Mandating not permitted under MAHCP’s Central Table Collective Agreements.
Posted February 12, 2026
An arbitrator has confirmed what MAHCP has consistently maintained: the MAHCP Central Table Collective Agreements do not permit employers to mandate overtime unless an emergency is declared under Article 16.
Last fall, the NDP government committed to ending mandatory overtime at some point in the future, “starting with nurses.” This arbitration decision makes clear that for MAHCP allied health members covered under the Central Table agreements, mandatory overtime was never permitted in the first place.
This arbitration outcome reflects the strength of our collective agreement and the importance of enforcing the rights contained within it. Read the full decision here.
Employers must end mandatory overtime now.
- MAHCP expects Provincial Health Labour Relations Services (PHLRS) to advise all levels of management, across all Central Table employers, that they can no longer mandate overtime for MAHCP members unless they declare an emergency under Article 16.
- All members are expected to follow management direction unless invoking a right to refuse unsafe work. The principle of ‘work now, grieve later’ applies.
- The MAHCP team asks members to report any instances of mandated overtime to your LRO by email, including relevant details: supervisor’s response, date, time, shift, duration of overtime, and circumstances.
Thank you to the MAHCP legal and labour relations teams for their work on this case, and to every member who has reported concerns and stood firm on their rights over the years.