A big public-sector union warns it could go on strike early next month at a private nursing-home operator in the Ottawa Valley.

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) says a no-board report issued Monday means it could legally strike as early as Sept. 2 at the Paramed Home Health Care in Renfrew County.

About 140 unionized health care and support staff provide home-care services throughout Renfrew County. The no-board report from the labour relations board places the workers in a position to strike as early as Sept. 2.

A no-board report from the Ministry of Labour effectively indicates a failure to resolve differences at the bargaining table and allows for a legal strike or lockout on the 17th day after the report is issued.

The union and Paramed – part of the Extendicare group – have been trying to negotiate a new deal, but the union has rejected a proposal to extend a wage freeze for nursing and home support workers,

Starting wage for a home-support worker at Paramed is $12.88 an hour and the union is asking for higher wages in a new deal.

OPSEU says only personal support workers (PSWs) will be receiving any increase because of directed funding from the Liberal government in the budget last month.

The government has promised to hike PSWs' base pay-rate by $4 over the next three years. By April 2016, it will be $16.50. The first $1.50 hike was retroactive to April 1.

"The Wynne government has recognized the need for recruitment and retention in this sector," said Warren (Smokey) Thomas, president of the 130,000-member OPSEU union.

"On the one hand, they have increased compensation to the PSWs only to see for-profit agencies try to claw back compensation in other forms."

Heard: Strike countdown begins at Ottawa nursing-home operator

Read this for free.