New contract for Public Health workers

Peterborough Public Health has finalized a new five-year contract with 17 of its 125 employees.

The new contract involves public health nutritionists, health promoters, infant development workers and dental hygienists.

Peterborough Public Health runs a dental clinic, as well as prenatal classes and workshops for parents of babies.

They also have staff nutritionists and health promoters running various programs.

The 17 workers are represented by Ontario Public Service Employees Union Local 327.

Their last contract expired a bit more than a year ago, at the end of March 2016. The new contract will be in effect until March 31, 2021.

“We’re definitely pleased to settle a longer-term contract,” said Larry Stinson, the director of operations for Peterborough Public Health.

“This agreement is win-win, because it supports our high-quality programs and services and was negotiated with fairness and equity in mind.”

In addition to OPSEU, Peterborough Public Health has two other bargaining units: the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and Ontario Nurses Association (ONA).

Now each of these three groups will receive similar pay increases.

OPSEU will receive a three per cent increase in 2016 and in 2017, one per cent for the following two years and one-and-a-half per cent in the last year of the contract.

The board of health ratified the contract March 8. It had been ratified a few days earlier by OPSEU members.