The union representing 1,750 employees at Extendicare’s long-term care facilities across Ontario has ratified multiple three-year collective agreements that include benefits gains.
The agreements include increasing vision coverage from $350 to $400 every 24 months, as well as increasing parental leave to a maximum of 78 weeks from 52 weeks. In terms of sick leave, the employer paid unemployment top-up will change from weeks three to 17 of an illness to weeks two to 27.
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For full-time employees, if certain holidays occur on their regular day off or during their vacation period, the employee will now receive an additional day off to be taken four weeks prior or banked to be taken at a later date, or the employee will receive a day’s pay.
Additionally, an amendment has been added to use gender neutral pronouns in any collective agreements to promote workplace inclusion, and replace any references to ‘handicap’ with ‘disabilities’.
Employees will see a 3.5 per cent general wage increase annually, with a permanent wage adjustment of $2.50 for registered practical nurses and the enshrinement of the $3 permanent wage enhancement for personal support workers prior to the general wage increase.
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