Simcoe – On April 20, mental health professionals from both the Brant and Haldimand-Norfolk branches of the Canadian Mental Health Association voted to join the Ontario Public Service Employees Union.
The Haldimand-Norfolk branch is scheduled to merge with the Brant County branch this spring and by joining OPSEU nearly 65 mental health professionals will now have the union’s protection.
OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas extended a warm welcome to the new members of behalf of the executive board. “If it’s about protecting wages, benefits and working conditions through all of this restructuring, there’s no better choice than OPSEU,” Thomas said.
Ed Arvelin, Chair of OPSEU’s Mental Health Division, was also pleased to welcome the new members. “Our goal remains to protect the mental health services for our communities by protecting the people who provide that service,” he said.
The CMHA has been providing community outreach services and affordable housing since 1988.