THUNDER BAY -- A spokesman for the union representing striking workers at the Port Arthur Health Centre welcomes the prospect of a supervised vote on management's last offer.
Andy Savela, director of health care for Unifor, on Wednesday in an interview with tbnewswatch.com said management has submitted the request to the Ontario Labour Relations Board.
"I think it's helpful to have this vote, get it out of the way, and then hopefully the focus will be on sitting down and trying to get a settlement," Savela said.
Sixty-five workers at the Court Street clinic — all women — walked off the job on Monday, with the union saying no progress had been made in negotiations on the key issues of wages and "precarious work" contracts.
According to Unifor, more than 60 per cent of the employees are casual workers, with no guarantee of hours from week to week.
Savela said the union bargaining team presented the membership with the details of the last offer at a meeting Thursday, and there was an informal vote.
"They're well aware of what's in the package, and following that meeting we got an overwhelming mandate from them to proceed with strike action."
He said the parties are waiting to hear from the OLRB about the date for the supervised vote.
In the meantime, picketing will continue at three entrances around the clinic, which remains open in spite of the strike.
Clinic management has issued no statements since Friday, when it said it regretted the labour disruption, adding that it remained open to further meetings with the union.
