Cobb Hunter stressed the need for education, outreach, and to keep things simple.
Finally, when asked if there would be any chance for repeal if this legislation was to pass, she is doubtful of repeal and cannot stress enough how this issue is a slippery slope, that legislators can be merciless, and that once right-to-work legislation gets a toehold, “it’s over.”
OPSEU welcomed by Toronto City Councillor
Toronto City Councillor Janet Davis opened Convention 2014 by conveying a warm welcome from Toronto City Council. She was excited once more to be at Convention as she sees the work of OPSEU workers around her daily. She is very quick to attribute Toronto’s greatness to its great public servants. In addition, Davis recognized that current public services are under attack. With governments constantly attempting to cut costs of services by applying private sector strategies, she urges OPSEU members to support the fight to stop privatization of public assets. She reminds us that these assets belong to all of us and that we need to work together to protect the interests of the public. “Public servants serve their communities. [We must] get engaged, fight, and build the society we want.”
Resolutions and Constitutional Amendments
C1 – All OPS MERC members be automatic delegates to Convention – Defeated
C2 – After debate, resolution amended to maintain that all mobilizers are elected at LBED pre-bargaining conference – Carried
C3 – Canadian Blood service negotiation procedures be approved – Carried
C4 – Public Heath Ontario, (PHO) negotiation procedures – Carried
C6 – Corrections to have its own division – Defeated
C7 – Broaden scope of the Corrections Bargaining Unit – Defeated
D1 – OPSEU to take every means possible to keep current calculation of Rand Formula – Carried
A.1 An amendment to allow all OPS MERC members to be delegates to the annual Convention – Defeated
A.3 An amendment to allow delegate positions to be filled by highest ranking members of the local if local meetings do not achieve quorum at GMMs – Defeated
A.5 An amendment to section 21.4.1 to read “Divisional Councils may be formed subject to the approval of the Executive Board, to bring together Divisions with common interests and to co-ordinate Division activities” – Carried
A.4 Amendment to move 2 per cent from the Strike Fund to mobilizing and bargaining – Defeated
A.2 Amendment to change quorum rules – Defeated
OPSEU receives Social Justice Donation
Denise Wiese, from Tourism Toronto, welcomed attendees and encouraged all to take some time to explore what Toronto has to offer. Wiese also presented a generous donation of $10,000 donation to the OPSEU Social Justice Fund.
Convention 2014 by the Numbers
As of 4:30 p.m. May 8, 2014
902 – Delegates
474 – Alternates
170 – Observers
4 – Retirees
17 – EBMs
36 – Committees
10 – Solidarity Guests
7 – Guests
1620 – Total
Social Media
4,305 – Total likes on Facebook for Ontario Public Service Employee Union
65 – Tweets: #opseu2014
18 – Photo tweets
Childcare Program
71 – Children
- 10: 0-2 years old
- 16: 3-5 years old
- 29: 6-11 years old
- 16: 12 years and up
11 – Providers
6 – Volunteers
1 – Security Guard
‘Together Toward Tomorrow’
A total of 1,486 delegates, alternates, observers, guests, and committee members arrived in full force to the 2014 OPSEU Convention.
In her address, she urged OPSEU members to take this threat of right-to-work legislation seriously. Electing a Conservative government will be devastating, adding they and their legislation will “take no prisoners.”
Cobb Hunter urged us to think of four things when moving forward in our campaign to resist Hudak and his proposed legislation:
- Language—We are to be wary of the language of the profit-driven legislators who carefully craft words to move ahead their agendas.
- Tenacity—Even though Hudak has “shelved” the legislation for the time being, Cobb-Hunter warns it will come back and that we “can’t open the door” for it to sneak in.
- Power in numbers—She urges us to stay strong and not take for granted services we currently have.
- Fight a “divide and conquer” mentality—Cobb-Hunter urges us to look at and share the message of the video to those who are questioning the problem with this legislation.
Overall, Cobb-Hunter urges us to not “suffer from the illusion of inclusion” and to remember services we currently enjoy can be taken away in a “skinny New York minute.”
Addressing questions from Convention floor, Cobb-Hunter urged us to not place elected officials on pedestals. We must vote in those “who serve the public and not those who have the public serve them.” She added we must not vote in “those whose first love is to be elected.”
Cobb Hunter stressed the need for education, outreach, and to keep things simple.
Finally, when asked if there would be any chance for repeal if this legislation was to pass, she is doubtful of repeal and cannot stress enough how this issue is a slippery slope, that legislators can be merciless, and that once right-to-work legislation gets a toehold, “it’s over.”
OPSEU welcomed by Toronto City Councillor
Toronto City Councillor Janet Davis opened Convention 2014 by conveying a warm welcome from Toronto City Council. She was excited once more to be at Convention as she sees the work of OPSEU workers around her daily. She is very quick to attribute Toronto’s greatness to its great public servants. In addition, Davis recognized that current public services are under attack. With governments constantly attempting to cut costs of services by applying private sector strategies, she urges OPSEU members to support the fight to stop privatization of public assets. She reminds us that these assets belong to all of us and that we need to work together to protect the interests of the public. “Public servants serve their communities. [We must] get engaged, fight, and build the society we want.”
Resolutions and Constitutional Amendments
C1 – All OPS MERC members be automatic delegates to Convention – Defeated
C2 – After debate, resolution amended to maintain that all mobilizers are elected at LBED pre-bargaining conference – Carried
C3 – Canadian Blood service negotiation procedures be approved – Carried
C4 – Public Heath Ontario, (PHO) negotiation procedures – Carried
C6 – Corrections to have its own division – Defeated
C7 – Broaden scope of the Corrections Bargaining Unit – Defeated
D1 – OPSEU to take every means possible to keep current calculation of Rand Formula – Carried
A.1 An amendment to allow all OPS MERC members to be delegates to the annual Convention – Defeated
A.3 An amendment to allow delegate positions to be filled by highest ranking members of the local if local meetings do not achieve quorum at GMMs – Defeated
A.5 An amendment to section 21.4.1 to read “Divisional Councils may be formed subject to the approval of the Executive Board, to bring together Divisions with common interests and to co-ordinate Division activities” – Carried
A.4 Amendment to move 2 per cent from the Strike Fund to mobilizing and bargaining – Defeated
A.2 Amendment to change quorum rules – Defeated
OPSEU receives Social Justice Donation
Denise Wiese, from Tourism Toronto, welcomed attendees and encouraged all to take some time to explore what Toronto has to offer. Wiese also presented a generous donation of $10,000 donation to the OPSEU Social Justice Fund.
Convention 2014 by the Numbers
As of 4:30 p.m. May 8, 2014
902 – Delegates
474 – Alternates
170 – Observers
4 – Retirees
17 – EBMs
36 – Committees
10 – Solidarity Guests
7 – Guests
1620 – Total
Social Media
4,305 – Total likes on Facebook for Ontario Public Service Employee Union
65 – Tweets: #opseu2014
18 – Photo tweets
Childcare Program
71 – Children
- 10: 0-2 years old
- 16: 3-5 years old
- 29: 6-11 years old
- 16: 12 years and up
11 – Providers
6 – Volunteers
1 – Security Guard