answers." She said since the CHS did not have a counter proposal during the negotiation, there was no way to bargain.
But CHS said it was CUPE 2073 who declined their offer.
"CUPE Local 2073 walked away from our generous offer," CHS said. "Shockingly, in response, they are demanding an increase of 30.5 per cent over the course of three years."
Mara Waern, president of CUPE 2073, told CBC News Windsor that this was not the case — the 30.5 per cent is not a wage increase. Instead, the number represented the total of the inputs from all the members' proposals, including more leave credits and pension adjustments, Waern explained.
What CUPE 2073 wants
Waern said the union is asking for a two-year contract, which includes a two per cent wage increase in the first year and a three per cent increase in the second year.
Additionally, Vandenberg said the union is hoping to achieve three things.
"We would like to see more fair bargaining procedures in place at CHS… We would like for the MPPs to put together an audit of Canadian Hearing Services… [and] we would like to see a remedy for Bill 124," she said.
Bill 124 capped salary increases for broader public sector workers at one per cent a year for three years.
It was found unconstitutional in 2022, and unions across Ontario sought "retroactive pay increases above the one per cent a year and in most cases have been awarded considerably larger amounts."
CHS said they had not received funding related to Bill 124.
"We continue to advocate for our share of funding to rectify the impact of the overturned Bill for our employees," CHS said in the FAQ document.
But Waern said this follows a pattern.
"[CHS is] doing everything they can to break the union and disempower workers," said Waern. "CHS claims to have no money to increase workers' wages, but they can find money to increase senior managements' salaries."
Last year, Julia Dumanian, the CEO of CHS, had her annual salary increased from around $200,000 a year to $340,000. CUPE 2073 workers on the other hand saw their wages falling "16 [per cent] behind inflation under Dumanian's tenure," according to the release.
Services will continue
Vandenberg said the CHS's clients have already been impacted by the on-going strike saying they feel "very isolated" when they can't access the services they depend on.
"We don't have interpreters who are taking people to medical appointments, to legal appointments. We don't have Deafblind interveners to take Deafblind people grocery shopping... the list goes on," she said.
Vandenberg said they just want to go back to doing their jobs.
"We have careers and we want to be in our careers, but we really want to be treated with respect and we want a fair deal," she said.
CHS said their services remain available on a priority basis despite the labour disruption.
"We are taking active steps to ensure essential services continue and that our clients — particularly those with the greatest needs — receive support."
CHS said their interpreting services will still be available, including for personal emergencies, medical purposes, and other urgent matters.
The two sides are expected to meet again on May 21 through a mediator.
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