Over the past months, the OPS Bargaining Teams have diligently worked on negotiating Emergency and Essential Service Agreements (EESAs), a process initiated by the Employer in late January.
EESAs must be in place before there can be any strike or lockout. The process requires separate agreements for each of approximately1,600 work locations.
This bargaining continues
There is NO TIMELINE for completion.
There is no agreement to take any kind of break until the job is done.
Your bargaining teams remain committed to the mandate given by OPSEU members during the demand-set process.
There is nothing in the Employer’s proposal of any value to our Members.
They propose a continued wage freeze in Years 1 and 2, following on the two year wage freeze we have already suffered.
Under the Employer’s proposal, any wage increase in Years 3 and 4 would have to be paid for through cuts elsewhere in our contract. In other words we would steal from ourselves to pay ourselves.
The Employer also wants a 12-step wage grid (another form of cutting our pay), cuts to WSIB/LTIP, mandatory rehabilitation and more concessions to the current contract.
These are not fair or respectful of the professional work members perform each and every day.
The employer has given no sign of willingness to move from these concessions and negotiate a fair and reasonable contract.
It is going to take your support and continued workplace activism to move the Employer from their current proposal.
We encourage you to:
- Participate in workplace rallies and information sessions.
- Share bargaining bulletins with OPSEU colleagues.
- Plan and organize ‘lunch and learn’ sessions about Collective Bargaining.
- Display OPSEU material and your Collective Agreement in your workplace.
- Step-down from extra-curricular workplace activities (volunteer committees).
Please continue to “work to contract”:
- Follow your job specifications. Do not do work you are not responsible for.
- Take your full breaks and full lunch. Don’t skip them to get extra work done,
- Do not volunteer for overtime/special projects or ANY duties outside of the scope of your current job
- Follow the directions from your manager and follow all policies. Don’t take shortcuts.
Right now it is your team’s job to get essential services agreements in place. Your job is to keep up the activism in your locals and be very vocal with your Liberal MPPs on an ongoing basis!
Do not circulate rumours
If you can’t confirm something on the OPSEU website, it is just a rumour.
Stay informed, get involved, and show your solidarity.
Together, we will get a fair and decent contract!!
Contact us:
Central/Unified Team
[email protected]
Corrections Team
[email protected]
Don’t listen to rumours! TableTalk Update is your only official communication from the OPS Bargaining Teams.
Related: OPS Bargaining 2014 Index Page