THUNDER BAY -- Workers at the Port Arthur Health Centre could be walking the picket lines beginning Monday morning.
Unifor Local 229, which represents about 65 appointment secretaries, medical aides and medical records personnel at the centre, on Friday announced that a strike notice had been issued for 8:30 a.m. The union's bargaining committee claims that no progress has been made on issues such as precarious work or insufficient compensation.
“The employees’ wages are so low that close to 65 per cent of them will see an increase in wages when the minimum wage goes up next year,” Unifor Local 229 president Kari Jefford said in a statement.
The decision to announce the potential for a labour dispute was made to try to keep patients informed about what might happen early next week.
“In consulting with our members, we wanted to give some advance notice to the patients of the clinic that there will be a strike on Monday, so they can plan accordingly,” Jefford said.
The previous collective agreement expired on Dec. 31, 2017. The workers had overwhelmingly approved job action during a strike mandate vote held earlier this year.
Union officials said there are currently no dates scheduled for further talks.
A statement from the health centre advises that the facility will remain open in the event of a strike and remains open to meeting with the union.
