Table Talk Newsletter Issue #7
Meet your Regional Mobilizers!
Are you familiar with the regional mobilizers in your area?
Click here link below to explore their biographies and learn more about each member.
Demand Set
Click here to complete your Phase 1 Demand Set Survey.
Employee Relations Committees (ERC) at your work
Employee Relations Committees (ERC) are joint committees consisting of equal representation from the union and management. Their primary function is to address labour relations concerns at each worksite.
Both the union and management have a Co-Chair who represents site-specific issues with the objective of resolving them. Unresolved issues are documented and escalated to the MERC (Ministry Employee Relations Committee).
For more information:
- Read Article 16 – Local and Ministry negotiations on page 36 in your OPS Unified Collective Agreement
- Read the ERC Training Guide
- ERC Referral Form
- Register for Training
WHO: The bargaining team would like to invite Unified members to Table Talk Thursdays.
WHAT IS TABLE TALK THURSDAYS: Table Talk Thursdays are Zoom sessions where YOUR bargaining team shares updates and insights with union members about ongoing negotiations and activities. Join us to stay informed and engaged with the latest news and developments.
WHERE: It happens over ZOOM.
WHEN: This happens every third Thursday of the month from 7 pm to 8 pm EST (6 pm CST).
The next session will be November 21, 2024.
WHY: To keep the lines of communication open!
Historical Facts about OPS Unified
OPS Unified is currently approximately 30,000 members strong. We have 180 locals and more than 1,500 workplaces across the entire province. With over 400 occupied classifications spread across 28 Ministries, our membership is diverse and extensive.
In recent years, the government has shamefully transitioned our workforce to a point that more than 40% of our membership are now Fixed-Term (FXT) and Seasonal workers. We need full-time permanent employment for all.
OPSEU/SEFPO has been around for 113 years, under various names and forms. Our union was formed in 1911, as the Civil Association of Ontario (CAO). For the first 55 years, the membership consisted solely of Ontario Civil Service employees.
At the time our union was founded, there were approximately 1,000 Ontario government staff. In the 1920s, a job classification system was enacted. In 1927, the group officially incorporated.
The first employees of the CAO were hired in 1946 and joined the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). In 1956, at the annual meeting the grievance process was established and transparency policies for union roles were discussed.
In 1963, there was a push for managers to be removed from the Association, with the members being mostly front-line workers. The Association formally registered as a union in 1966, which allowed us to organize those outside of just the Ontario Public Service including those working in broader public service and private sector.
Reminder!
When updating your personal information on the member portal, please use your personal email and equipment. Do not use government equipment and/or email address.
Did you know that your manager must notify all new employees that they are members of OPSEU/SEFPO, inform them of their local executive and stewards, and provide access to a copy of the OPS Unified Collective Agreement? (Article 5)
In Solidarity,
On behalf of the OPS Unified Bargaining team
Amanda Usher — Chair
Leslie Aiston — Vice Chair
Newsletter Issue #7