MESSAGE to GEPH MEMBERS:
As you are likely aware, on February 26–27, 2026, the Ontario Labour
Relations Board (OLRB) conducted a representation vote of employees from
the former Brant County and Haldimand-Norfolk Health Units pursuant to the
Public Sector Labour Relations Transition Act, 1997 (PSLRTA). The vote
determined which union would represent the “all employee” bargaining unit
of the merged successor employer, Grand Erie Public Health (GEPH). The
Ontario Nurses’ Association will represent employees in the separate nursing
unit.
CUPE was the successful union in that vote. We are currently working with
GEPH and the OLRB to finalize the description and scope of the bargaining
unit. Once the scope language is agreed to, the OLRB will formally declare
CUPE as the bargaining agent for the newly merged GEPH bargaining unit.
Thank you for your patience. We recognize that members have been waiting
for updates and that the delay has been frustrating. Please be assured that
CUPE has not forgotten about this group and share your frustration. At this
stage, CUPE cannot formally communicate with the fully merged bargaining
unit until the OLRB declares CUPE as the bargaining agent.
The timing of the next steps depends on finalizing the bargaining unit scope
with the employer and the OLRB issuing its formal declaration. Until that
process is complete, we are unable to move forward with the formal steps of
establishing the merged bargaining unit.
Once CUPE is formally declared the bargaining agent, we will schedule a
General Membership Meeting to discuss next steps, including how the
bargaining unit will be structured and the process to elect a bargaining
committee to negotiate the first merged collective agreement.
In the meantime, employees continue to be covered by their existing
collective agreements under the provisions of PSLRTA. Rates of pay, hours of
work, and other working conditions remain in effect as they were prior to
the representation vote.
We will provide further updates soon. Please provide your personal contact information so we can stay in touch.
