OCHU

Additional Funding for Nursing Staff

Your hospital or long-term care home could receive additional funding for nursing jobs. By going to the web site below, your employer can fill in an application by September 3, 2010 (5pm EST). ...read more

OHA Demutualization

August 17, 2010:

Justice Perell of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice certified this application as a class proceeding and approved the terms of settlement. To view the court-ordered Notice of Certification and Settlement, which describes the procedure to opt-out and to apply for a payment from the Cash Recipients Fund, please click here. A copy of the judgment and written reasons for decision will be posted here when available. ...read more

OCHU August newsletter: Post Emergency Conference Update

Leaders reject wage freeze

Local union leaders representing 30,000 hospital and long term care workers represented by CUPE all voted August 10 to reject the province’s proposed 2 year compensation freeze.
Instead the conference voted to fight.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR OCHU/CUPE IN TALKS WITH THE GOVERNMENT
The provincial budget that proposed wage freezes for public sector workers (which may generate $2 billion in savings ) also cut corporate taxes and government revenue by $4 billion. The provincial government is attacking its public sector workforce because the Liberals are tied with the Progressive Conservative party in the polls and believe that this policy will be popular with the public....read more

OCHU July newsletter: Wage Freeze?

Province calls unions to talks

Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan met with the leaders of the largest public sector employers and unions July 20 to ask that they suspend bargaining and arbitration and enter into consultations with the province.
The consultations begin August 9. It is expected that CUPE and OCHU will be consulted with from August 30 to September 13, along with other healthcare unions. Mr. Duncan told the crowd that the province would respect signed collective agreements. But he also said that for agreements that are open now and for agreements that come open, the province expects that there will be no net increase in compensation for a 2 year period.....read more

OCAP - Special Diet Update

The Ontario Council of Hospital Unions of CUPE joins in the call for the charges against our friends and anti-poverty activists to be immediately dropped.

Instead of trying to silence voices that challenge the liberal government cut backs through unnecessary criminal charges, the liberals have to maintain vital programs like the special diet.

It is unconscionable during one of the worst economic crisis's this province has ever faced that this government plans on eliminating a program that provides for vital healthy food and sustenance to the poor.

The Ontario Council of Hospital Unions of CUPE actively supports the campaign to maintain the special diet and raise the rates for OW & ODSP recipients and we will continue our support, regardless of intimidation tactics of arrests and bogus criminal charges, until those gains are made. Indeed, this will only strengthen our resolve to stand in solidarity and join the struggle with OCAP and other allies.

Canadian Health Coalition - Breakfast Briefing

Canadians are being told that public health care financing is not sustainable, and that the solution is a shift to more private health insurance and private delivery of services. Canada’s pre-eminent health economist Robert G. Evans, O.C., Ph.D., presents the facts and the debunks the myths, and renowned pollster Nik Nanos reviews the numbers.
http://medicare.ca/medicare-sustainability-facts-myths
Visit this special webpage for resources, including:
Video of the M.P.Breakfast Briefing, Video of the Press Conference,News Release: Leading economist shatters myth that public health care is ‘unsustainable’, Fact Sheet: Sustainability of Health Care: Myths and Facts, Powerpoint Presentation by Robert G. Evans, Powerpoint Presentation by Nik Nanos, Media Coverage and More

Demutualization Settlement Reached

A settlement has been reached between CUPE, ONA, OPSEU, CAW, SEIU and the Ontario Hospital Association concerning monies that employers participating in mutual insurance policies received when the insurers demutualized. If your employer participated in the Hospitals Of Ontario Disability Insurance Plan on December 29, 1997 and if you were employed on that date you will be eligible for a HOODIP premium holiday or, if you have left the employer, a $100 cheque. For further information go to: OCHU Demutualization Page

The Public Sector: Searching for a Focus

Sam Gindin and Michael Hurley

As capitalism begins to emerge from the ‘Great Financial Crisis,’ there is good reason for working people to refrain from celebration. Though the roots of the crisis were in the private sector, it's clear that the bill will be primarily paid via the public sector – which is to say that the costs will be placed on the working class as both providers and recipients of social services. ...read more

OCHU March newsletter: Defending Healthcare

Bonuses for our managers to cut costs - Ministry of Health will set price targets

The Ontario government announced big changes to hospital funding in its throne speech March 8.
The province is moving away from global funding for hospital budgets and moving instead to have money follow the patient. The plan is to have hospitals compete with one another to deliver services.
Under this scheme the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care will set prices for hospital services.....read more

Community Campaigns: local hospitals fighting cutbacks

Hospital union calls on province to cover the deficit of the North Bay General Hospital

NORTH BAY, ON, Feb. 18 /CNW/ - The Ontario government should fund the $6 million deficit of the North Bay General Hospital, Ontario Council of Hospital Unions/CUPE requested today. ...read more

Ontario Health Care Funding: OCHU budget proposal

Pre-Budget Submission for the 2010/11 Ontario Budget to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs

Presentation by the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions / CUPE
We would like to first of all thank this Standing Committee for allowing us to present our thoughts on the unusually important 2010-2011 provincial budget.
The Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU / CUPE) represents 23,000 nursing, service, and office workers employed by 65 Ontario hospital or health care facilities. While a large majority of OCHU members provide hospital services, some OCHU members work in long term care facilities or in Emergency Medical Services, usually (but not always) under the auspices of a local hospital board...read more

Infectious diseases: prevention & control

Healthcare associated infections: A backgrounder

Healthcare associated infections develop in a patient as a result of their exposure to healthcare facilities or procedures. ...read more

Registered Practical Nurses Research

Media Release

Nursing Researchers join forces to strategize for more full-time nursing jobs

HAMILTON, ON (February 4, 2010) – McMaster researchers have teamed up with four Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) to design a toolkit for creating strategies to increase full- time positions for nurses. ...read more