Congratulations to all OPSEU/SEFPO Sector 16 Property Assessment members at the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation on their new four-year collective agreement. On January 13, members voted in favour of ratifying with an 82.9 per cent acceptance rate, making it OPSEU/SEFPO’s first contract to follow the Ontario Superior Court’s ruling last year, which declared Bill 124 ‘void and of no effect’.
This agreement stands as a milestone, as it marks one of the sector’s biggest single year wage jumps in recent times, at 3.2%. In a Bill 124-free Ontario, the members will receive 11.95% in wage increases over the life of the agreement.
OPSEU/SEFPO President JP Hornick praised the Bargaining Team. “For too long, Bill 124 has prevented workers from rightfully advocating for fair wage increases. Through solidarity, the Team was able to negotiate under the shadow of Bill 124, and fought to produce a great contract.”
Bargaining Team Chair, David Lynch, weighed in on what the Team accomplished under this shadow: “This is a great win. By including a conditional wage structure while Bill 124 was being disputed, we potentially avoided a lengthy wage reopening process, which may not guarantee the same outcomes as we currently have. Now that Bill 124 has been declared ‘void and of no effect’ we have accomplished one of the largest jumps in wages in many years.”
The new agreement also includes other considerable gains to health benefit provisions, expanded range of care, a home office provision, as well as a “Cultural Day” – a paid day off to observe a personal day of significance.
“The current state of rising inflation has affected us all in more ways than one,” said OPSEU/SEFPO First Vice-President/Treasurer Laurie Nancekivell. “The Bargaining Team came through and negotiated a strong collective agreement that not only provides a healthy wage gain, but also meaningful quality of life improvements for members. The Bargaining Team has done an amazing job. Congratulations to OPSEU/SEFPO Sector 16 Property Assessment members!”