The latest bargaining and mobilizing news for OPS members
Still no movement
Your Central/Unified and Corrections Bargaining Teams continue to meet at the negotiating table. Unfortunately, the employer is still refusing to move off of their opening monetary positions despite our best attempts to persuade them otherwise.
Last Saturday, the Central/Unified team met with the conciliator who is there to provide assistance. However, given that the two sides are still extremely far apart, any help that the conciliator has been able to provide is limited, at best.
The employer and the union have agreed we won’t bargain Essential and Emergency Services prior to January 19, a deadline the employer insisted upon. This does not necessarily mean EESA bargaining will start on the 19th. It means the two sides will not negotiate EES agreements prior to the 19th. Notwithstanding this, our mandate is to negotiate a collective agreement, not a strike. Our intent is to stay at the bargaining table and continue to make every effort to negotiate an agreement.
We are getting their attention
We thank all the members who staged workplace actions, demonstrations and MPP pickets this week. While it has not yet produced any movement at the bargaining tables, it is definitely getting the employers attention.
We need to continue and increase the pressure. Please continue holding as many actions and demonstrations as possible. We know that many members have already stepped down from acting management positions. We ask, again, that ALL members step down from any acting management assignments at this time and return to their home bargaining unit positions.
Your teams need every bit of help we can get to negotiate a fair and reasonable collective agreement.
Stay tuned
OPSEU Communications will send out bargaining bulletins with updated information during OPS negotiations.
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.
Your OPS Bargaining teams
Central/Unified Team
Roxanne Barnes, CERC (Chair)
Ron Langer, Region 1 (Vice Chair)
Elaine Young, Region 2
Betty Marchegiano, Region 3
Dylan Lineger, Region 4
Dennis Wilson, Region 5
Beth Anich, Region 6
John Watson, Region 7
Mickey Riccardi, Administration
Glenna Caldwell, Corrections
Cindy Falcao, Institutional and Health Care
Tim Elphick, Office Administration
Johanne Bourgeois, Office Administration
John Berry, Operational and Maintenance/Technical
Steve Anderson, Fixed Term
Ruth Hamilton, Staff Negotiator
Corrections Team
John McLaren, Region 1
Dan Sidsworth, Region 2
Gord Longhi, Region 3 (Vice-Chair)
Tom O’Neill, Region 4 (Chair)
Monte Vieselmeyer, Region 5
Scott McIntyre, Region 6
Barb Friday, Region 7
Anastasios Zafiriadis, Staff Negotiator
Original authorized for distribution:
Roxanne Barnes, Chair, Central/Unified Team
Tom O’Neill, Chair, Corrections Team
Warren (Smokey) Thomas, President, Ontario Public Service Employees Union
Related: OPS Bargaining 2014 Index Page