Union Calls for Mediator and Offers Media Blackout While Canadian Hearing Services Still Refuses to Bargain
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TORONTO — No interpreters, no mental health counsellors, no access to hearing aids, and no bargaining for more than a month: that's the situation as a strike at Canadian Hearing Services (CHS) grinds into its ninth week.
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CHS and CUPE 2073 – representing more than 200 workers who support deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing Ontarians – last met on May 21. CHS left bargaining without tabling an offer, considering workers' proposals, or offering more dates to negotiate. They made clear that they'd only return to the table, if workers agreed to a media blackout, among other demands.
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In the intervening weeks, political and community pressure has mounted on CHS with several ONDP MPPs voicing concern and deaf and hard of hearing organizations pointing to the impact on their communities. CHS, meanwhile, still refused to bargain.
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In the interest of resolving a strike that's actively harming deaf Ontarians, CUPE 2073 made their greatest overture to CHS in offering a media blackout. In a letter delivered to CHS' lawyers on June 17, CUPE mapped a path toward a freely negotiated settlement, with both parties jointly paying for an external mediator for a block of days and a media blackout for the duration.
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CHS did not respond to the letter.
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'If CHS wanted to end this strike, if they wanted us back at work restoring services to deaf Ontarians, they'd be at the table. We've tried everything to get back to negotiations because we know how much pain this disruption is causing. CHS hasn't shown any urgency and it's impossible to interpret that as anything other than a lack of consideration for the challenges deaf people face,' said Mara Waern, president of CUPE 2073 and an employment consultant with more than three decade's experience at CHS. 'The community wants an end to this strike. Workers want an end. The only party that's refusing is CHS.'
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This is the second strike in CHS' history – and the second to occur under the leadership of Julia Dumanian. The last strike took place in 2017 and was only settled after 10 weeks through the involvement of a third-party mediator.
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CUPE 2073 members are eager to negotiate and remain focused on a multi-year deal that invests in services and helps them catch up after years of falling behind inflation.
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