In voting in September, OPSEU members at Canadian Blood Services rejected the tentative collective agreement the union bargaining team had negotiated. Since then, the team has applied for conciliation to get the Ontario Ministry of Labour to appoint a conciliation officer to assist the parties when we return to the bargaining table.

The rejection vote sent a strong message to our employer that members were not happy with the tentative deal. But to bargain the deal members need, we need more than a rejection vote: we need a strike vote.

A strike vote is a mandate for action. On November 2, members will be casting ballots across the province. By voting YES, you are not necessarily voting to go on strike, but you are voting to give your team a mandate to call a strike if necessary.

A strike mandate does not set the clock ticking toward a strike or lockout deadline; that only happens if the parties cannot bargain a deal in conciliation. In the meantime, though, members need to show CBS that we will do what it takes to get the contract we need.

Your bargaining team needs your support. On November 2, please come out and show it!

Strike vote times and locations for November 2

Local 160
OPSEU London Regional Office: 1092 Dearness Drive, London (Room 8)
8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Local 160
OPSEU Windsor Regional Office: 3005 Marentette Ave., Suite 130, Windsor
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Local 200
Four Points Sheraton Hotel, 6257 Airport Rd., Mississauga
8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Local 210
OPSEU Hamilton Regional Office: 505 York Blvd., 2nd Floor, Hamilton
8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Local 477
OPSEU Kingston Regional Office: 824 John Counter Blvd., Kingston (Boardroom B)
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Local 477
OPSEU Ottawa Membership Centre: 2255 St. Laurent Blvd, Suite 310, Ottawa
8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Local 5103
Allandale Recreation Centre – 190 Bayview Drive, Barrie
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Local 5103
OPSEU Coopers Office: 5757 Coopers Ave., Mississauga
7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Local 5103
OPSEU Peterborough Regional Office: 1840 Lansdowne Street W., Unit 12, Peterborough
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Local 5103
OPSEU Toronto Regional Office: 31 Wellesley St. East, Toronto
12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

CBS Support: Who are we?

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union represents more than 850 support members at Canadian Blood Services including phlebotomists, donor care assistants, donor services representatives, drivers, laboratory assistants and clerks. OPSEU represents CBS support members in London, Brampton, Hamilton, Ottawa and Toronto.