Thank you to everyone who has continued to stay engaged throughout this round of bargaining. Since our June 10th Town Hall, the bargaining teams have met with the Employer for additional bargaining dates. Despite these discussions, the parties couldn’t reach an agreement and will be proceeding to mediation with William Kaplan, beginning July 8th.
Many of the broader questions regarding the proposed merged collective agreement, scheduling changes, severance options, premiums, and the bargaining process were addressed in our previous FAQ document. Members who have not yet reviewed that FAQ are encouraged to do so, as it contains detailed information on many of the topics discussed during earlier town halls.
The previous FAQ can be found here.
Upcoming Bargaining Town Hall
The bargaining teams will be hosting another virtual Town Hall to provide members with an update on recent bargaining discussions, answer questions, and discuss next steps.
Date: Sunday, July 5, 2026
Time: 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Members can register in advance using the following link:
Registration: https://opseu-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/_aLorszETZO33a420GCbLA
We encourage all members to attend, stay informed, and participate in the discussion.
Frequently Asked Questions
As bargaining has progressed, members have continued to raise additional questions. This FAQ addresses many of those questions based on the information currently available. As always, discussions with the Employer are ongoing and some answers may evolve as bargaining continues.
Will the proposed Tuesday to Sunday schedule apply only to permanent donor centres, or will mobile operations be affected as well?
The Employer has indicated that any future scheduling changes would be driven by operational needs and donor preference. Their position is that collection schedules should reflect when donors are most likely to attend clinics and donate blood or plasma.
Based on discussions to date, the Employer’s focus has primarily been on new donor sites. The Employer has indicated that, over time, existing locations could move toward a Tuesday to Sunday operating model. Mobile operations may be affected differently, as scheduling decisions would continue to depend on operational requirements and donor demand within each collection environment.
The Employer has also advised that any transition could occur gradually over the life of the next collective agreement rather than all at once.
At this time, no final decisions have been made regarding specific locations, operating hours, or scheduling models, and no final implementation timeline has been provided.
For new plasma centres, such as the planned Dufferin site, will employees have X-days or regular scheduled days off?
At this time, the Employer has not indicated that there would be changes to existing practices such as X-days or regular scheduled days off at new donor sites.
The Employer’s position is that the proposed scheduling models are intended to provide greater predictability for employees while aligning clinic operations with donor demand and operational needs. The Employer has also indicated that schedules would be developed based on the anticipated needs of each individual location rather than applying a single model across all sites.
As bargaining continues, your bargaining teams will continue to advocate for language that provides members with predictable schedules, appropriate work-life balance, and fair scheduling practices
Is the Employer considering opportunities for clinic staff who may wish to move into office-based positions?
This has not been a topic discussed in bargaining.
The Union’s position is that any opportunities should be filled through a fair, transparent, and equitable process that follows the collective agreement and provides members with meaningful opportunities to pursue available positions.
When does the Employer expect Tuesday to Sunday scheduling to begin?
The Employer has indicated that any move toward a Tuesday to Sunday scheduling model would be implemented gradually rather than all at once.
Based on the information provided to the bargaining teams, the Employer’s focus on Tuesday to Sunday Scheduling would be with new sites. Their intention is that any scheduling changes at existing sites could occur over time as operations evolve, particularly at locations where donor demand supports expanded collection hours. The Employer has also advised that scheduling decisions would be driven by operational needs and donor preference, rather than applying a single model to every site simultaneously.
Will full-time employees continue to receive two consecutive days off?
The bargaining teams recognize that maintaining two consecutive days off is a significant priority for members and continue to advocate strongly for scheduling language that supports work-life balance, predictability, and fairness. Protecting members’ ability to maintain a healthy balance between their work and personal lives remains a key priority throughout these discussions.
Will members have an opportunity to vote before any major changes take effect?
Yes.
Any tentative agreement reached through bargaining must be presented to the membership for ratification before it can take effect. This means that members will have the opportunity to review the proposed agreement and vote on whether to accept or reject it.
Until a tentative agreement is reached and ratified by the membership, no changes to either collective agreement have been finalized.
What would happen to holiday Mondays under a Tuesday to Sunday schedule?
Statutory holiday benefits would continue to be administered in accordance with applicable legislation and any provisions of the collective agreement, which may include holiday pay and/or a substitute day off where applicable.
If new premiums or wage improvements are negotiated, would members receive retroactive pay?
Retroactivity is a bargaining issue that remains outstanding.
No agreement has been reached regarding retroactive pay. Any retroactive entitlement would depend on the final terms negotiated and ultimately ratified by the membership.
Will classifications be reviewed if employees are expected to cross-train in plasma collection or take on additional duties?
In the previous round of bargaining the award contained a Letter of Agreement to review the following classifications: Donor Care Associate, Laboratory Assistant, Logistics Attendant, Shipper Receiver I and II and Clerk.
There is an ongoing Joint Job Evaluation process to review these classifications, and their job descriptions, assigned duties, and overall compensation. Your bargaining teams continue to advocate for a thorough review of the previously included classifications, and are looking to identify additional classifications where there may have been expanded responsibilities, cross-training requirements, or additional duties associated with plasma collection and evolving workplace operations.