OCHU

Ontario Council of Hospital Unions/CUPE Defending healthcare in every community

Campaigns

Community Campaigns

Across Ontario in health care issues and events including, cut-backs, funding issues, political actions and campaign planning will affect different communities in different ways and at different times. please click here to see what your community is currently doing and how you can get involved.

Home Care

When the Progressive Conservative government cut hospital beds by 5,000 and budgets by $1.5 billion resources were to be provided for care in the home...read more

Senior Care

Patients who are acutely ill are being forced out of hospital.
Some are pushed into unregulated for-profit retirement homes which have no standards of care.....read more

Anti-poverty

Poverty in Ontario is steadily increasing, and while the rich are getting richer, the poor are losing their livelihoods, their homes and are having difficulty providing for themselves and others. ...read more

Hospital Acquired Infections

Healthcare associated infections develop in a patient as a result of their exposure to healthcare facilities or procedures. They include methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), C. difficile and other infections caused by bacteria and viruses encountered in healthcare facilities....read more

Trade

Hey Canada, heard of the CETA yet? No? It's not surprising! Once again, our federal and provincial government and business leaders are negotiating a "free trade" deal behind the backs of Canadians. This time, it's called the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA for short. It will change the face of Canada as we know it, and Harper wants to sign it in a hurry - before anyone has a chance to debate it! ...Read more

Workplace Violence

The serious nature of domestic violence in the workplace warrants the attention of the employer, managers, supervisors, and office security staff. This pamphlet is intended to help managers and supervisors interact with employees who are victims of domestic violence, and to help those employees connect to needed services.
Designing an effective workplace response, including a safety plan, is crucial for everyone. ...read more

Occupational Specialties

RPN's
Trades
Long Term Care
Health & Safety
Pharmacy Techs
Clerical

Bargaining

What is Central Bargaining?

The Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health to bargain provincially with the major unions in the hospital sector: the Ontario Nurses Association, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, the Service Employees International Union and the Ontario Public Sector Employees Union.

Bargaining unit of each union and their respective employers can choose to bargain provincially at a single table. For CUPE, approximately 25,000 employees at 65 hospitals across the province are included in negotiations of three master collective agreements: one for combined full and part time units, one for full time employees only and one for part time only units...read more

Greivance and Arbitration

PROCESS FOR LOCALS TO SUBMIT CENTRAL GRIEVANCE ARBITRATION PROPOSALS TO OCHU

The following is the process that OCHU Affiliated Locals should follow in submitting a grievance to OCHU with a request that the issue be dealt with centrally.

1. Contact the local or CUPE staff representative, one of the OCHU Table officers (@ 416.599.0770: Michael Hurley, ext.223; Helen Fetterly, ext.222; or Louis Rodrigues, ext. 226) or Gwen Hewitt, CUPE Health Care Coordinator @ 416.292.3999.
2. A grievance fact sheet must be completed and this, together with any particulars should be sent to the OCHU office.
3. A teleconference call will be scheduled with the local union officers, staff representatives, OCHU representatives, the Health Care Coordinator and a lawyer from Sack, Goldblatt and Mitchell.
4. Within a month, a second teleconference call will be scheduled and OCHU lawyers will respond with a verbal opinion about the merits of the grievance and its precedent setting value.
5. The lawyer’s recommendation will go forward to the OCHU Executive Board’s monthly teleconference call and a decision will be made then whether OCHU will pay the legal costs involved in preparing and presenting the case.
6. If the Executive Board approves the grievance, the local union will be asked to sign an agreement covering the following:

* The local agrees to name Joe Herbert as your nominee to the Board of Arbitration and will pay his fees
* The local agrees to pay 50% of the arbitrator’s bills, and the employer will pay the other 50%
* OCHU agrees to pay the legal bills and OCHU’s Chief Steward (Louis Rodrigues will direct the lawyer the lawyer at the hearing)
* If the local settles the grievance, it becomes responsible for the legal bills incurred.
...Find out more

Pension and Benefits

Pensions & Benefits Resources

HOOPP Guidebooks
Pension News

Demutualization

Demutualization Frequently Asked Questions

What is a class proceeding?

A class proceeding is a lawsuit which provides a means for a large group of people with common claims to join together to advance one large claim. Class proceedings are a more efficient and cost-effective way for groups of people with common legal issues to gain access to the legal system and seek justice...read more