| Our hearings at the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) to determine the scope of central and local bargaining concluded yesterday on Wednesday October 28. Along with our other education worker unions, OPSEU/SEFPO agreed to the OLRB’s proposal to hold a day of mediation to explore whether an agreement can be reached with the employers before the OLRB’s decisions are released. This session will take place on Monday November 2. We agreed to mediation on the condition that it will not delay the release of the OLRB’s decisions, which we expect to receive by mid-November. Further updates on the outcomes of this process will be shared as soon as possible. |
| Strike Pledge Reminder As the formal bargaining process progresses, we as union members always need to keep our eyes on the prize: organizing in our workplaces to build our collective power. With this goal in mind, we are currently conducting a membership-wide strike vote pledge in order to demonstrate our strength and unity. This is a critical step for you to confirm that you will join your co-workers – on strike if necessary – to win a fair contract and increased funding. • Sign your pledge • Then share it with three of your co-workers Collective action is the most powerful tool we have to get solutions to our core issues such as understaffing, workloads, and violence. We are aiming to achieve a large majority to send a strong message and move us forward in the bargaining process. Note: Some of our fellow education worker unions have completed this step already and are moving on to formal strike votes in November. Each union has their own internal processes and timelines that they need to respect. Nevertheless, we remain united and continue to collectively coordinate our bargaining efforts. |