The Richmond members ratify 1st freely negotiated contract in 10 years

Healthcare workers in many facilities, like our members at The Richmond in Belleville, are considered essential workers and cannot strike to achieve a fair deal.

In lieu of the ability to strike, an arbitration system – called the Hospital Labour Disputes Arbitration Act (HLDAA) – exists to implement agreements when the employer and Union Negotiating Committee cannot agree on terms.

The HLDAA process is slow and often leaves workers playing catch up to expired collective agreements and going back into bargaining as soon as the previous deal is arbitrated. It is a system too often relied on by many employers in the sector because it relies on other arbitrated agreements to determine what all healthcare workers should receive.

In the past several years, UFCW Local 175’s Health, Office, and Professional (HOPE) sector has been making great strides in freely negotiating collective agreements for many of our healthcare members with no need for HLDAA.

What does this mean? Freely negotiated deals are current. Freely negotiated means that the outcome is not restricted by any other deals used to impose an arbitration decision. Freely negotiated means that our members are at the table building solid collective agreements rather than having a deal imposed on them.

The 40 members at The Richmond have just ratified their first freely negotiated collective agreement in more than 10 years.

While the three-year agreement did require the assistance of a Ministry of Labour Conciliation Officer to deal with wages, the members were empowered by the work of their committee and their ability to vote on the deal.

• Wages for the members will increase by 3.5% in year one, paid retroactive for hours worked since expiry of the previous agreement in 2025. In year two, members will see another 3.5% general wage increase, and 3% in year three.
• In addition, all classifications receive an adjustment of $0.12 per hour effective the date of ratification. Unregulated Care Providers (UCPs) will see an additional adjustment of $0.10 per hour as of ratification and another $0.10 per hour in the third year. Part-time employees receive an adjustment for lieu pay of $0.08 cents per hour as of ratification, plus $0.14 per hour in the third year.
• The weekend premium improves by $0.10 cents per hour as of ratification and another $0.05 per hour as of the second year of the agreement term. Members also benefit from a newly negotiated clothing allowance for shoes or pants of $25 per year starting November 2026.
• Language improves to permit bereavement leave to be distributed over two occasions within 12 months of the death. Members will also benefit from a guaranteed date by which the Christmas schedule will be posted. The Union Negotiating Committee also achieved language for in-service pay that now ensures members can receive up to three hours of paid time if they choose to stay and work following a one-hour mandatory meeting.

Union Negotiating Committee: Cathy Maracle and Union Representative Dean McLaren.

Learn more about why healthcare workers keep joining UFCW Local 175’s dedicated Health, Office & Professional Employees (HOPE) Sector!

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