Dec. 14, 2001
Local - A
Local Bargaining Update meeting will be held on Tuesday December 18
at 12 noon (rerun at 1 pm) at the 1 Stone Road Complex (Guelph) in
the Conference Centre, 1st Floor. FREE FOOD - Pizza & a Cold
Drink (please note we
need a head count so speak to your Steward, if you haven't already
done so).
Please take a moment to
review the bargaining information on the bulletin board in the
Kitchenettes. This information includes copies of the REAL DEAL
weekly posting from the Bargaining Team, the list of demands by
bargaining unit categories as well as some 'messaging' (ME TOO Dec
18) for the Employer. Note that Dec 18 is also the date that
your Bargaining Team and the Employer will exchange proposals for
your new collective agreement.
Be sure to be plugged in to
what's happening and put on your bargaining 'Survivor' hat as
bargaining not only happen at the table, it also takes place in the
workplace. As well, make sure you have subscribed your
personal email address to the Local's listServ. If you do not have
one, then follow the instructions below to
obtain one.
Nov. 4, 2001
Local - According
to the front page of today's Guelph Mercury - a 'Day of disruption'
against the policies of the Harris government is set for Monday (Nov
5) in Guelph. In response, our Employer will 'lock down' 1 Stone
Road and increase the presence of security. Please ensure that you
are wearing your security badge and have it visible
on Monday.
Should for any reason, 1
Stone Road be disrupted by picket lines, and you do not feel
safe in getting into work, call your manager and ask for
assistance. Please ensure your safety in getting to work as it
is a matter of workplace Health & Safety.
Our email (mailing) list
serve software was recently updated; an automatic reminder was sent
(along with a password) last Friday to all those subscribed to
the list. Please use this opportunity to update your subscription.
That means if you are still subscribed to the list with a 'gov.on.ca'
email address, please unsubscribe it and subscribe your personal
email address. If you do not have one, then why not obtain a web
based email address, see below for details.
Oct. 23, 2001
Bargaining Update: Bargaining
surveys have been circulated amongst the membership. Please complete
and return them to your Steward by Friday, Oct 26. If for some
reason you did not receive a survey please contact your Steward (or
Contact person) for a copy. If you are unsure as to who your Steward
is please contact Emily Hitchcock the Local President.
Oct. 18, 2001
Bargaining Update: For
the latest information on bargaining a new contract for OPSEU (OPS)
members, be sure to bookmark "The
Real Deal"
web page to OPSEU website -  .
As well, be sure to watch this site for what's happening within the
local. Also, make sure you are subscribed to the Local's mailing
list and watch the bulletin boards in the kitchenettes for meeting
notices, etc.
Sept. 21, 2001
Local Update -- Email
ListServe (mailing list) -
With Bargaining for our next contract getting underway, it's very
important to be informed as to "What's Happening" with
bargaining both at the table and in the workplace. Therefore,
members are strongly encouraged to ensure they are subscribed to the
mailing list with an email address other than your work address. If
you do not have a home email address, then you can obtain a free web
base email address (see below)
Members are able to update
their subscription by going to the Local's mailing list page - .
Members will require a password
to update their subscription details. To obtain a password,
enter your email address in the text box (near the bottom of the
page), click on the 'Edit Options' button, this will take you
to the
subscriptions details page where a password can be emailed to you
(see 'Forgotten Your Password').
July 2, 2001
Bill 25 Update -- Bill
25 passes - The
Table is set for bargaining
The Harris government has
passed Bill 25 - changes to the Public Service Act that
will have a major impact on our bargaining.
Did they listen to our
members' call to keep public services public and maintain good
permanent jobs in the OPS? No.
OPSEU members from the OPS
dominated the 1½ hours allowed for public hearings on the bill.
They talked about the importance of an impartial, professional and
accountable public service. They called on the government to
abandon Bill 25.
Despite those efforts, the
Tories pushed Bill 25 through the Legislature on Tuesday, June 26.
Though the hearings and
protests produced two wins:
The government made three
changes to the bill as a result of the hearings, two
of which are small, but important victories for OPS members. We won
them as a result of the Bill 25 protests and the hard work of all
members who appeared at
the hearings.
1. The government narrowed
down the rights of private operators and contracted-out managers to
dismiss OPS members. Under the change, only a public servant may
dismiss with cause an OPS member. The private managers will
still maintain the right to transfer or discipline.
2. Private sector managers
will have only limited access to personal information. Your medical
information from a qualified medical practitioner can not be used.
The rest of the Bill 25 changes enabling the disclosure, collection,
and use of all other personal information across the OPS is now
possible.
A third change expands the
Tories' gift to the Ontario Provincial Police Association (OPPA).
Bill 25 gives the OPPA a one-time chance to try to organize OPSEU
civilians working at the OPP. Now, civilian instructors from the
Ontario Police College are added to the list.
The government is bent on
destroying the future of public services. Bill 25 gives them more
options. Our contract can restrict them.
June 25, 2001
Bargaining Update -- Local
232's Demand Review meeting will be held next Thursday, July 5 at 5
pm in the 1st Floor Tribunal boardroom (just around the corner from
the Security Desk) at the 1 Stone Road Complex.
At this meeting, we will review the demands as prioritized
collectively (from the surveys back in January) by all Locals across
the Ontario Public Service.
One important point though,
Bill 25 was not an issue at the time the Bargaining Surveys were
completed back in January. Now that Bill 25 is an issue, this is our
opportunity to do something about it.
Apr. 12, 2001
For a complete Convention 2001
report...
or for a pdf copy - Convention
2001 Wrap  .
May 24, 2001
Bill 57--Another new
bill introduced by the Tories, if passed would gut Health and Safety Act, attack other protections!
Bill 57 is a giant bill. If passed, it will amend 30 different laws. The most shocking changes will gut the Occupational Health and Safety Act
(OHSA) and put the lives of all Ontario workers at risk.
For more details on Bill
57...
May 16, 2001
Bill 25 makes
bargaining even more important!
The conservative government
at Queens Park have made Public Service Employees the target of a
new law, yet once again!
The Tories introduced Bill 25, a law to change the Public
Service Act (PSA) and parts of the Crown Employees Collective Bargaining Act
(CECBA). These two laws set the basic rules around the work of OPSEU members in the OPS.
The proposed changes do
not override the collective agreement. However, they do set the
table for the next round of bargaining, as our current collective
agreement expires Dec. 31, 2001.
OPSEU members need to make sure that the upcoming round of OPS bargaining deals with these changes.
For more details on the
proposed changes...
Apr. 12, 2001
Local Update --
At this year's Convention some of the highlights include:
- Leah Casselman was re-elected to her 4th term as President.
Warren (Smokey) Thomas, a registered practical nurse at Kingston Psychiatric Hospital, was elected First Vice-President/Treasurer.
- Convention grappled with a deficit budget and a $5 million bank overdraft. Despite the overdraft, the union is solvent, as it has a policy of putting 10 per cent of revenue into its rapidly growing strike fund.
After considering several approaches to paying down the overdraft, delegates approved a dues increase of 0.05 per cent. This will bring OPSEU’s dues rate to 1.375 per cent.
- A constitutional amendment passed by Convention will reduce the money going into the Strike Fund when it hits $50 million. At that point, the contributions to the fund will drop to two per cent of revenue from 10 per cent. Interest on the $50 million will mean that the Strike Fund will continue to grow at approximately the same rate as it now does with the 10 per cent transfer.
When the Strike Fund drops below $50 million, the transfer will revert to 10 per cent.
- A new $475,000 Time-Off fund for locals was approved in the budget. Locals can get up to $10 per local member in good standing to buy
time off for activists. For each $10 from this fund, locals must put up $2.50 from their own money.
- OPSEU President Leah Casselman in an emotional presentation, honoured members of 25 locals in all seven of OPSEU’s regions for their collective response to last year’s fatal outbreak of E-coli poisoning in Walkerton. During the presentation, Leah called on Local 275 president Karen Passmore to pay tribute to Betty Trushinski, one of her members, who died in the Walkerton tragedy. She described a healthy 55-year-old bubbly and energetic person who
enjoyed life to the fullest. Because she was very health conscious, she always drank lots of water. Who would ever have thought this would make her sick?
- Following the presentation, OPSEU General Counsel Tim Hadwen outlined what the union is doing to ensure the Walkerton horror is never repeated.
OPSEU has full standing at the inquiry, and has achieved whistle-blowing protection for members who testify. It has produced a lot of evidence, including a paper on renewing the Ministry of the Environment. Opseu has added issues to the Inquiry agenda.
- Members who have information for the Inquiry can participate at Town Hall meetings in the coming months.
For details on getting involved, call Megan Park in OPSEU’s campaigns office. 1-800-268-7376, ext 207
or mpark@opseu.org.
- This year, OPSEU gave its greatest
honour, the annual Stanley Knowles Humanitarian Award, to Stephen Lewis. As a former leader of the Ontario NDP and
a former Canadian ambassador to the United Nations, Lewis has long been an articulate local and global spokesperson for the powerless, the needy, the dispossessed and the disadvantaged.
- Three members (Bob Taylor, Local 534; Vince
Vadacchino, long-time president of Local 214; and Linda J. Wood, a
past president of Local 418) were named Honorary Life Members, in recognition of giving their time, their creativity, their commitment, their energy, their
labour, and their love of their work as union leaders.
- A number of Activists were honoured for Health and Safety, and Human Rights.
For a complete Convention 2001
report...
or for a pdf copy - Convention
2001 Wrap .
Mar. 30, 2001
Local Update --
An information session on "Bringing your Pension Plan to
you" will be held in Guelph on April 25, 2001. See Coming
Events for more details and registration information.
Feb. 2, 2001
Local Update --
A general membership meeting is called for February 12, 2001 from 12
to 1 pm in the Tribunal board room, 1st floor to elect delegates for
convention and the regional meeting.
Bargaining Surveys
- please complete and return to your Steward ASAP.
Jan 12, 2001
Bargaining 2001 -- What
do you want in your next Contract?
The
demand-setting process for the next collective agreement is now
under way. Members have an opportunity for input into the process by completing a
survey that the results of will form the bases
for negotiations. The survey can be completed online (pdf format) in
about 15 minutes,
then printed off and given to your Steward by Feb. 2, 2001.
For more details on
Bargaining 2001...
The survey is available...
For previous postings from
2000 -
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