Region 3 will be holding an Educational on May 31 and June 1, 2025, at the Fern Resort Ltd. – 4432 Fern Resort Road, Ramara, ON L3V 0Z1, 1-800-567-3376. You will find the following in this package:
Please note: You will receive a confirmation letter if selected. At that time, you will also receive the time-off request form and childcare request form for completion.
For your application to be considered, it must be sent to the email [email protected] before Friday April 4, by 4:30pm. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
In solidarity,
Region 3 Education Committee
Course Descriptions for May 31 and June 1, 2025
Courses times:
- Saturday, May 31 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Sunday, June 1 9 a.m. – noon
Challenging Bullying and Non-Code-Based Harassment in the Workplace
Is bullying and psychological harassment an issue in your workplace? This course will help you recognize the signs of bullying and a toxic workplace. We’ll look at case law and other tools helpful in understanding the impact of workplace bullying. And we’ll strengthen individual and collective capacity to respond to co-workers, and pressure employers to tackle this issue. Duty to Accommodate 1 – A Tool for Inclusive Workplaces.
Dealing with Workplace Conflict
Every day, in our lives, we have to deal with situations of conflict. It may be with our family, our work colleagues, our friends, our peers, or our supervisors. In this course we will define and analyse conflict and look at the range of processes aimed at alleviating or eliminating sources of conflict.
There are many tools available to people in conflict. How and when they are used depends on several factors that will be perused. We will also look at mediation and its role in conflict resolution.
Mental Health: Challenging Stigma in the Workplace
As workers and labour activists, we are faced with economic, social, and political changes in our workplaces that impact our mental wellbeing on a daily basis. We all respond differently to situations that impact our lives and subsequently, our mental health.
This introductory course explores mental health, mental health concerns, and stigma in the workplace. Some of the topics covered in this course include: demystifying mental health; individual, union, and employer responsibilities; member-to-member issues; and some strategies to challenge stigma and build inclusion.
Women in Activism: Staying Connected
Are you a woman who wants to get involved in your Union but you are uncertain as to where and how to begin? Have you wondered how activists got into the position they are in and why they got involved? Do you have the energy and interest but lack the confidence in getting yourself elected to a position? Then this is a course for you.
This course will take you through the journey of successful women in unions and the political arena, how they got there and what they have achieved. You will understand your role as an activist, gain confidence in taking the first steps, and feel motivated in encouraging others to do the same. You will review your own time management strategies and work out a schedule for yourself.
Through scenarios, role-play, interactive videos, and checklists, you will understand the issues women have faced over the years; some of which still continue today. You will learn how to build on these wins to make further inroads for women.
Suggested Pre-requisite – one elected activist and one partner who is not elected (take a closer look at who you may want to bring). This can be an encouragement to mentor others.
Information Sheet
Application
- Application forms must be signed by the Local President or Designate, and received by the Region 3 email address [email protected] no later than Friday April 4, 2025 by 4:30pm. Application forms & accompanying documents must be fully completed and received on time to be
Cancellations
- A member cancelling participation must notify their Local President and [email protected] as soon as Members are responsible for cancelling hotel reservations and any associated cost for late cancellations.
No Call/No Show
- Members who do not cancel their participation with the Regional Office within forty-eight (48) hours of the event start date will not be eligible to attend the next Extenuating circumstances will be considered.
Child care/Elder/Dependant Care
- Members will be reimbursed for family care (childcare/ elder care/dependent care) at a rate of $15.00 an hour to a maximum of $220.00 in a 24-hour period.
- Childcare claims will be honoured for children up to and including age 16, for whom the member is a guardian.
- Care may be provided by friends/family, professional or commercial services, or any other arrangement satisfactory to the member making the Claims may be verified and must be signed by the service provider. A spouse is excluded from the list of eligible care providers.
- Members who have responsibility for elderly/dependant persons living with them as part of their family may claim for their care.
- Members will be reimbursed for family/attendant care at $15.00 an hour, to a maximum of $220.00 in a 24 hour period.
- This policy covers the expenses for persons over the age of 16, permanently residing with, and under the care of a member, who are differently-abled and/or A spouse is excluded from the list of eligible care providers.
- If childcare is requested through OPSEU/SEFPO at the Educational, all paperwork must be completed and submitted, and the child must be in attendance with the program. If the child is not in attendance, you will be responsible for the full cost of their accommodation and the cost of meals at the Resort.
Expense claims
The Member Portal (opseu.org//members-login) is the quickest way to have your expenses processed. Please see the E-Claim tutorial in your Members Profile under the Documents menu.
If you choose to use a paper expense claim – only one event is allowed on each form and can be submitted to [email protected]. Multiple events on one form will be returned to the member for correction.
Accommodation
A block of rooms has been reserved at Fern Resort Ltd. and is based on OPSEU/SEFPO policy of single accommodations.
- Once acceptance to the educational is confirmed, Members are responsible for booking their own accommodations directly with Fern Resort no later than April 30th, 2025. Bookings after this date are subject to availability and regular hotel room rates will apply. To book your room at Fern Resort Ltd. call 1-800-567-3376. *NEW* – No credit card is required to secure your room unless you are bringing a Companion/Spouse or children (not registered in OPSEU Childcare), or you register for Friday Dinner.
- Hotel Accommodations are not approved for members living within 60 Kilometers of the hotel location.
- OPSEU/SEFPO members are responsible for notifying the hotel directly of any special accommodations or dietary restrictions required by guests or children of the
- Additional meal rates will be charged in advance of Upon check-in, participants and paid guests will be provided with a bracelet, allowing them to eat with the group.
- No Pet Policy: If you require a Service Dog to attend, please notify Scott Collins at [email protected] and provide certification that the dog is trained to do a specific task, as per the AODA.
- Credit card must be provided upon check-in for incidental pre-approval of $100.00/day.
- Check-in after 4 m. on Friday, check-out by 11:00am on Sunday.
- If members are unable to attend, they are responsible for cancelling their
Meals that are included in the room rates will not be allowable expenses even if you do not eat at the resort (Saturday Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, and Sunday Breakfast). Fern Resort Ltd. will be providing Dinner on Friday for $48. This meal is not included in the room rate; however, members will be reimbursed $39 in accordance with the OPSEU/SEFPO dinner rate. To make a reservation for dinner on Friday, members must inform Fern Resort and provide a credit card at the time of room booking.
Additional Guests – please notify the hotel directly to let them know you are bringing additional guests so we can make the appropriate meal arrangements. As per Fern Resort Ltd., children are free Friday night. Please note that accommodations and meals for additional guests will not be reimbursed. The All- inclusive Rates Per Person for Friday, as per the Fern Resort Ltd are as follows: Single occupancy:
$313.35, Double occupancy $260.01 and Companion Rate for Friday is $206.68 per person. These rates include Friday night accommodations, including Breakfast on Saturday served in the Heritage Dinning, coffee, tea, juice and milk at breakfast, parking, WIFI and use of multiple sports and recreation amenities.
Friday dinner can be added with reservations at the time of booking, credit card required. $48 per adult, $25 per child aged 1-12 plus 18% Event Services Fee and HST per person. The Companion Rate is for an adult guest staying at Fern Resort Ltd. but not attending the meetings.
Saturday Night rates include the meals listed above. Single occupancy is $418.69, Double occupancy is
$365.35, Companion/Spouse occupancy is $312.02, Children from 1-3 are $92.00, Children from 4-12 are $182.68, and Children from 13-17 are $274.68.
Children must be registered and attend the on-site childcare to have their accommodations and meals reimbursed (not applicable if Companion/Spouse is in attendance but NOT registered for a course)
Time-Off/Lost Wages
Lost wages will be reimbursed for shift workers only in accordance with current OPSEU/SEFPO policy. Documentation must be submitted with your claim
Own time is not paid for a weekend education.
Time off arrangements – Time-Off Request forms will be provided for completion with the confirmation letter if selected.
Statement of Respect
Harassment or discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated at OPSEU functions.
Whenever OPSEU members gather, we welcome all peoples of the world. We will not accept any unwelcoming words, actions or behaviours against our union members. We accord respect to all persons, regardless of age, creed, political affiliation and racialization including and not limited to People of African descent, Black, Caribbean, South Asian, Asian, women, men, First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, members of ethno-racial groups, people with disabilities, gays, lesbians, bisexual, trans, two-spirit, and gender diverse persons, Francophones and all persons whose first language is not English. In our diversity we will build solidarity as union members.
If you believe that you are being harassed or discriminated against, contact the Facilitator or Instructor for immediate assistance.
Allergy Alert – Scent, Peanuts and Nut-Free Policy
Workers are becoming sensitized to chemicals, scented products and certain foods such as peanuts, peanut butter, pecans, walnuts, many chocolate bars and energy/nutrition bars.
For many individuals, attending conferences, meetings etc. and being exposed to perfumes, other strong scents and certain foods can pose serious health risks such as asthma attacks, respiratory problems and/or migraine headaches.
In the interest of the health and safety of the sisters and brothers whose health may suffer from any of these exposures, we ask that you refrain from wearing or using scented products, peanut and nut products at all OPSEU/SEFPO events and OPSEU/SEFPO locations.
Authorized by the OPSEU Executive Board / Avis autorisé par le Conseil exécutif du SEFPO