Thursday, March 13, 2025

Mission Accomplished

As we enter a busy spring season, here’s a look back at some notable accomplishments for members during the previous months

Guide magazine

By Ian DeWaard, Ontario Director

Healthcare

Bargaining for members working in healthcare has been tumultuous over the last several years, mostly because of legislated wage constraints (Bill 124) and because of the devastating effect of the pandemic on retention and working conditions during that time.

Many healthcare workplaces are just now negotiating their first postpandemic collective agreements, and the tide is turning in their favour. Recently, union bargaining committees successfully concluded two collective agreements covering 10 separate long term care and retirement workplaces, known as the Brierwood and Bestview agreements.

Members approved these settlements with more than 95 percent support. They will receive multiyear, 3.5 percent wage increases, in addition to prior $3 per hour adjustments for personal support workers (PSWs) introduced in 2022. The new contracts include a $2.50 special adjustment for registered practical nurses. In a bargaining environment governed by patterns, this will serve as a trend-setting agreement in Ontario’s long term care sector.

Northern Ontario

Our efforts to build supports for increased work opportunities in northern Ontario for members continue. These last few months we’ve run a media campaign with articles in local papers, print and radio ads, and a major media presence at the Thunder Bay airport.

As part of this initiative, a delegation of 10 CLAC representatives spent a day with knowledge keeper Cindy Crowe. Based in the Thunder Bay region, Cindy provided an in-depth Anishinaabe cultural and Indigenous education experience.

Political Engagement

Our political engagement activities in the last quarter have included the following events/projects:

On October 10, CLAC representatives and members employed by Holland Christian Homes in Brampton were honoured to give Natalia Kusendova-Bashta, minister of long term care, a tour of their workplace (pictured above), a long term care facility near the minister’s home riding. After the tour, we had the chance to meet with the minister privately. We spoke to a range of topics, including our most recent submissions to government about new regulations being developed for PSW credentials and employability. The minister’s staff has since set follow-up meetings to hear more about CLAC’s concerns and recommendations.

In our 2025 prebudget submission, we provided an oral presentation to Peter Bethlenfalvy, Ontario minister of finance, on November 14. We spoke about CLAC’s budget request priorities for the province, which included advice on better investments for skilled trade apprentices, the need to better support front-line homecare workers, and the importance of extending WSIB (workers compensation) benefits to residential care workers.

On November 25, CLAC and the association of CLAC’s construction contractors, the Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA), held its joint annual lobby day event at Queen’s Park. We were pleased that David Piccini, minister of labour, gave an hour of his time to speak to our group of CLAC staff and contractors. Throughout the day, our contingent of delegates met with more than 15 MPPs, including an MPP for Ontario’s Green Party as well as members of the Liberal caucus. We finished off the day by hosting a well-attended evening reception, at which representatives from the Progressive Conservative, Liberal, and Green parties offered remarks.

With these achievements accomplished, we’re moving full-speed ahead to continue to provide for the needs of members in Ontario.

Mission Accomplished

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