Coalition Outlines Concerns
Last week, the Coalition of Ontario Doctors (Coalition) outlined its concerns regarding the tentative binding arbitration (BA) agreement the OMA recently signed with the Ontario government.
Over the weekend, more physician groups went on record opposing the tentative BA agreement. As an OMA member, you will have your chance to support or reject the BA agreement at a vote that will be held during a general meeting of members on June 17, 2017.
Several components of the BA agreement are worrisome and remain not clarified by the OMA as of today. These include:
Important Questions on the tentative BA Agreement That Must Be Answered
- Why does the BA agreement perpetually entrench the OMA as the bargaining agent for all Ontario physicians with no alternative representation mechanism if this BA model does not work out?
- How does the OMA plan to manage conflicts within the profession that will arise from it playing a co-management role with MOH of (with) the Physician Services Budget?
- Why are the Mediation/Arbitration roles combined in the same Chairperson, versus having the roles divided to ensure greater transparency?
- Why have you given prominence to income relativity for arbitration while being silent on other issues of key interest to such as the projected PSA budget for the next 4 years?
OAC believes the OMA must resolve these concerns before we can recommend to our members supporting the BA agreement. The OAC encourages all members to get informed by going to the OAC website in the lead up to the June 17th vote. Here you will find the latest developments on the tentative BA agreement.
Stay informed. Keep in touch.