Thank you to all members for their ongoing support of our bargaining team during this challenging round of negotiations. We now have additional bargaining dates set for October 1st and 2nd.
During a health care strike, all sites are subject to Essential Services legislation, which means many health care workers will be required to work in order to ensure the health and well-being of patients, residents, and clients.
Please find attached documents on Essential Services for your reference. These should help you better understand how Essential Services will work during a strike.
- Essential Work Functions – this lists the duties that each classification, that is deemed essential, will be responsible for during essential shifts.
- Classifications that will be essential – this document lists, by site, the classifications that will be working essential services shifts. The essential shifts will be shared amongst the members that normally work in that unit/department/program. There is a lot of confusion around individuals thinking they are essential. It is not individuals but rather the classification that is deemed essential. Essential shifts will not be given by seniority. This document is subject to change. Members have been asking “how will I know if I am essential?”. The Employer will be scheduling members for essential services shifts and those schedules will be shared 72 hours prior to the start of the strike. That is when you will know if you are scheduled for any essential services shifts.
Thank you all again for your support to the bargaining team. We will continue providing updates as we get nearer to a potential strike on October 8th.
Sent on behalf of Shannon McAteer and the Provincial Strike Planning Team.