Bargaining talks between Clear Medical Imaging and Unifor Local 2458 broke off Friday after the employer arrived at the table without a response to the union’s latest offer, according to Unifor.
Unifor, which represents 120 workers at the company’s 11 locations in Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent, said it will apply to the Ontario Labour Relations Board for first contract interest arbitration. The strike, which began on October 25, involves X-ray, ultrasound, and nuclear medicine technologists, as well as clerical and administrative staff.
“These health care workers are clear in their demands and are simply trying to arrive at their first contract with a company that refuses to bargain,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne in a statement. “The members are asking for fairness.”
The union said workers rejected the employer’s “final offer” by 96 per cent during a forced vote earlier in the strike, underscoring their push for continued negotiations. The two sides have been working with a provincial conciliation officer for more than three months.
On Thursday, Payne visited the picket line and reiterated her support for the striking workers. “I can tell you that the striking members remain steadfast in their demand for a fair collective agreement that respects patients and workers. Instead, Clear Medical seems only interested in squeezing out more profits from our health care system,” she said.
The union said the strike has drawn attention to the region’s strained health care system, with staffing shortages and thousands of patients waiting for critical imaging services. Unifor said it is engaging local hospitals, municipal governments, and other stakeholders to discuss the broader implications of the labour dispute.
Unifor Local 2458 President Ken Durocher said the union is ready to negotiate but cannot do so alone. “It takes two to negotiate, and Clear Medical Imaging has refused to engage in these discussions, disrespecting these workers and the thousands of patients in need of their services,” Durocher said.
Unifor describes itself as Canada’s largest private-sector union, representing 320,000 workers across the country.