In October 2022, delegates from every OPSEU/SEFPO local with Ontario Public Service (OPS) Unified members attended the biennial OPS Unified Divisional Meeting, where they held leadership elections and made plans for the next two years to organize and mobilize their members to challenge the employer and bargain good contracts.
The meeting was opened by President JP Hornick, First Vice-President/Treasurer Laurie Nancekivell, and outgoing Central Employee Committee (CERC) Chair Neil Martin. They stressed the importance of member outreach, organizing and political action in order to address privatization and the staffing crisis caused by underfunding and wage restraints.
This was the first meeting held by the new OPS Unified Division with their own By Laws, and Local Presidents or highest-ranking OPS Unified Local Executive Committee members were included at the meeting for the first time. Their new By Laws allowed them to make resolutions and vote on changes to their bargaining procedures, which the meeting delegates did during the first day.
On the second day, the delegates elected new leaders to represent them at the ministry level for each Ministry Employee Relations Committee (MERC).
The chairs from each MERC team then elected three MERC chairs to form the Central Employee Relations Committee (CERC) to represent all OPS Unified members province-wide.
OPS Unified election results:
Central Employee Relations Committee (CERC)
- Chair: Amanda Usher, Local 302
- Vice Chair: Chris Eckert, Local 584
- Member: Daryl O’Grady, Local 456
Ministry Employee Relations Committees (MERCs)
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
- Chair: Heidi Steffen-Petrie, Local 232
- Vice Chair: Marcus Rangai, Local 506
- Member: Bethany Pate, Local 232
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Meat Inspectors Sub-Committee
- Chair: Marcus Rangai, Local 506
- Vice Chair: Sanjay Sharma, Local 506
- Member: Binod Baral, Local 506
Attorney General
- Chair: Loretta Clark, Local 123
- Vice Chair: Tina Stevens, Local 102
- Member: Marie-Paule Duret, Local 526
- Member: Laurel Pitre, Local 629
Children, Community and Social Services (Unified)
- Chair: Susan Fournier-Roy, Local 410
- Vice Chair and Member-at-Large: Robert Hampsey, Local 586
- Member (FRO): Maria Delara, Local 534
- Member (CPRI): Laurie Arnold, Local 112
- Member (ODSP): Joseph Labaki, Local 410
- Member (ODSP): Brandon Yohnicki, Local 102
- Member (H&S): Michael Greene, Local 112
Citizenship and Multiculturalism
- Chair: Andrea Williams, Local 527
- Vice Chair: Gordon Pim, Local 527
Energy
- Chair: Cisca Mcinnis, Local 502
Education
- Chair: Daryl O’Grady, Local 456
- Vice Chair: Drew Finucane, Local 219
- Member: J. Robert Scarfo, Local 736
Environment, Conservation and Parks
- Chair: Shawn Burr, Local 702
- Vice Chair: Chris Johnston, Local 308
- Member: Angelune Des Lauriers, Local 532
- Member: Ryan Smith, Local 103
Finance
- Chair: Shanika Duncan, Local 340
- Vice Chair: Dave Bissoon, Local 599
- Member: Julieta Losson, Local 340
Health
- Chair: Amanda Usher, Local 302
- Vice Chair: Melissa Penner, Local 147
- Member: Grace Grieve, Local 302
- Member: Holly Sullivan, Local 154
Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
- Chair: Leslie Aiston, Local 446
- Vice Chair: Kenneth Burns, Local 205
- Member: Shaun Carter, Local 630
- Member: Chris Callaghan, Local 102
Long-Term Care
- Chair: Yvonne Walton, Local 201
- Vice Chair: Janet Groux, Local 546
Mines
- Chair: Gregory Paju, Local 701
- Vice Chair: Colleen Kurcinka, Local 701
Municipal Affairs and Housing
- Chair: Leanne Esarik, Local 701
Natural Resources and Forestry
- Chair: Christopher Bierman, Local 434
- Vice Chair: Jeremy Rouse, Local 319
- Member: Jeremy Verdiel, Local 623
- Member: Jessica O’Donnell, Local 605
Northern Development
- Chair: Mary-Lynn Riberdy, Local 602
- Vice Chair: Marla Michel, Local 602
Ontario Clean Water Agency
- Chair: Chris Eckert, Local 584
- Vice Chair: Darren Aljoe, Local 633
Public and Business Service Delivery
- Chair: Pamela Serrattan, Local 528
- Vice Chair: Rob Cox, Local 340
- Member: Stacy Grieve, Local 736
- Member: Steven Rode, Local 533
Solicitor General – Community Safety (Unified)
- Chair: Ram Selvarajah, Local 524
- Vice Chair: James Sloots, Local 119
Tourism, Culture and Sport
- Chair: Darren Winger, Local 154
- Vice Chair: Anthony Marrelli, Local 701
- Member: Dylan Roberts, Local 453
- Member: Brent Santin, Local 453
Transportation
- Chair: Sam Hardie, Local 270
- Vice Chair: Jody Pringle, Local 428
- Member: Devin Snoddon, Local 634
Transportation Health and Safety Advisory Committee
- Chair: Jody Pringle, Local 428
- Vice Chair: Sam Hardie, Local 270
- Member: Court Park, Local 634