On August 3, 2023, Arbitrator William Kaplan issued his decision for the Bill 124 re-opener for the OPSEU/SEFPO Hospital Professionals Division’s central agreement. We have received a number of questions regarding the content of the award, so to assist we have provided an overview of the award below.
Wage Increases & Benefits
The award contained the following compensation enhancements:
Wage increases
In addition to the 1% general wage increases awarded in July 2022, the following additional increases have been awarded:
- April 1, 2022 – Additional 3.75% (Total 4.75%)
- April 1, 2023 – Additional 2.50% (Total 3.50%)
- April 1, 2024 – Additional 2.00% (Total 3.00%)
Wage Grid Adjustment
September 1, 2023 – 1.75% (applied to max rate)
- Registered Technologists and all classifications above Registered Technologist
Pandemic Pay
Within 60 days of the date of the award, a lump sum payment to all employees who were in the bargaining unit on August 13, 2020 in the following manner:
- Full-time employees – $1750
- Part-time employees – $1250
- Casual employees – $750
Call-Back
- Effective August 3, 2023 – Increase from 1.5 times to 2 times regular rate.
- Effective August 3, 2023 – Evening premium increase by 19 cents from 2.06 to 2.25.
- Effective August 3, 2023 – Night premium increase by 39 cents from 2.49 to 2.88.
- Effective August 3, 2023 – Weekend premium increase by 39 cents from 2.65 to 3.04.
Health Benefits
- Effective April 1, 2024 – Increase vision from $350 to $450.
- Effective April 1, 2024 – Increase health care spending account from $100 to $500.
Additional Information and Guidance
Retroactivity – General Wage Increases
- As per Article 33.01 of the central agreement, all participating hospitals must pay retroactivity within four (4) pay periods of the date of the award. In this case, the date of the award is August 3, 2023. This means that retroactivity must be paid out by the first week of October 2023.
- Retroactivity shall be paid on wage increases for all hours paid including regular hours, overtime hours, vacation hours, paid leave hours, etc. This also includes any payments based on the wage rate (for example, the percentage in lieu of benefits, vacation pay, and supplementary unemployment benefit).
- At this time, hospitals are implementing the wage increases awarded by Kaplan. For further information on pay equity adjustments, see the pay equity section below.
Pandemic Pay
- We have received clarification regarding the intent of the pandemic pay lump sums included in Arbitrator William Kaplan’s award.
- These payments will be provided to members in the bargaining unit as of August 13, 2020. If you were hired after August 13, 2020, you will not be entitled to the lump sum payment.
- Kaplan’s award requires that the pandemic pay lump sum payments be paid within 60 days of his award. This means that hospital must make these payments no later than October 3, 2023.
- The payment will be based on your employment status on August 13, 2020. If you were a full-time employee on that date you receive $1750. If you were a part-time employee you receive $1250 and casual employees receive $750.
- Employees who received pandemic pay under the provincial government’s program in 2020 are not eligible to receive the lump sum payment. However, if the amount of pandemic pay you received is less than the amount of the lump sum payment, you would receive the difference. For example, if you were a full-time employee on August 13, 2020 and received $500 in pandemic pay under the government program you would receive a $1250 lump sum payment ($1750 less the $500 paid under the government program).
- If you were employed by a hospital and left or retired after August 13, 2020 you remain entitled to the lump sum payment. The hospital will contact you at the last address on file.
- Union dues will not be deducted from pandemic pay lump sum payments.
- If you believe that you should be entitled to a lump sum payment but did not receive one. Please contact your OPSEU/SEFPO staff representative.
1.75% Grid Adjustment
- In his award, Arbitrator Kaplan awarded a wage grid adjustment of 1.75% to the maximum rate (top step of the wage grid) for registered technologists and all job classifications above the registered technologist wage grid. This wage adjustment is effective September 1, 2023.
- This additional increase will be applicable to all job classifications with a wage rate equivalent to or higher than the registered technologist.
- On the central wage grid, this adjustment will apply to the following job classifications: Medical Laboratory Technologist, Medical Radiation Technologist, Biomedical Technologist, Respiratory Therapist, Ultrasound Technologist, Echocardiographer, MRI Technologist, Dietitian, Social Worker (BSW), Social Worker (MSW), Kinesiologist, Perfusionist, Pharmacist, Psychologist, Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, Audiologist, Psychometrist, and Speech Pathologist.
- For local job classifications (all job classifications not on the central wage grid), the wage adjustment will be applied to all job classification that have a max rate equivalent to or higher than the central registered technologist max rate. As such, all wage grids with a max rate of $44.22 on March 31, 2022 will receive the 1.75% wage adjustment.
Pay Equity
- On April 1, 2023, the OPSEU/SEFPO Hospital Professionals Division and the Ontario Hospital Association on behalf of the participating hospitals implemented a pay equity plan. With the Kaplan award being issued after the effective date of the plan, the parties have agreed to meet in September to discuss how the new general wage increases will interact with the pay equity adjustments due to certain job classes.
- Further information on any outstanding pay equity adjustments will be provided following those meetings.
In solidarity,
Your HPD bargaining team:
Sandi Blancher, Bargaining Chair; L106 – London Health Sciences Centre
Betty Palmieri, Bargaining Vice-Chair; L206 – St. Joseph’s Health Care Hamilton
Brenda Allan; L215 – Niagara Health System
Beverly Weaver; L4106 – Kingston Health Sciences Centre
Kelly Richmond; L480 – Quinte Healthcare Corporation
Adrian Balojin; L206 – St. Joseph’s Health Care Hamilton
Steve McCaw; L106 – London Health Sciences Centre