Toronto – OPSEU/SEFPO says negotiations with Black Creek Community Health Centre have been derailed because the facility’s Executive Director is trying to bully striking front-line workers into submission.
OPSEU/SEFPO President Warren (Smokey) Thomas says Cheryl Prescod is refusing to come back to the table to bargain a fair collective agreement because she is hoping to frustrate her workers on the picket line, so they’ll give up and accept zero wage increases.
“Cheryl Prescod jumps at any opportunity to get into the media to portray herself as the reason Black Creek Community Health Centre brings value to the community, but I’ve never heard her acknowledge that front-line workers are the ones who deserve all the credit,” said Thomas. “Black Creek’s workers deserve respect and all she wants to do is try to break their spirit because they are fighting for a liveable wage and decent working conditions, it’s shameful.”
The 70 striking health care workers represented by OPSEU/SEFPO have been on the picket line since June 14.
OPSEU/SEFPO Local 5117 President and Bargaining Team Chair, Mahnaz Pourahmadi, said that since the strike began, the Executive Director hired security guards to intimidate and antagonize the workers who are peacefully protesting. The police have also been called numerous times to discourage the picketing workers.
“In a community that already has a historically tense relationship with police encounters and over-surveillancing, Ms. Prescod’s actions are creating an environment of fear both inside and outside of the community health centre,” said Pourahmadi. “We have been working non-stop during this pandemic, and now we feel disrespected and undervalued by how Black Creek’s management is treating us.”
Prescod confirmed that she had spoken with Ontario Health, who promised funding to provide workers the one per cent wage increases they’re entitled to under Bill 124, and said she was taking time to ‘verify information’. However, contrary to the health centre’s website statement that negotiations continue, the Executive Director and her lawyer have not returned to the bargaining table since June 12 and have not indicated their willingness to continue discussions and reach a settlement.
“It didn’t take Ms. Prescod this long to decide on hefty pay raises for herself and her executive team that are far more than anything we’ve asked for.” said Thomas. “If she truly cared about the well-being of the community, she would get back to the bargaining table instead of trying to bully Black Creek’s front-line health care workers.”
For more information: Warren (Smokey) Thomas 613-329-1931