Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Chatham Registered Nurses Secure Improved Wages, Benefits, and Paid Reporting Time

CHATHAM, ON—Registered nurses at St. Angela’s Meadow Care Centre, a long-term care home in Chatham, Ontario, have unanimously ratified a two-year collective agreement providing wage increases, enhanced benefits, improved shift premiums, and new compensation provisions.

The nine registered nurses are represented by Southwestern Ontario Health Care and Service Workers Union, CLAC Local 303. The union has represented the employees since 2024.

The new agreement, ratified on October 13, 2026, runs from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2028. It provides a 2.25 percent wage increase in the first year, followed by a two percent increase in the second year. The agreement also delivers significant improvements to paramedical and mental health coverage and increases shift and weekend premiums.

A key achievement in the agreement is a new provision ensuring that reporting time is recognized as paid work, compensated at the same rate as the preceding shift. The agreement also ensures employees continue to receive their regular pay when required to isolate or quarantine due to a communicable disease, whether directed by the employer, legislation, or public health authorities.

“We are happy that reporting time will now be considered time worked and paid accordingly,” says Mary Ellen VanderSluis, CLAC representative. “This is work that is done every shift and was previously unpaid. It’s a big win for our registered nurses and is long overdue. We hope the financial improvements in this agreement will also help with recruitment and retention at this new long-term care home in Chatham.”

St. Angela’s Meadow Care Centre provides long-term care services to residents in Chatham, Ontario.

Chatham Registered Nurses Secure Improved Wages, Benefits, and Paid Reporting Time

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