The Health Care Support Services (HCSS) Central Table Bargaining Committee is pleased to report that they will soon begin scheduling ratification votes for a tentative settlement that was reached this past spring.

Originally, in January 2014, all of the unions (Canadian Union of Public Employees, Operating Engineers 987, Public Service Alliance of Canada, United Food and Commercial Workers 1869 and 832) who participate in the HCSS multi-union table (a  group of unions who represent all HCSS employees in the province), and the employer reached a tentative monetary settlement.

The MGEU HCSS Bargaining Committee then went back to their own Central Table to finalize all other outstanding common and Local issues, and in early March, a tentative agreement on a new contract was reached.

However, the votes on the tentative agreement ended up getting delayed when the CUPE HCSS Bargaining Committee was not successful in reaching a tentative agreement at their Local tables and subsequently entered into mediation. As a result, the MGEU HCSS Bargaining Committee decided to postpone MGEU ratification votes until CUPE concluded their negotiations. While this delay was terribly frustrating for all involved, the Committee felt strongly that just in case CUPE achieved anything else at the table, it was best to wait in order to ensure the best deal possible for MGEU members.

Recently, the CUPE bargaining process proceeded to arbitration, a process that could take many months.

In response to this further delay, the MGEU HCSS Bargaining Committee agreed to have MGEU President, Michelle Gawronsky, spearhead a multi-union request to government, which was signed by the MGEU and the leaders of UFCW 1869, PSAC, UFCW 832 and OEM 987.

The Committee asked that the government provide written assurance that should CUPE receive any additional monetary benefits, the same would flow to MGEU members as well as members of the other unions. The government has now given this assurance ? which means the Committee can now move forward knowing they have ensured the best possible outcome for MGEU members.

Ratification vote meeting notices will be sent out to all affected members over the next few weeks.