SEIU Local 1 Canada President Sharleen Stewart was present at Queen’s Park when the government issued its provincial budget yesterday.

While there are many issues of concern that SEIU will be monitoring closely, one statement in particular, about a public sector wage freeze, President Stewart wants to address immediately to SEIU’s hospital members.

The government’s statement regarding a wage freeze should not affect our current hospital bargaining, President Stewart confirmed today.

“SEIU is well into the bargaining process with hospitals, and we are heading into arbitration. I am not overly concerned that the government’s budget statement on wage freezes will impact SEIU’s hospital negotiations,” Stewart says. “Furthermore, there are standards that have already been set by the Ontario Hospital Association in previous bargaining with other unions.”

President Stewart confirms that SEIU’s Hospital Bargaining Committee will proceed as it has from the beginning of the central bargaining process: “with our members’ interests as our guide and their bargaining priorities as our goal.”

SEIU Local 1 Canada represents 17,000 hospital workers in more than 60 hospitals in Ontario.