GreenShield is seeking to clarify comments made by representatives of private sector union Unifor.
More than 600 Unifor members from Windsor and Toronto recently hit the picket line amid unresolved issues between the two camps.
In a Unifor release, the union said GreenShield, a non-profit organization, “refused to offer a fair wage increase and to address the key issue of job security and contracting out” while Unifor’s bargaining committee “worked hard” to get to an agreement.
In response, Greenshield has issued a statement aimed at providing further context.
Executive vice president Mila Lucio, head of people and culture at GreenShield, said in an emailed clarification: “Some of the claims Unifor representatives have made regarding the bargaining process are inaccurate or lack context. While we do not intend to negotiate in the media, we are committed to providing facts.
“The fact is that GreenShield negotiated in good faith for seven weeks on renewal of the collective agreement. Our goal was to achieve a sustainable outcome that reflects the central importance of our people. Unifor’s proposals did not allow for this and would create significant and unsustainable cost increases.
“GreenShield is a non-profit health and benefits company focussed on a social mission of Better Health for All. Unifor’s proposals would directly impact our ability to provide affordable services and critical social impact programs to Canadians who need them most.”
Lucio added that the unionized employees, in fact, “enjoy above-market wages, top tier benefits, quarterly cost-of-living adjustments, a defined benefit pension plan, post-retirement benefits, and strong job security,” contrary to fears surrounding the possibility of jobs being “taken away” via outsourcing.
“GreenShield has a tremendous record as a growing employer in the region,” the EVP went on to declare. “Our unionized workforce has expanded to 600 positions, 10% of which were added in Windsor in the last six months alone. We have also been named one of Windsor’s top employers and one of Canada’s most admired cultures.”
According to a service update, the workers’ strike related only to GreenShield Administration’s HBM+ and GreenShield Insurance.
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