Update as of June 7, 2023:

Clarification on Concerns and Process Going Forward

There are some common questions and concerns being raised based on Hospitals’ delay implementing the agreed upon Pay Equity Plan (“Plan”) and the Go-Forward adjustments that were supposed to take place as of April 1^st 2023.

We hope we can resolve these issues quickly based on the ongoing conversations between OPSEU/SEFPO and the OHA. There is not a current disagreement between the parties, but there are some issues identified in the bullet points below that have caused delays that we are working to resolve.

Some of those issues include:

• Hospitals that are part of Central that have not made any pay equity adjustments, have not sent out communications to anyone that may be owed an adjustment due to lack of information or they are waiting on direction from the OHA.
• Bargaining units may have joined after the 2006 Central Bargaining round. If this is the case, then there could be a delay in the implementation of the “Plan”.
• Bargaining unit positions that may have been added to your local after the 2006 round of Central Bargaining, which may not have been through the job information questionnaire (JIQ) process and evaluation. This may have resulted in a delay to implementation and any adjustments owing.

We are going to take an individualized approach for each hospital to address specific concerns as they surface.

The pay equity plan has raised the concern of wage differentials in the wage schedule in our collective agreement. Pay Equity is a process that measures equal work of equal value between female job classes and their male comparators. This means that pay equity will go beyond the wage grid to make sure that equal work is measured based on skills, ability, responsibility and working conditions. How the wage grid is structured with differentials is addressed through collective bargaining.

As this is a large pay equity plan with many scenarios and instances that need to be taken into consideration, the current focus of the central pay equity committee is to get the go-forward rates properly implemented across the central participating hospitals. These adjustments need to be made ASAP in accordance with the Pay Equity Act.

Retroactive payments are being calculated by each individual hospital and are due to be paid out no later than December 31, 2023.

Note: For all Non-Central Participating Bargaining units, this current central pay equity plan does not apply to you.  This pay equity plan applies to the current Central Participating Bargaining Units only.

Pay Equity Plan

Implementation of the mediated settlement to achieve pay equity will be made in two phases. The posted pay equity plan must include such things as the methodology used, a list of all female job classes covered by the plan and all male job classes that were evaluated as potential comparators, explain permissible differences, describe how compensation adjustments will be made and when pay equity adjustments shall be paid in accordance with The Pay Equity Act.  

Of note, the posted pay equity plan is for Central Participating Hospitals only. If your hospital is not a Central Participating Hospital, this plan does not apply to your workplace or your classification. 

During the mediation process, the parties agreed to the use of different comparators to facilitate a resolution to the parties’ impasse on the issue of male comparators without the need for adjudication by the Pay Equity Hearings Tribunal.   This agreement provides certainty about adjustments, and ensures that both go-forward and retroactive adjustments are paid in a timely manner.  The use of different comparators for the go-forward period ensures superior pay equity adjustments for members into the future, which are estimated to be worth over $7 million annually. 

The “retroactive” adjustments were agreed to cover from April 1, 2007 through to March 31, 2023.  The “go-forward” time period was agreed to begin effective April 1, 2023. 

Each hospital will have provided you individually with a letter based on the following charts that reflect your adjustment to achieve pay equity. The positions in the list below reflect the positions In the Central Participating Hospitals HPD Pay Equity Plan that are owed retroactivity and go forward adjustments based on the agreed male comparator for the snapshot in time covering April 1, 2007 – March 31, 2023 and then adjusted again by the change in agreed male comparator going forward effective April 1, 2023. 

Table 1: Two Adjustments – Retroactivity and Go Forward Adjustment

(Please refer to Table 3 for compliant rates of pay.) 

Job Title	Band
Lab Phlebotomist Technician 2	4
Lab Assistant Technician 2 – Specimen Receiving	4
Lab Assistant Technician 2 – Microbiology	4
Infant Hearing Screener	4
Buyer Pharmacy	4
Dietary Technician Beltline	4
Administrative Assistant	4
Health Records Technician	5
Addiction Worker	5
Rehabilitation Assistant	6
Physiotherapist Assistant	6
Occupational Therapist Assistant	6
ECG Technician Senior	7
Therapist Dance Movement	7
Pharmacy Technician Charge	7
Cardiology Technologist Senior	7
Physiotherapist	9
Occupational Therapist	9
Dietitian Senior Bluewater	9
Occupational Therapist Senior	10
Physiotherapist Senior	10

There were four (4) bands that were impacted by the dispute of the male comparators. The new male comparator rate for these bands on a go forward basis is higher than the retroactive male comparators rates for these four bands.  The mediated change is listed below: 

• Band 5’s male comparator rate is now 6% higher than the Band 4 male comparator rate 
• Band 6’s male comparator rate is now 6% higher than the Band 5 male comparator rate 
• Band 8’s male comparator rate has now changed to the Biomedical Technologist Senior 
• Band 10’s male comparator rate has now changed to 6% higher than the Band 9 male comparator rate
  

The Job classes that are impacted with the change to the male comparator now receive an increase on a go forward basis only effective April 1, 2023.

Table 2: Go Forward Adjustment Only– April 1, 2023 

Job title	Band	Go Forward Pay Equity Compliant Job Rate.
Lab Assistant Technician 3	5	$34.04
Lab Assistant Technician 3 includes ECG	5	$34.04
Communication Disorder Assistant	5	$34.04
ECG Technician	5	$34.04
EEG Technician (Non-Certified)	5	$34.04
Polysomnographer Non-Certified	5	$34.04
Recreation Therapist	6	$36.08
Pharmacy Technician Senior	6	$36.08
Child and Youth Worker	6	$36.08
IT – Clinical Data Analyst	6	$36.08
Lab Assistant Senior	6	$36.08
Rehabilitation Assistant	6	$36.08
Activation Coordinator	6	$36.08
OR Technician	6	$36.08
Health Records Data Analyst	6	$36.08
Respiratory Therapy Pulmonary Function Testing	6	$36.08
DI – Echocardio  Technologist (Non-Registered)	6	$36.08
DI – Ultrasound MRT (Non-Registered)	6	$36.08
Respiratory Therapist	8	$47.83
Dietitian	8	$47.83
DI – Nuclear Medicine Senior	8	$47.83
MLT Senior	8	$47.83
Chiropodist	8	$47.83
Respiratory Therapy Clinical Instructor	8	$47.83
Occupational Therapist Senior	10	$53.58
Physiotherapist Senior	10	$53.58

Table 3

The following table shows which male comparator was agreed to and their job rate for the retroactive period and the go forward period as of April 1, 2023. If your position is paid less than the male comparator your adjustment is calculated based on the difference between your job rate and the band male comparator job rate.  

Of note: Some positions in individual hospitals may already be paid at the pay equity compliant job rate before April 1, 2023 and will not require an adjustment to be pay equity compliant. If you are unsure, please email your OPSEU/SEFPO Staff Representative.  

Band	Retroactive Male Comparator	Retroactive Male Comparator Job Rate	April 1, 2023 Male Comparator	April 1, 2023 Male Comparator Job Rate
1	No male job classification	Proportional  Value	No male job classification	Proportional Value
2	No male job classification	Proportional  Value	No male job classification	Proportional Value
3	No male job classification	Proportional  Value	No male job classification	Proportional Value
4	Lab Morgue Attendant	$31.79	Lab Morgue Attendant	$32.11
5	Network Analyst Help Desk	$31.79	Band 4 Comparator +6%	$34.04
6	Biomedical Technician	$31.79	Band 5 Comparator +6%	$36.08
7	Biomedical Technologist	$44.66	Biomedical Technologist (Central}	$45.11
8	Maintenance Supervisor	$39.37	Biomedical Technologist Senior (Central)	$47.83
9	Biomedical Technologist Charge	$50.05	Biomedical Technologist Charge  (Central)	$50.55
10	Director Pastoral Care	$48.07	Band 9 Comparator +6%	$53.58