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ParaMed, workers set to vote on new deal

Vote to take place Feb. 1
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Local home-care workers and their supporters protest in front of ParaMed at 231 Bayview Dr., Wednesday, Jan. 18.

A strike seems to have been averted in the home health-care field as a deal between ParaMed and its workers could be ratified within days.

A statement placed on the OPSEU website Friday said Local 393 had reached a tentative agreement with Simcoe/Muskoka ParaMed Home Health Care.

Local 393 members will have the opportunity Feb. 1 to vote on whether to accept this contract.

“The tentative contract includes higher wage increases than previously offered by ParaMed, the addition of shift premiums, as well as improvements to travel time, mileage, overtime, benefits, vacation and bereavement leave,” said the statement.

Emails and voice messages to both ParaMed and OPSEU on Friday went unanswered prior to the publication of this article.

On Thursday, Jan. 18, staff and supporters held a rally in front of the local ParaMed office at 231 Bayview Dr., where about 50 people held signs with messages of their concerns.

A union representative at the rally told BarrieToday they were seeking a 2.5 per cent annual wage increase for the next three years.

ParaMed home-care workers, who provide personal care such as bathing and hygiene, toileting, dressing, meal preparation and social support to clients who live at home in individual dwellings, as well as clients who live in retirement homes across Simcoe County and Muskoka, currently earn between $16.67 and $19.70 per hour.

The most recent contract expired March 31, 2022.

In 2019, workers were given a .7 per cent increase. In 2020 and 2021, they received a one per cent wage increase.