Paramed workers ratify tentative contract: return to work starts by week’s end

"There would have been no need for a work stoppage had their international parent company, Extendicare, directed its subsidiary to bargain seriously from the start." — Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU President.

Toronto (29 Sept. 2014) — More than 110 workers at Paramed Home Health Care in the Ottawa Valley have ratified a new three-year contract after being on strike for more than three weeks in a fight for improved wages and benefits.

Home care workers will see improvements to wages and mileage allowance, as well as the establishment of a new scheduling committee

“I’m pleased that our members have ratified their new contract,” said Warren (Smokey) Thomas, President of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/NUPGE), which represents the workers. “But there would have been no need for a work stoppage had their international parent company, Extendicare, directed its subsidiary to bargain seriously from the start. Clearly this is one employer that had no interest in the impact a strike would have on their elderly and infirm clients.”

Striking employees will begin returning to work by the end of this week. Paramed’s home care clients in Renfrew County will see the return of their regular caregivers over the next few months.

Workers at Paramed had been working without a contract for almost two years. Under terms of the new deal, most unionized employees will see an annual general wage increase in the range of 1.4 per cent. Improvements were also gained in mileage allowance and the establishment of a new scheduling committee.

The new contract is retroactive to January 1, 2013.

NUPGE

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE