Bargaining showdown between Canadian Hearing Services, union

More than 200 workers with Canadian Hearing Services in Sudbury and across the province could go on strike later this month after contract talks broke down.

A labour dispute between Canadian Hearing Services and 200 staff could impact people in Ontario who are deaf or hard of hearing.

CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn joined several members of Local 2073 and their supporters Thursday morning for an information picket in front of the agency’s Regent Street office in Greater Sudbury.

The union represents 200 audiologists, counsellors and employment consultants across the province who ensure tens of thousands of families affected by hearing difficulties can fully participate in society.

“Workers are doing the job of two and three different people, working valiantly to support people with disabilities in our province,” Hahn said.

“These workers are falling behind, doing more with less and the employer’s trying to push them in collective bargaining, threatening them with a lockout. We think the people of Sudbury need to know that, but we think the people of this community would not stand for it.”

Negotiations

The current, one-year collective agreement expired March 31.

Jesse Mintz, a spokesperson from the CUPE Ontario regional office, said the union made proposals to Canadian Hearing Services in early March before negotiations began.

“On the first day of bargaining, before negotiations had even begun, their employer called for a ‘no-board,’” Mintz said.

In response, the Ministry of Labour issued a formal notice April 8 that a board of conciliation wouldn’t be appointed.

After 17 days, the parties can formally begin a legal work stoppage, but it is up to them to reach an agreement without a neutral third party.

However, Canadian Hearing Services vice-president Leona Mickelson told CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca the agency is continuing “to have active and productive bargaining sessions” with the union.

“Our negotiations have not broken down,” Mickelson said in an email Wednesday evening in response to a request for an interview.

The two sides have three hours of conciliation scheduled before the no-board takes effect on April 25.

Once it does, the company can lock out its employees or change the terms of the current agreement.

Highly educated staff

“To our surprise and disappointment, CUPE 2073 walked away from our generous offer of a 4.9 per cent pay increase with a one-year collective agreement,” Mickelson said.

“It is equally concerning that CUPE 2073 would abandon an almost five per cent one-year increase in a time of tremendous provincial and national economic uncertainty.”

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However, Mara Waern, president of CUPE Local 2073, said the increase includes the annual raise they already receive, one per cent for their pension and another for the most senior employees who have worked at the top of the pay scale for years.

“We were falling further and further behind,” Waern said.

“We’ve fallen 16 per cent behind the rate of inflation. Many of our employees have to take second jobs. They can’t make ends meet.”

She said the average salary of her members is $58,000.

“But even though that number may seem lucrative, what you have to remember is these are very trained people,” Waern said.

“They are mental health counsellors, like behavioural psychotherapists, they are audiologists. Some of the audiologists have a PhD in audiology.”

“So we have some very educated staff providing some very niche services to people who are very disadvantaged in society,” she added.

“Because if you … can’t process information sometimes auditorily, it cuts you off from accessing services.”

Returning to the table

Both sides said they are eager to return to the bargaining process.

“I would like the employer to return to the table, I would like them to extend the terms and conditions of our expired collective agreement,” Waern said.

“If the employer doesn’t lock us out and they change terms and conditions, we have no choice this time -- we have to go out on strike.”

She said more than 85 per cent of members voted to strike if necessary.

“We look forward to an expedited and successful resolution to this bargaining process,” Mickelson said.

“Our work is crucial to the thousands of vulnerable deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing people who rely on Canadian Hearing Services daily.”

Hahn said the workers want fairness.

“They want to make sure that their jobs (are) secure, that they keep pace with inflation, but that they’re able to … deploy the skills they have to support people who are deaf and hard of hearing, not only here in Sudbury, but across the province,” he said.