Workers in Local 152 with Rehab Express Inc., a subsidiary of Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, will hold a ratification vote on Tuesday, June 30th at 4:30 pm at the Princess Hall in St. Thomas.
A Memorandum of Settlement was signed by the Union and the employer on June 22nd. The Bargaining Committee was able to make gains in the visit rate, an increase in pay for the 3 hour W/E on call window (for Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists) and a $450 signing bonus.
The workers had been without a contract since August 2012, and have not had a wage increase for five years. A Strike/Lockout date had been set for August 25, 2015.
Employees of Rehab Express are licensed health care professionals – physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, speech language pathologists and social workers.
Rehab Express receives referrals from the Community Care Access Centre to provide assessment, counselling and treatment services to patients recovering at home, to seniors in retirement homes and the speech pathologists also work with children in the schools. Services are provided in St. Thomas and Elgin County.