Waterloo, Ont. (313 health-care workers) and the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA)
Renewal agreement: Effective April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2022. Ratified in May 2019. Signed on Aug. 19, 2019.
Wage adjustments:
Effective April 1, 2019: 1.5%
Effective April 1, 2020: 1.5%
Effective April 1, 2021: 1.5%
Shift premium: $1.80 per hour for all evening shifts (4:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.) and night shifts (11:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.). $1.80 per hour for hours worked on weekends. $0.60 per hour when employer assigns employee to mentor/preceptor role.
Paid holidays: 12 days including 2 floating holidays.
Vacations with pay: 1.25 days per month to start, 3 weeks after 1 year, 4 weeks after 2 years, 5 weeks after 14 years, 6 weeks after 21 years, 1 additional day for each year of service after 23 years up to maximum of one additional week.
Overtime: Time and one-half for hours worked beyond 70 every two weeks and all hours worked on statutory holidays. For part-time employees, time and one-half for hours worked in excess of regularly scheduled shift.
Meal allowance: $10 if employee works 3 or more continuous hours, continuous with regular work day.
Medical benefits: Employer pays 100% of premiums for extended health care plan.
Dental: Employer pays 100% of premiums for preventative dental plan. 50% coverage for orthodontic services lifetime maximum $1,500 per person. 50% coverage for major restorative treatment lifetime maximum $3,000.
Vision: Employer pays 100% of premiums. $350 once every 2 years (previously $250 once every 2 years). Employee may utilize benefit inclusive of eye exams, laser surgery.
Weekly indemnity: Employer pays 100% of premiums for 70% of wages for weeks 18 through 30.
Sick leave: 100% of salary for first 2 days and 70% to end of second week of absence.
STD: Top-up of EI benefits to 70% of wages for weeks 3 through 17.
LTD: Employer pays 100% of premiums for 70% of wages.
Life insurance: Employer pays 100% of premiums for 2 times annual earnings.
Pension: Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan.
Bereavement leave: 5 consecutive days with pay (with 1 of days including funeral or equivalent) for death of employee’s spouse, parent, child, stepchild. 3 consecutive calendar days with pay for death of parent-in-law, sibling, sibling-in-law, child-in-law, legal guardian, grandparent, grandchild. 1 day with pay to attend funeral or equivalent service for aunt, uncle, niece, nephew. Additional leave with or without pay may be given where it is necessary because of distance.
Seniority — recall rights: 24 months for layoffs or for reasons other than layoff, unless expressly provided for otherwise elsewhere in agreement; 1 year for employee who is transferred to position outside of bargaining unit; 20 months for backfilling pregnancy/parental leave; 4 months when casual employee does not make themselves available for work unless on approved leave of absence or non-availability is related to disability.
Call-in pay: Time and one-half for call-in after leaving work at end of shift, minimum 4 hours’ at regular rate of pay. Time and one-half for work on telephone call outside hours of work.
Probationary period: 825 hours for full-time employees; lesser of 825 hours or 8 months for part-time employees.
Discipline: Sunset clause is 18 months for letter of reprimand, suspension, other sanction, counselling letter (leaves of absence longer than 30 days will not count towards time periods).
Severance: In accordance with Ontario Employment Standards Act.
Mileage: $0.49 per kilometre for employees required to operate their vehicle in course of their duties.
Sample rates of hourly pay (current start/maximum, after 1.5% increase):
Care coordinator/psychogeriatric and elder abuse resource consultant/education coordinator/geriatric assessor/care connector/registered nurse/home and community care therapist/professional practice educator: $34.98/$46.63 rising 1 step to $35.50/$47.33
Placement coordinator/LTC coordinator: $32.04/$40.01 rising 1 step to $32.52/$40.61
Nurse practitioner: $56.02/$63.25 rising 1 step to $56.86/$64.19
Registered practical nurse: $34.76/$37.62 rising 1 step to $35.28/$38.19
Clinical nurse specialist wound: $45.38/$54.02 rising 1 step to $46.06/$54.84
Advance practice clinician: $48.43/$56.66 rising 1 step to $49.15/$57.51
Editor’s notes: Professional development: Payment for courses approved by employer — 50% upon successful completion of course and 50% 1 year later, provided that employee is still continuously employment and applies in writing. Flu vaccine: Employees will be required to be vaccinated for influenza. Those who refuse may be placed on unpaid leave or may use vacation time during any outbreak. Hearing aids: $600 once every 3 years.
