A union representing Windsor-Essex workers in the Home and Community Care Support Services (HCCSS) sector is calling on Queens Park to reopen contract talks.
Members of CUPE Local 8916 gathered Wednesday afternoon at Windsor-Tecumseh MPP Andrew Dowie's constituency office to hand-deliver a petition urging the provincial government to return to the table and discuss a remedy for Bill 124.
Local 8916 President Shaun Steven told WindsorNewsToday.ca that it's time for the compensation issue to be resolved.
"We've been talking about it with the employer since, I believe, December. They gave us an offer that was insultingly low," said Steven. "They came back in January with another insultingly low offer. So, I'd say it's been going on for six months at least that we've had these conversations that have gone nowhere."
HCCSS workers were granted a previous Bill 124 remedy, but Steven said it was time for the provincial government to step up.
The petition was signed by about 90 per cent of Local 8916's membership. Steven said the union represents 138 people in Windsor-Essex who work as nurses, personal support workers, occupational and physiotherapists, and others.
Bill 124 was the legislation that limited raises to one per cent a year for public sector workers. A court overturned the legislation as unconstitutional. Since then, arbitrators have worked with other unions to provide back pay to employees.
The provincial government previously stated that Bill 124 was needed to control spending that it claimed got out of control under previous governments. Unions condemned it as a violation of collective bargaining rights that did not help employees cope with inflation and higher prices.
Wednesday's Windsor demonstration was one of a number being held across Ontario.