Canadian Hearing Service workers have been on the picket line for eight weeks

It’s been eight weeks since 200 Canadian Hearing Service workers walked off the job, workers across the province who support people in the deaf community.

It’s been eight weeks since Canadian Hearing Service workers walked off the job.

Roughly 200 employees represented by CUPE 2073 across the province who support people in the deaf community have been on the picket lines since the end of April. That includes counsellors, audiologists and interpreters.

“It’s heartbreaking. We don’t want to be out here. But here we are,” said Tammy Dubreuil, general support counsellor with Canadian Hearing Services.

“We thought we would be back to work by now -- and most of us are really looking forward to getting back to work. It’s had a huge impact on staff. It’s had an impact financially. It’s had its ups and downs and, and we want to get back to serving our clients who, who I feel are going without service right now.”

Travis Morgan has been without an interpreter and therapy since the strike began in Sudbury. He said Canadian Hearing Services told him to reschedule a recent doctor’s appointment, but he needed a refill of a medication right away.

“I had to go ahead without an interpreter,” Morgan said.

“The thing is you can hear me. I’m talking. I can read lips so I can manage it for a short period of time. I have that ability. Most people do not. So this strike is … seriously endangering the well-being of the deaf community.”

He said the chances of finding an interpreter in the daytime are almost non-existent.

‘We are isolated’

“We actually have to book with them directly and at $50-$60 an hour plus travel expense we can’t afford it,” Morgan said.

“We are isolated completely.”

However, Canadian Hearing Services said priority clients in all programs and services are being supported during the labour dispute.

The company said CUPE 2073 hasn’t shared a list of demands and they do not fully understand why they are on strike.

The two sides last met May 21 at a bargaining session facilitated by a mediator appointed by the Ministry of Labour. The company said they were fully prepared to present a three-year agreement that included a 5 per cent compensation increase.

But they said CUPE has demanded a 30 per cent increase — a figure that would severely impact their ability to deliver core services.

In response, the union said the company has insisted that four “unreasonable” demands be met -- including a media blackout -- before negotiations resumed.

Since then, CHS has ignored repeated requests to get back to bargaining.

For her part, Dubreuil said she has been with CHS for more than two decades and remembers a strike in 2017 when members were on the picket lines for 10 weeks.

This time around, she said they have been supported not only by clients but by other local unions.

“It’s really hard as a support person who has dedicated their lives,” Dubreuil said.

“All of my coworkers, if I could speak for them, when a person shows up asking for help and we’re on a picket line and we can’t provide that support -- we really just want to get back to work.”

There are no current offers on the table and no bargaining dates have been set.