Outpatient imaging center operator closes all locations after staff goes on strike
An outpatient imaging center operator has temporarily closed all 11 of its locations after staffers went on strike Friday.
Unifor Local 2458 members at Clear Medical Imaging halted work Oct. 25 after ongoing contract negotiations “failed to result in a fair collective agreement.” The company is the second largest independent healthcare provider in Ontario. Each year, Clear Medical Imaging serves over 1,500 referring physicians, completing 600,000 exams annually to a 1.4 million-patient catchment area.
Wages, working conditions and securing union representation for staff are among Unifor’s complaints. Clear Medical Imaging has purportedly faced significant staffing shortages in recent months, leading to long waitlists for imaging.
“This strike is a direct result of the employer’s failure to prioritize patient care and fair treatment for workers,” Unifor Local 2458 President Ken Durocher said in an statement. “Healthcare privatization in Ontario continues to create conditions where profits take precedence over people and workers are left to face the consequences. We are prepared to stand firm until a fair deal is reached.”
The union represents about 130 Clear Medical Imaging workers including X-ray and ultrasound technologists, and clerical and administrative staff. It noted that “key issues” must be addressed at the bargaining table, among them, wage parity with regional standards, securing adequate benefits, addressing mandatory overtime and ensuring job security.
Unifor is currently engaging local hospitals, practitioners, municipal governments and labor councils to discuss the strike’s impact. It estimates that over 900 patients are on the waitlist for imaging services in Windsor, “with staffing shortages already affecting care delivery.” Last week, about 99% of union members voted in favor of a strike.
“Our members have been left with no choice but to strike to demand fair treatment and respect for the critical role they play in providing imaging services to the Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent communities,” Unifor National President Lana Payne said in the statement. “The union remains ready to return to the bargaining table, but the employer must address the core issues impacting our members.”
Clear Medical Imaging recently posted a strike notice on its website, noting that all its facilities were closed as of Monday and not providing services.
“We are hopeful the strike will end quickly, and once over we will work quickly to reschedule all appointments,” the company said in its message.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.