October was an important month of transition and reflection for the Correctional Bargaining Unit with the election of a new team to lead the division.
Divisionals
SolGen MERC
- Peter Figliola – Local 234 – MERC Chair
- Denise Sidsworth – Local 271- MERC Vice Chair / P&P
- Janet Laverty – Local 108 – MERC Member
- Autumn Butsch – Local 368 – MERC Multi-Category Member
- Josh Miller – Local 678 – MERC Member
Peter Figliola is the new Chair of the Ministry Employee Relations Committee while Denise Sidsworth takes on the job of Vice-Chair.
Peter Figliola is a veteran Correctional Officer and has extensive experience navigating both the provincial government and OPSEU/SEFPO. He has been a strong voice on the Executive Board as the Regional Vice President of Region 2.
The Correctional Bargaining Unit Divisional meeting held October 24 and 25 in Toronto last month also elected members to key committees, which are an important part of how we represent our members. They provide opportunities to raise workplace concerns, address health and safety issues, work through employment-related challenges and push for improvements across the division.
Provincial Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (PJOHSC)
- Mike Lundy — Local 708 – PJOHSC Chair
- Tyson Marcinkowski — Local 678 – PJOHSC Vice-Chair
- Zach Fildey — Local 234 – PJOHSC Member
- Johanne Noonan – Local 232 – PJOHSC Member / P&P
Youth Justice MERC
- Patrick De Brou — Local 290 – MERC Chair
- Johanna Sinclair — Local 314 – MERC Vice Chair
- Mike McKenna — Local 290 – MERC Member
Youth Justice Divisional Health & Safety (DHS)
- Paula Van Dusen — Local 290 – DHS Chair
- Terri Dimini — Local 714 – DHS Vice Chair / PO
- Rob Fischer — Local 224 – DHS Member
- Mike Fallon — Local 220 – DHS Member
Patrick De Brou retains his role as YJ MERC chair. Patrick and the entire delegation from Youth Justice continue to do outstanding work in the division. Patrick, whose home position is Roy McMurtry Youth Centre, is now in his second term as MERC chair of Youth Justice.
Peter Figliola takes over as MERC chair from Chad Oldfield, who decided not to re-offer for election after leading the division for over a decade.
“Throughout his 10+ years on the MERC, Chad has been an unwavering advocate for our members,” said Figliola. “Chad is a fierce, fearless leader whose advocacy is rooted in compassion and a profound understanding of the unique needs of our Division.”
Figliola noted that Oldfield was a primary driving force behind the historic achievement in December 2016, when the Correctional Bargaining Unit secured its own standalone collective agreement—a landmark milestone that fundamentally reshaped Corrections’ rights and representation.”
“Chad’s departure leaves big shoes for us on the MERC to fill,” said Figliola.
Badge of Life Canada
Over the past several years, Badge of Life Canada has been an incredible ally and advocate of the Correctional Bargaining Unit. As we continue to fight for better mental health supports for the members, they have consistently stood alongside us, helping bring attention to the realities of working in corrections and the impact this work can have on mental health.
Badge of Life Canada was a key contributor to “In the Light of Day: A Report on Mental Health in Corrections”, and they continue to find ways to support our members and the work they do.
It was an honour for our provincial leadership to attend their annual conference, Advancing Post-Traumatic Growth, held October 15–16, 2026, in Oro-Medonte, Ontario.
This is a conference our provincial team regularly makes a point of attending. The information, conversations and connections made at this event are incredibly valuable to the work the Correctional Bargaining Unit does. In order to continue to fight for better mental health supports, it’s vital to understand what those supports should look like, what is working and where gaps still exist.
This year, the OPSEU/SEFPO Executive Board approved a donation of $5,013 to the conference as a Platinum Sponsor. This sponsorship was made in honour of the far too many members we have lost to suicide over the past several years.
Behind every one of those losses is a person, a family, friends and coworkers who are left to carry on. We cannot change what has happened, but we can continue to push for better supports, challenge the systems that are failing our members and work toward making sure people have access to help when they need it.
One of the biggest takeaways from the conference is that supporting people through trauma cannot stop at telling them to reach out for help. We need accessible resources, supportive leadership, effective peer support and systems that understand what people are actually experiencing.
For those of us working in the Correctional Bargaining Unit, this is not an abstract conversation. Our members are exposed to difficult and traumatic situations every single day as part of their jobs. We have a responsibility to keep pushing for workplaces that recognize this and provide meaningful support.
Chair’s Message
Between the Badge of Life Canada conference, Regional Health & Safety Sessions, and our divisional meeting, there was a lot to take in over the past few weeks.
What stood out was how connected all of this work really is. Advocating for mental health supports, addressing workplace health and safety, preparing for arbitration and ensuring we have strong representation at provincial tables are all part of the same responsibility.
There is still a lot of work ahead of us. There always is. But opportunities like these remind us why it is so important to come together, share information, support one another, learn from each other and continue pushing for change.
Thank you to everyone who continues to put in the work, whether at a provincial committee table, in your local, or on the front lines in our workplaces.
Our division is stronger when we work together, and we will continue to make sure the voices of all members are heard.
Corrections Strong. Together, we move forward.