More than 100 LifeLabs employees went on strike Thursday in Orillia to protest what they say is unfair pay.
Renee Aiken Kearsley, president of OPSEU Local 389, says the picket line on Memorial Avenue began after talks with LifeLabs on a new deal broke down Wednesday night.
"We are striking for fair wages," she said. "We are trying to keep our sick plan that we were awarded by an arbitrator five years ago and the employer is trying to remove it."
In the 98 per cent women-dominated workforce, Aiken Kearsley says LifeLabs employees are "vicarious."
"The employer has told us if we don't like our benefits, we should use our husbands'," she said. "We are actually working below what the non-union makes. That's what we are getting paid."
While Aiken Kearsley says the medical laboratory services company has called in scab workers from Toronto to cover shifts in Orillia, the Memorial Avenue lab is closed Thursday.
Aiken Kearsley, a cancer patient, says Local 389 has been negotiating with LifeLabs for more than a year. While negotiating, she says she hasn't been disallowed to get her blood work done at LifeLabs.
"It's a human rights issue," she said. "This just keeps getting deeper and deeper for them."
She says many of the employees at LifeLabs are single moms.
"They are trying to earn a living wage to support their families. LifeLabs is denying them that," she said.
Local 389 is asking LifeLabs president and CEO Charles Brown to match the non-union employee wages for unionized employees. Aiken Kearsley says 500 employees in 12 locations across the province are pleading with LifeLabs to give them a fair deal at the bargaining table.
"They don't care," she said. "They've actually told us before that it saves them money when our workers leave so they can hire them at a cheaper price."
She says the Orillia employees are willing to strike for "as long as it takes," and she worries a deal could take a while.
"There is always fear, but there is also hope," she said. "We are at the breaking point where we can't go on. They can’t ask us to get rid of our sick time plan and not give us raises. We can't survive on what they are giving us."
Aiken Kearsley says staff have the support of their patients, who have been dropping off coffee, snacks, and supplies.
"We are very thankful for the community and our patients for their support," she said.
She encourages members of the community to email Brown at [email protected] to advocate for local staff.
"Tell them that you are supporting us," she said.
In an emailed statement to OrilliaMatters, LifeLabs spokesperson Christine Cho said the company is committed to open, constructive, and respectful negotiations with Local 389 to reach a fair and mutually beneficial agreement.
"We respect the negotiation process and the rights of our employees to pursue their interests," she said. "We remain open to further discussions and will continue to work diligently with OPSEU to find a resolution that is fair and aligned with the values of our organization."
She says LifeLabs doesn't know how long the job action will last, but it has plans in place to mitigate the effect the action will have on operations and customers.
"Most LifeLabs PSCs (patient service centres) will remain open, and laboratories will continue functioning as usual," she said, but noted some locations will be closed due to job action.
Cho asks customers to go here for the most up-to-date location information. Customers wishing to reschedule an appointment are encouraged to go here or call 1-877-849-3637.
