On Friday September 1, 2023 support staff at Nipissing University (members of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 608) reached a tentative agreement after two days of conciliation.
The bargaining team felt confident that they presented fair and reasonable proposals that reflected the bargaining priorities that were most important to the membership.
Throughout this bargaining process, the members of Local 608 made it clear that they needed to feel respected and that after years of doing their part to help hold up the institution, they were demanding better.
Our members are all feeling the crunch of the serious cost-of-living crisis in this province, and in these negotiations our members made it clear that after years of suppressed wages they weren’t willing to accept anything short of a fair deal. They simply couldn’t afford to.
The bargaining team expressed their gratitude to everyone who shared their e-mail campaign demanding respect. In just a few days, over 380 messages were sent to the university’s President and Vice President. This strong showing of solidarity and support certainly made a big difference in pushing the employer to make a fair offer.
Details of the deal were distributed directly to the members, who will have an opportunity to participate in a ratification vote later this month.