THUNDER BAY – Workers at Port Arthur Health Centre have voted overwhelmingly to approve strike action should a contract agreement not be reached.
According to Unifor Local 229 officials, the collective agreement covering about 65 members working as medical aides, appointment secretaries and in medical records expired on Dec. 31.
“The main issues in dispute are related to the lack of permanent positions which has led to over utilization of casual employees. Our members are concerned about job security,” said Kari Jefford, president of Unifor Local 229, in a release issued on Thursday.
Money is the other underlying factor.
“These workers lag far behind in compensation when compared to those who do the same jobs at both the local and provincial level, but they certainly compare equally in terms of workload and the skills they utilize in their work,” Jefford said.
The union says it has applied for conciliation and will be asking for a no board report, the last step required to put themselves in a legal strike position.