OPSEU - 276 - Owen Sound Family Health Organization | The Ontario Federation of Labour

OPSEU – 276 – Owen Sound Family Health Organization

Show your solidarity

The approximately 30 nurses, receptionists, and custodians in OPSEU Local 276 at the Family Health Organization have been on strike since May 22 over the low wages and unfair working conditions that prevent them from providing quality service and care to thousands of people and families.

The employer has been using family members as scabs and is attempting to hire more replacement workers through a temp agency.

The Local 276 members haven’t had a wage increase since 2014, and they aren’t being paid equally for doing the same work. They are also grossly underpaid compared to many doing similar work in other health care workplaces in the region.

For more information, click here.

How you can help
Join the picket line
The picket line is at 1415 1st Ave W, Owen Sound and solidarity guests are always welcome.

Make a donation
To make a donation, cheques should be made out to:  Local 276, with a note reading, “donation for striking workers.” Please mail cheques to the OPSEU Owen Sound Regional Office: 1717 2nd Ave E #100, Owen Sound, ON N4K 6V4

Tell the employer to make a fair offer:
Call (519) 470-3030 and ask for Dr. Dyke, Dr. Whittle, or Dr. Singh.

On July 24th, OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas sent the following open letter to Dr. Steven Bodley, President of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, regarding the Owen Sound Family Health Organization, and the 22 doctors who own the clinic. To read the full release, click here.

“Strikes by their very nature are challenging, often with tensions running high. But what our members have experienced goes beyond the norm. Doctors have hurled insults, including highly offensive, derogatory and sexist remarks to our members on the strike line; words that should never be uttered, and which I will not repeat here.

Quite shockingly, the doctors have revealed information about the health of a replacement worker. With a recent privacy breach at the Ottawa Hospital making headlines, we’ve seen how easy it is for patient information to be leaked – this is highly unnerving. Organizations that handle health information – including the Owen Sound FHO – are required to take steps to ensure that personal health information is protected. We are concerned by the doctors’ flagrant disregard for patient privacy, and for their own legislated obligations.”