Table Talk #25: Bargaining Update

March 13, 2026

Bargaining Update

The OPS Unified Bargaining Team is continuing to meet regularly with the employer with the aim of completing Essential and Emergency Service Agreements (EESA) ahead of issues bargaining.

Under the Crown Employees Collective Bargaining Act (CECBA), EESAs must be completed before any labour disruption. In 2022, OPS Unified delegates made a strategic decision at Divisionals to prioritize completing this work first. That decision strengthens the bargaining unit’s position and gives us maximum leverage when we reach issues bargaining.

The work being done now through EESA negotiations will ensure we have every advantage possible when we are negotiating on the issues most important to OPS Unified members.

Why is the EESA process taking so long?

Two key factors have impacted our timeline when it comes to completing EESA negotiations:

The Scale of the Work

We are negotiating over 900 Work Site Agreements (WSA) with multiple classifications within those worksites.
This process has not been done in over 20 years.

Employer Delays

Required disclosure documents (over 900 employer proposals, organization charts, job descriptions, rationales) were not received until mid-2025, which impacted projected timelines.

Despite these delays, the bargaining team is committed to completing this process as quickly and diligently as possible and will keep members updated with any developments as we proceed through the EESA process.

For a more fulsome update on bargaining timelines, please refer to the February 2026 Table Talk Thursday Newsletter, found here!

Your rights remain protected

Your current Collective Agreement remains fully in force. All rights and protections continue during this negotiation process.

Strong bargaining power is not built at the table alone – the power we need to win is built in our workplaces.

Locals can do this by identifying workplace leaders who can share accurate information with their colleagues, engage members in meaningful conversations, and bring forward real workplace concerns. Your priorities will shape what comes next as OPS Unified builds strength across the province!

In addition, members are encouraged to identify key moments where workers can come together in their workplaces to build collective power. With the arrival of Spring, there are many significant days on the labour calendar that members can organize around.

April 28 marks the National Day of Mourning, a solemn day to honour workers killed, injured, or made ill due to their work. In addition, May 1, also known as May Day, is widely recognized as International Workers’ Day.

These days offer opportunities to build connections – members can organize local lunchtime meetings about the bargaining process, host social gatherings, and encourage our colleagues to connect with their Regional Area Coordinating Group Chat.

When workers come together to talk about their workplace issues and the collective bargaining process in any format, it helps build understanding, strengthen participation, and establish clear communication across OPS Unified.

WHO: Your OPS Unified bargaining team invites all Unified members to join Table Talk Thursdays.

WHAT: Table Talk Thursdays are monthly Zoom sessions where the bargaining team shares updates, answers questions, and provides insight into ongoing negotiations and union activities.

WHERE: It happens over ZOOM.

WHEN: This happens every third Thursday of the month from 7 pm to 8 pm EST (6 pm CST). The next session will be March 19, 2026, at 7 pm EST.

WHY: To keep the lines of communication open and ensure members have direct access to their bargaining team!