PHOTOS: CCAC Health Professionals Are On Strike

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Police watch over picketers outside the CCAC office at Tecumseh and Rivard

Close to 3,000 Community Care Access Workers are on the picket line this morning across Ontario.

Those include registered nurses, nurse practitioners, registered practical nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and allied health professionals.

The Ontario Nurses’ Association says that they have been seeking very small wage increases equal to the percentages given to the other 57,000 members of ONA in the hospital, public health and long-term care sectors. The CCAC members had a two-year wage freeze in their last contract, which expired March 31, 2014. Nine of the 10 Bargaining Units have voted to strike. Workers at Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant have ratified a new agreement.

The CCAC says that contingency plans are being implemented to support the ongoing provision of priority services to patients during this labour disruption.

“All CCACs are focused on delivering on our commitments to patients and families during this challenging time” says provincial CCAC spokesperson Megan Allen-Lamb, CEO of North Simcoe Muskoka CCAC. “We are ready to return to the bargaining table at any time to negotiate a settlement and are committed to negotiating agreements that are fair, responsible and reflect our commitment to providing high-quality service with the prudent use of public funds.”

They go onto say that the safety and well-being of patients remains their top priority. CCAC staff not represented by ONA will continue to work during the labour disruption.

Besides Windsor (Erie St. Clair), picket lines are also up in North East, North West, Central East, Central, North Simcoe Muskoka, Waterloo Wellington, South East, and  South West.

A Windsor Police officer watches over picketers who were speaking to drivers entering the Freshco, which is in the same parking lot as the CCAC office