Tuesday, February 27, 2024 Advocating for Healthcare Members in the Halls of Power The task of a union is to represent the interests of its members, not use the membership for self-serving political agendas Newsletters Ontario Healthcare By Aren Plante, Representative In Canada, labour unions are not legally required to disclose the amount of money they give directly to political parties or candidates. In 2019, it was discovered that one union in particular had given over $900,000 to the preferred political party of the union’s leadership. This massive sum was given to political leaders without consulting the membership or considering if the values of this elected leader aligned with the membership’s own values. CLAC takes a very different approach to government relations. While CLAC too seeks to enhance the voice of workers in government decision making, CLAC does not use member’s money for partisan political agendas. One way CLAC advocates is through policy recommendations to the government, such as our Improving Workplaces across Ontario policy submission to the Ontario government last December. Our submission had six policy ideas, with the below two being the most relevant for healthcare workers. 1. Policy Idea #1: WSIB for Retirement and Residential Care Homes WSIB coverage is mandatory in almost every other healthcare setting but retirement homes. Rather than having WSIB, most retirement home workers are subject to inferior insurance plans that provide little in the way of protecting workers in workplace injury situations. As we saw during the pandemic, retirement home workers are essential workers who face a high risk of workplace violence, injury, and illness. They suffered some of the highest rates of COVID infections, for which private insurers offered no coverage. 2. Policy Idea #2: Review of the Hospital Labour Disputes Arbitration Act (HLDAA) Healthcare workers are covered by a complex piece of legislation called HLDAA, which effectively designates them as essential workers, thus preventing them from utilizing the right to strike. Under this law, when healthcare workers and employers cannot reach a settlement at the bargaining table, they must submit their case to arbitration. Arbitration is a complex process that CLAC has helpfully summarized in the following YouTube video: An Insider’s Look at the Ontario Healthcare Arbitration Process. Considering that arbitration is failing to keep healthcare workers’ compensation at a rate that surpasses the cost of living and can attract quality workers, CLAC is asking the government for a thorough review of HLDAA. This review should be conducted to ensure that changes are made that address compensation delays, low award patterning, and adaptability to changing economic and labour realities. While CLAC does not use union dues to fund political parties or elected officials, CLAC’s constitution clearly states that we are committed to “exert[ing] influence on all levels of government and on administrative authorities to promote and protect the interests of labour, without compromising the union’s independence or its members’ political views by supporting a particular political party.” Many unions today have lost sight of their reason for existence: to advance workers rights in the workplace. Instead, they are often distracted by the self-serving political agendas of their leaders. CLAC, in contrast, understands that its purpose is to establish justice in the workplace and promote the interest of workers through collective bargaining. One way we do that is by building relationships with governments regardless of their political stripe and making recommendations for policy changes that benefit workers, not funding political leaders or parties. You might be interested in Define Your Role to Define Your Success 14 Feb 2025 Maplecrest Employees Secure Retroactive Wage Increases with New Two-Year Contract 13 Feb 2025 Liftsafe Engineering Employees Overwhelmingly Ratify New Agreement 11 Feb 2025 School Bus Drivers In Fort Nelson, BC, Unanimously Ratify New Contract 11 Feb 2025