Winning Through Unity
After two consecutive court losses, Doug Ford’s Bill 124 was officially repealed!
This is a massive victory for hardworking families and unionized workers across Ontario.
We fought hard to protect our rights from this unconstitutional attack, and the collective strength of union members has never been more apparent.
We’ll continue to show that you will never back down from a fight and that nobody will ever stand in the way of what we deserve – good-paying jobs, safe workplaces, benefits and economic security in retirement.
FEBRUARY
We held a rally in downtown Toronto, joined by OCHU/CUPE, Unifor, and provincial opposition leaders, to demand that the government address workers’ concerns and protect quality patient care. Together, we made it clear that urgent action is needed to safeguard the well-being of both workers and patients.
President Sharleen Stewart and CLC President Bea Bruke sent a joint letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and all premiers to take direct federal action to raise wages for PSWs and all elder care workers across Canada.
MARCH
ParaMed Home Health Service workers across Ontario voted to ratify a historic Collective Agreement. The united Bargaining Committee achieved unprecedented wage improvements never seen in homecare.
Some of the highlights include:
- New 2024 wage grid for all ParaMed branches, including a 4% general wage increase for PSW and HSWs
- 2% retroactive payment for collective agreements with expired years
- $3.00 PSW/HSW wage enhancement rolled into the wage grid
- Lumpsum payment of $1.25 per visitor hour worked between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024
- Shift premiums for evenings and weekends
- Significant language gains and harmonization of language across the province
- Bereavement Leave for stillbirth
- Workload Review Form for RNs and RPNs
We won by standing strong and working together through an intense round of coordinated bargaining and arbitration. This historic deal impacts over 65,000 Ontario hospital workers, delivering real, meaningful improvements.
Our members secured a 6% wage increase (3% each of the next two years), enhanced health and dental benefits, better premiums for weekend, evening, and night shifts, and pay for quarantine or isolation during outbreaks of communicable diseases. This victory is a testament to the power of our collective strength and determination.
Frontline workers at the Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities voted in favour of a strike because management refused to negotiate a fair contract with higher wages. Some staff asked management to access their work’s foodbank! Instead, management refused to bargain fairly and rewarded themselves with raises. Thanks to action at their workplace, members pressured a return to the bargaining table and avoided a strike.
Ontarians deserve accessible, well-funded mental health and addiction services, including harm reduction spaces. Premier Ford’s decision to close supervised drug consumption sites risks lives and burdens emergency services. United with CUPE, OPSEU, ONA, and UFCW, we urged the government to consult experts and expand these critical services, saving lives and reducing stigma.
CBI Home Health Win Deal With Equity, Security, And Respect For All!
NOVEMBER
We secured a centralized agreement across CBI Home Health (Niagara, Sault Ste. Marie, Mississauga, Sheppard, Hamilton) with key wins for employees:
- Fair Wages – Targeted increases, plus 3% annual raises in years 2 and 3
- Retirement Security – My65+ (1% employee contribution) & 1% employer RRSP contributionBetter Benefits – More sick time, gender affirmation leave, bereavement for stillbirth
- Improved Compensation – Higher shift premiums, better travel pay
- $2.00/hr Training Ambassador Program
- Stronger Protections – Workplace violence language, no sick notes, retro pay
“At SEIU, we never stand alone. This year, we’ve fought harder, grew stronger, and won real change. We are leading the way, ensuring no worker is left behind.”
“Our strength is in our people. Every rally, every workshop, and every win prove that together, we can create real change.”