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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Quebec 'closely monitoring' tuberculosis in Nunavik, minister says, as doctors call for more resources
Quebec's health minister says the province's public health service is "closely monitoring" the tuberculosis situation in Nunavik, in the wake of a letter from the mayors of the region's 14 Inuit communities calling for the declaration of a public health emergency. "We take this situation very seriously," Health Minister Christian Dubé's office told CBC News. "We will continue to follow the recommendations of public health experts on this subject." Public health experts who spoke with CBC News said they are facing resource shortages and need help in order to adequately address the rising numbers of active tuberculosis cases in the region. Six Nunavik communities currently have outbreaks of tuberculosis, and the region is on track to set a grim record for the third year in a row on the number of cases in the region, said Yassen Tcholakov, the clinical lead on infectious diseases for the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services. "We have rates that are comparable to the countries with the most [tuberculosis]. If you take certain communities in isolation, those rates are comparable to the most dire setting in countries that have extremely minimal health resources," he said. He said tuberculosis, while treatable, kills most infected patients within a few years if left untreated. Those who are treated are sometimes left with lifelong problems like scarring on their lungs. If nothing changes, he expects the number of cases in Nunavik to keep growing. "When I hear people calling for a public health emergency, I hear a cry for help — and an observation that the health system is not reaching the expectation of what the population would like to see," Tcholakov said. In a separate statement to CBC News, the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux du Québec said it has mobilized teams to determine the best way to follow up on the requests mayors made on Monday. It said that as of June 7, there have been 56 cases so far this year of tuberculosis reported in Nunavik — even higher than the 40 cases the region's mayors referenced in their letter. Neither the minister nor the department committed in their statements to declaring a public health emergency. The department wrote that it is taking "the time to carefully analyze the situation" before acting. "We are aware that the increase in tuberculosis cases adds to the already numerous challenges [Nunavik] faces regarding access to quality, continuous and safe care and services," the department stated. Faiz Ahmad Khan, a respirologist at the McGill University Health Centre who also works at the health centres in the Nunavik communities of Puvirnituq and Kuujjuaq, said there has been a "chronic shortage" of medical resources in general in Nunavik for years — an issue that also impacts the tuberculosis response. "I think the mayors have raised a very legitimate demand," he said, with regard to the call for a public health emergency. Such a declaration would give health centres the ability to request the resources they need, he said. Khan said resource shortages mean that sometimes entire families have to fly out just to get screened for the disease. In some communities, people also have to fly just to get an x-ray in order to be diagnosed. All of that delays treatment. "Sadly, I'm very worried that there could be more deaths on the horizon from [tuberculosis] — which is totally unacceptable in Quebec in 2025," he said.
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Kids with diabetes show off their devices at Canadian fashion shows
⭐️HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW⭐️ The Pump Couture fashion shows took place in six cities across Canada this spring. The shows are an opportunity for people with diabetes to show off their devices. Diabetes Canada organized the events to raise money for the organization's camps for kids with diabetes. Read on to find out what it was like for kids who participated. ⬇️⬇️⬇️ When you hear 'pumps' and fashion, you might be thinking about high-heeled shoes. But at the Pump Couture fashion shows, the pumps in question are a piece of medical tech. That's because the shows, put on by Diabetes Canada, feature kids and adults living with diabetes who use devices like insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) to help manage their condition. The events took place in six Canadian cities over the spring. CBC Kids News spoke to four kids who said it was a good experience to meet other kids with diabetes and feel more confident. 'It's probably one of the biggest things I look forward to every year now,' said Mathew Voss, 17, who took part in Regina, Saskatchewan, for a second year. He said he hopes the fashion shows encourage people 'to wear their devices out in public and be more proud of who they are and what their condition is instead of hiding.' Show features kids with Type 1 diabetes This year's Pump Couture shows took place in: Halifax, Nova Scotia, on April 4. Vancouver, British Columbia, on April 16. Calgary, Alberta, on May 1. Regina, Saskatchewan, on May 16. Winnipeg, Manitoba, on May 23. Toronto, Ontario, on June 10. Each model has diabetes and uses devices to manage it. The kid models we spoke to got to wear two outfits: a casual one and a fancy one. There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. The kids we spoke to all have Type 1 diabetes, meaning their pancreas doesn't make a hormone called insulin. Insulin controls how much sugar is in your blood. Without insulin, too much sugar builds up in the blood and that can cause serious health complications and sometimes death. Chantelle Valley, left, shows off her insulin pump while trying on dresses for the Toronto, Ontario, fashion show. Mathew Voss, right, walks the runway in Regina, Saskatchewan, with his CGM (continuous glucose monitor) displayed on his arm. (Images submitted by Pierre Valley and Cindy Voss) To help track and manage their blood sugar, some people with Type 1 diabetes use devices like the CGM and insulin pump. The CGM is a circular sensor that sticks into the body and communicates with a phone or other device to help people with diabetes track their sugars. The insulin pump gives people with diabetes the insulin they need to stay healthy. Both these devices are worn on the body and need to be incorporated into outfits. If the device can't be clipped on the clothes or put in a pocket, Chantelle Valley, 10, who took part in Toronto, Ontario, said she uses a special bag that holds her pump. Amannat Dhaliwal, 14, who took part in the Vancouver, B.C., fashion show, said sometimes the pump gets in the way but overall she is grateful for it. 'It helps out a lot throughout every day.' An opportunity to show devices Amannat said the Pump Couture shows helped her to feel more confident and gave her an opportunity to show off her devices. 'I normally try to hide mine as much as I can.' Each model got to wear two outfits. One of the outfits Amannat Dhaliwal wore was an Indian sari, right, that let her show off her culture at the show in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Images submitted by Sherry Dhaliwal) She said it gets 'tiring' having to explain it to people who don't know what the pump is for. But at the fashion shows, everyone already knows and is supportive. At school, Silvie Mahoney, 11, who walked in the Halifax, Nova Scotia, show, said she is often asked about her devices. 'It kind of makes me feel sad because some people say: 'Oh, are you a robot?'' Silvie said the shows helped her not feel embarrassed to wear her pump in an obvious place. 'You just can show it off and be like, I'm a diabetic and I'm proud.' Raising money for D-Camp The fashion shows help raise money for D-Camp, which is run by Diabetes Canada for kids with Type 1 diabetes. The kids we spoke to have all been to a D-Camp in their region. Chantelle said she likes going to D-Camp because she can meet other kids who have to monitor their insulin, unlike at school where she is the only one living with diabetes. Mathew said monitoring sugar levels and making sure you're taking the right amount of insulin can require a lot of planning and supporting. 'Diabetes it's a very hard condition sometimes,' he said. 'With D-camps, you have that extra safety seatbelt of other people you can rely on so that you can have more fun.'
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Udo Haan back in St. Thomas hospital after harassment complaint
Udo Haan, the Kitchener, Ont. man who was found not criminally responsible for killing his wife and causing an explosion that destroyed the couple's home in 2018, has been readmitted to the Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental Health Care in St. Thomas. The 65-year-old was brought back to the hospital on April 18 after a woman accused him of harassment. Haan's history Haan was sent to the facility at the conclusion of his criminal case. Since then, his care has been under the purview of the Ontario Review Board. They monitor the progress of his treatment and decide when, and for how long, he can leave the centre. Haan had been suffering from delusions when his killed his wife Edra and blew up their home on Sprucedale Cresent in August 2018. He was diagnosed with an unspecified bipolar disorder and has been taking lithium as part of his treatment plan. The board gave Haan permission to move out of the hospital in September 2024. In the months since, he had been living independently in an apartment near the hospital. He was still required to attend meetings with his medical team and submit to regular testing to make sure he was taking his medication. The Ontario Review Board noted in a recent hearing that Haan wanted to pursue romantic relationships. They ultimately decided he had to report any relationships to his medical team due to 'grave intimate partner violence' in the past and his 'lack of insight into his illness.' Haan was also told he had to abstain from drugs and alcohol. The board, while allowing Haan more freedoms, felt he still represented a 'significant threat to the safety of the public.' New developments On April 18, police went to Haan's apartment after a woman complained he had been harassing her. 'When police arrived at his apartment, they found him drinking beer and smoking joints of cannabis,' a hospital report said. Haan claimed he had received a death threat on social media and that was one of the reasons he had used drugs and alcohol. The hospital's outreach team said they are investigating that allegation. Haan also said he hired a private investigator to follow the woman who filed the complaint in order to discount her story. Members of his medical team noted he had previously hired a private investigator to follow his wife before he caused her death. Haan's actions resulted in criminal charges, and he was taken back to the Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental Health Care. Within days, his medical team said he was experiencing 'an acute decompensation of his unspecified bipolar and related disorder, which was likely primarily triggered by sub-optimal treatment and driven by cannabis and alcohol use, along with stressors he was experiencing around the alleged death threat he received.' A doctor at the facility also determined Haan was incapable of making treatment decisions for his bipolar condition. Since Haan has launched a court appeal, the hospital noted that has limited his treatment options. That, in turn, means his hospital stay will likely be extended. At a hearing on Tuesday, both the hospital's lawyer and Haan's lawyer agreed the restrictions on his liberty were warranted.
