WIIITBY FREE PRESS. WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 14,1985, PAGE 3 Dispute goes to arbitration Aug. 22.... WPH workers still without a contraet Employees of the Whitby Psychiatrie Hospital are still without a 1985 em- ployment contract. Last Thursday, the workers - members of Local 331 of the Ontario Public Service Em- ployees Union (OPSEU) - staged yet another in- formation picket outside hospital grounds to protest the lack of a set- tiement. According to Local 331 and turn-over study, she replied that one had not been done. "But 1 have asked management for the figures," she said ad- ding that her request was refused. Gates doesn't believe that this changes her position any. "After ail, we sec it continuously. " 0f the 21 staff allocated to her area in the hospital, Gates said "the majority" have changed in the last 18 months. This was borne out by another head nurse, Kim Fureukawa, who said that she has "lost count" of ahl the people who have lef t and been replaced over the lest year. Patient care is also becoming a factor because the hospital is forced to hire nurses with little experience. "People with ex- Workers employed by the Whitby Psychiatrie Hospital staged an in- formation picket last Thursday afternoon to protest the lack of a new wage contract. The workers - members of Local 331 of the Ontario Public Service Em- ployees Union - are seeking wage parity with people employed in general hospials.Free Press Staff Photo president Joan Gates, ox the major dispute bet- ween WPH workers, THE PRINCE RESTAURANT» their collegues across r the province and the On- tario Civil Service Commission is wage- - parity with workers in general bospitals. Gates said that nurses employed by the S.EW IB psychiatrie hospital are 009 DUNDAS S.EW IB paid $2.47 an hour or 6621 $4,000 a year îess than 6621 their counterparts working in general SPE CIALIZING IN GREEK CUISINE hospitals. _________________ This disparity hasM DW E lead to high staff turn- M DW E over rate, Gates main- tains adding that this DI NNER SPrCIAL forces the hospital to Monday-Wednesday hire recent nursing graduates with littie or Incluctes: no experience. SeU 0f the locals 602 DINNE R members - 180 are nur- 2 EEAl ses but simiar $ 6_________________________ problemns are faced by occupational therapists , pharmacy workers of Choice of: ail kinds and clerical SOU VLAKI staff. CHICKEN SOU VIAKI "We have people who MOUSAKA general hospital and are SHRIMP IN A BASKET making more money FLE FSL than the Mlead nurse," FLE FSL Gates said. nlds However, when asked RICE or POTATOES, GARLIC BREAD or ROL if OPSEU had under- taken a staff retention perience can be easily employed at a general hospital," Furukawa said. Gates also noted that her local is taking its case to the Canadian Council on Hospital Ac- creditation which con- ducted an accreditation survey of the hospital lest week. She noted that earlier this year the C.C.H.A. recommended wage parity for nurses at the Brockville Psychiatrie Hospital as part of its accreditation process. In a letter to the C.C.H.A., Gates said: "Pay disparity between private sector hospital workers and public sec- tor hospital workers has become a matter of con- cern to us. As gover- nment employees are paid less, the hiring and rentention of staff has become a concern in nursing, occupational therapy and phar- macy." And the length of time it takes to reach an agreement is also upset- ting her members. "Other members of our local are extremnely frustrated over the length of time it takes for our wage contracts to be settled," Gates wrote. "We feel the quality of care we give is affected by the rapid turnover of staff which we are currently ex- periencing." Gates also told the Free Press that OPSEU and the government will enter into binding ar- bitration on Aug. 22. She was critical of the governemnt for not ac- cepting that there is a e.li OA&. IN FunIe and: Te -WHERE YOJR IPRINM turn-over problem. "The government has refused to admit that there is a problem with staff turn-over," she said adding that the change of government at Queen's Park doesn't appear to have changed the situation any. "lThey said they were going to be far more ap- proachable, far more open," she said. "But we're stili waiting for that." Gates also said that her local was promnised a letter of support from Durham West MPP George Ashe, which stili hasn't come. "George Ashe promised us a letter o' support," she said, "It hasn't come yet." Durhamâ-t5ý C;oldsmithing DIVISION 0F 585710 ONT INC3 ,»Custom Designs * Expert Repairs *Appraisals ePeari Re-Stringing *Watch Repairs Same day service on minor repairs COME IN TODAY TO SEE OUR VARIETY 0F STERLING SILVER JEWELLERY Goldsmith on premises 2 10 BROOK ST. S., WHITBY 66-4612 - - -- - --- - - -- Bring in this coupon wlth sl15.00 worth of repairs and have one gold chain repaired (5.11 value) k~¾3dtr iS CE ANI) I>RINCESS REIGNS- BAC K»TO»SCFI SHOP AT BABY KINGDI THEN BACK TO SCHOOL IN HIC 100L OM 'H FASHION Texan Cords for boys & girls Size 6-14 116.11-s22.95 Buster Brown Hosery FREE Growth Chari and Balloon with purchase lIRLS AWA(d ,at 9-5 i AUBERGINE HOSERY FOR G Size 4-14 yrs. $2.01 S184BONDST.W.,OSHi .1 725-0091 Mon -Wed 96 Thurs & Fri 99 Si :CLEARANCE ON SUMMER FASHIONS FURNITURE STRIPPING Refinishing & Custom Upholstery ANTIQUES BOUGHT & SOLD Open 7Days AWeek 413 Dundas St. E., Whtby, Ont. 668-5481