Award sees Glen Stor Dun Lodge nurses receive raises, benefits

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Nurses at the Glen Stor Dun Lodge are set to receive night, weekend and charge nurse premiums among other things, following a decision by a board of arbitration.

The arbitration in question was between the City of Cornwall and the Ontario Nurses’ Association. According to documents from the decision, city administration was opposed to the introduction of the three premiums.

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Despite the opposition, the arbitration board sided with the Ontario Nurses’ Association, awarding a night premium increase from $2.50 an hour to $2.65/hour. It also increased weekend premiums to $2.80/hour from $2.65/hour.

The labour arbitration award decision also spoke of a substantial increase in benefits for nurses — more precisely, coverage for mental-health services.

“The current benefit provides coverage of up to $420 annually for psychologists or social workers with a per-visit maximum of $100,” the decision states. “We order the increase to $800 for services of a registered psychologist, registered psychotherapist, or social worker (MSW) with a per-visit maximum of $150.”

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Glen Stor Dun Lodge nurses will also receive retroactive wage increases — 1.4 per cent dating back to April 2018, and 1.75 per cent dating back to April 2019.

The board also noted in its decision that hourly rates for nurses at the home were below what was earned for nurses in hospitals.

“The discrepancy arises because hospital nurses who work 12-hour shifts are paid for 11.25 hours, while nurses as Glen Stor Dun Lodge are paid for the full 12 hours, including breaks,” reads the report.

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City of Cornwall corporate services manager Geoffrey Clarke could not comment on the actual outcome of the arbitration process, he did tell the Standard-Freeholder the decisions will be implemented as efficiently as possible.

Nurses, similar to other front-line services such as firefighters and police officers, are not allowed to strike or organize lockouts. Instead, they have the right to interest arbitration. There are staff members at the lodge represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees who also fell into this category in 2018, when the parties agreed that all of the lodge unit’s members should be declared essential and refer unsettled matters to arbitration, instead of allowing some of them to strike.

“When the parties feel they can no longer reach an agreement themselves they refer the matter to interest arbitration and an arbitrator will hear submissions from both parties and then make a decision regarding what submissions from the parties that will be granted and or dismissed,” said Clarke.

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