Why join OPSEU/SEFPO?
✓ For a stronger voice
✓ For better care
✓ For a healthier Ontario
When you join OPSEU/SEFPO, you join with thousands of other caring and dedicated mental health workers across the province. We’re stronger together as we demand:
- a guaranteed voice at the table advocating for yourself, your co-workers and the people you care for
- stable, predictable working conditions and job security
- processes for hiring and advancement that are fair
- a complaints/grievance procedure to hold the employer accountable
- joint employer- management committees to ensure health and safety protocols, evaluations of new positions, equitable job descriptions and duties
- a democratic process to elect your local union leaders
Questions? Drop-in for answers!
Joining a strong and progressive union like OPSEU/SEFPO is the best thing you can do for yourself and the people you care for.
But it’s a big decision, and you probably have lots of questions.
We’d like to answer them all! Just drop in any time between 11 am and 7 pm for our series of Q&A drop- ins at the Delta Armouries (Chelsea Green room), 325 Dundas St., London
Drop-in dates:
- June 29, 30
- July 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28
- August 3, 4, 10, 11
What happens next?
In Canada, you have the Constitutional right to join and participate in a union. But becoming full union members with your co-workers doesn’t happen overnight.
Here’s a roadmap of what lies ahead:
- Once you’ve signed your OPSEU/SEFPO card, encourage your co-workers to do the same. The more quickly a large group of you sign cards, the more quickly you’ll become members!
- Watch your personal email and texts for updates and events.
- Once a large group of you have signed cards, OPSEU/SEFPO files an application to the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) and then two things happen:
- 1. Your “freeze period” protection begins
- 2. The ORLB schedules a secret ballot vote within the coming weeks or months.
- Your “freeze period” protection. Once we’ve applied to the ORLB, it is against the law for your managers to arbitrarily change any of your conditions or working conditions.
- Your secret ballot vote. This is your chance to formally vote on becoming OPSEU/SEFPO members. When the majority of you vote to join OPSEU/SEFPO, you become members!
- Bargaining preparation. With the help and guidance of OPSEU/SEFPO, you will elect your bargaining and decide together on your top priorities – better wages, health and safety protections, and a legal voice to be heard and respected!
- Bargaining begins. Your bargaining team and OPSEU/SEFPO staff bargain your first Collective Agreement.
- Have your say. Once your bargaining team reaches a “tentative agreement” with the employer, you and all your co-workers vote. If the majority vote no, your bargaining team and the employer go back to the table. When the majority vote yes, congratulations! You have your first Collective Agreement.
Contact us confidentially
Kiera Chion
kchion@opseu.org
416-526-0330
Patti Markland
416-522-7826
pmarkland@opseu.org
Daniel Peters
dpeters@opseu.org
416- 805-1796
Patti Markland
OPSEU/SEFPO Organizing Representative
pmarkland@opseu.org
416-802-8121
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Jeremy Thibodeau
OPSEU/SEFPO Organizing Representative
jthibodeau@opseu.org
647-528-0271
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Lorri Foley
Staff Rep – London Regional Office
lfoley@opseu.org
519-281-1935
Jeremy Thibdeau
647-528-0271
jthibodeau@opseu.org
Alyssa Walker
416-200-0947
awalker@opseu.org
Kathy Whipple
kwhipple@opseu.org
416-427-8705
When you join 180,000 other OPSEU/SEFPO members, you join with 8,000+ other mental health care professionals and workers across Ontario.
