A group of workers from OPSEU/SEFPO Local 688 came together in downtown Sudbury Jan. 30, raising awareness about their upcoming bargaining process, and what they say is a fight to secure pension benefits.
In town for the provincial pre-budget consultations, OPSEU president, JP Hornick spoke at the event, held outside MyHealth Centre’s main entrance at 65 Larch Street in downtown Sudbury.
The employees at the downtown clinic are the only unionized employees at MyHealth Centre’s 48 clinic locations.
Hornick told Sudbury.com approximately half of the staff have access to a defined benefit pension plan, but their goal is to bring everyone into the pension plan.
“They're also looking for wages that keep up with inflation,” said Hornick, who uses they/them pronouns. “What we have are frontline health care workers, and we're providing services throughout the pandemic. They're making record profits and they're not willing to invest back in the frontline workers. So, what they're looking for is fairness and respect in real terms.”
MyHealth Centre, which provides diagnostic imaging services, including nuclear medicine, biopsy, ultrasound, mammography, and bone mineral density and X-ray services is owned by WELL Health Technologies. According to a release from OPSEU, the company is Canada's largest outpatient medical clinic owner-operator, and the clinics generate more than $100 million in profits per year. In 2023, the company saw a record year of patient visits and for-profit earnings.
Lisa Vander veur-Vincent, union steward of local 688, told Sudbury.com they feel the company is “refusing to recognize” that the pension aspect of their bargaining has never changed.
“We've never agreed or negotiated the pension out,” she said. “They just aren't honoring it, and so, some are in and selectively, some are out.”
Vander veur-Vincent also said they are also pushing for wages that meet health-care sector averages.
“We've gone to negotiations and we're basically at a standstill, so we're going to conciliator probably the first week of February,” she said. “We're just letting the public know that we're holding firm and looking for support if it escalates into a labour dispute.”
She said the union is hoping it is resolved, but said they are strong on their position.
Hornick said it’s important for the community to see that the services they use can often come at a cost. “The good quality services are there, but some don't realize the conditions that people are trying to operate under in order to provide those services,” they said. “This is about ensuring that this employer knows that even though this (local 688) is a small unit, all 180,000 members of OPSEU are watching what's happening here.”
Hornick said the event’s aim was to put MyHealth Centre and WELL Health on notice.
"We're watching and it's time to do the right thing.”
Jenny Lamothe is a reporter with Sudbury.com