No talks in strike
Canadian Hearing Society says ‘generous’ offer made, but union says it would mean layoffs for 40% of staff
The union representing Canadian Hearing Society (CHS) employees says contract negotiations have come to a halt with its employer, but the society is saying otherwise.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 2073 represents more than 230 employee at 25 CHS offices across Ontario. There are eight employees at the Peterborough location.
Local 2073 has been on strike since March 6, after walking away from the bargaining table with CHS. They’d been in discussions since mid-January.
Mediators from the Ministry of Labour have been assisting in negotiations.
CHS and CUPE picked up negotiations through the mediators as of Monday, said Gary Malkowski, vice-president at CHS and an executive labour relations team member.
“We asked to continue negotiations through a mediator and that’s what we’re going to do,” said Malkowski, who is deaf and spoke through an interpreter to
The Examiner on Friday. Malkowski said CHS offered its unionized employees a “generous” contract on Monday.
“Our latest offer indicates just how much we want our staff back,” hesaid.
But Alison Davidson, of CUPE National, said Local 2073 hasn’t negotiated with CHS since they left the table March 5.
“Talks have not resumed. That is not true. That is a falsehood,” Davidson said.
She said CHS is just passing information through the mediators – and that’s not bargaining.
CUPE recently offered CHS six dates to sit down at the table to continue negotiations, but they didn’t accept, Davidson said.
“Therewon’tbeasettlementunless we’re sitting across the table from one another able to work through our outstanding items,” she said.
Malkowski said if CHS accepted CUPE’s latest demands, it would have to lay off 35 to 40 per cent of its staff.
“CUPE continues to make demands, which are not reasonable,” he said, mentioning sick days and pay increases.
Local 2073 has been without a contract for four years.
CHS offers programs and services to more than 36,000 deaf and hard of hearing Canadians in Ontario. About 1,000 people use its services locally.
Since employees went on strike, the Peterborough office has been closed, along with most other CHS offices.
Seven of the 25 offices across the province are open during the strike, offering limited services and shortened hours.
NOTE: For Canadian Hearing Society updates during the strike, go to www.chs.ca.