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KITCHENER – Unifor has successfully negotiated monetary enhancements with Grand River Hospital (GRH) on behalf of nearly 1,400 health care members.
"This isn't just a win for Unifor members at Grand River Hospital; it's a triumph for workers everywhere," said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. "Today's victory sets a powerful precedent and proves that when we mobilize, we're unstoppable."
The employer initially returned to the bargaining table after Bill 124 was deemed unconstitutional, but GRH management walked away after months of negotiations. Despite this setback, several key actions led to the union's victory. Unifor National President Lana Payne applied constant pressure, elevating the urgency of our demands. Concurrently, the union launched a targeted campaign featuring a petition that quickly gained significant attention, urging GRH management to return to the negotiating table. This was all bolstered by an outpouring of community support, whose persistent advocacy served as the crucial backbone to our efforts.
"Our members and the community came together to make this win happen," said Colleen Stevens, Unifor Local 1106 Vice-President. "The power of collective action cannot be underestimated. This win underscores what we can achieve when we stand united for fair compensation."
The agreed-upon package is comprehensive, covering not only immediate wage adjustments but also improvements in benefits, mental health support, and shift and weekend premiums. This allows Unifor Local 1106 Health Care members to continue providing invaluable services to the Kitchener-Waterloo community under even fairer and more supportive conditions.
Unifor represents more than 30,000 health care workers, including hospitals, long-term care, emergency services, and community and social services and is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.
For more information, please contact Unifor Communications Representative Hamid Osman at @email or 647-448-2823 (cell).
