On the 30-year anniversary of OPSEU/SEFPO’s Broader Public Service (BPS), almost 800 OPSEU/SEFPO BPS members from across the province attended the 2023 BPS Conference and Divisional Meetings this past weekend.
During the divisional meetings, elections were held for each sector’s executive. These members will serve on their Sector Executives for a two-year term, from 2023-2025.
Click here for BPS sector election results (PDF).
The theme of the 2023 BPS conference was “Organizing for Change,” reflecting OPSEU/SEFPO’s shifting focus towards deep organizing so that every member of our union can take action together to make positive changes in our workplaces, our communities, and the province as a whole.
The conference was opened with an Indigenous teaching and welcome song by Tina Stevens and Krista Maracle from the OPSEU/SEFPO Indigenous Circle. Tara Langford, Chair of All BPS Chairs, OPSEU/SEFPO President JP Hornick, and First Vice-President/Treasurer Laurie Nancekivell welcomed conference participants. They talked about the power of organizing both within and across sectors to overcome common challenges facing members in all sectors of the BPS, including understaffing, stagnant wages, underfunding by the Ford government, health and safety issues, and privatization.
They also addressed the fact that members from equity-deserving groups, including Black, Indigenous and racialized members, are impacted more than others by these challenges, outlining OPSEU/SEFPO’s commitment to ensure that equity-deserving members are included at every level of our union and in every elected office of our union, including the Executive Board.
The conference featured many inspiring guest speakers and performers, including keynote speaker and organizer Chris Smalls, President of Amazon Labor Union, who shared the message that organizing and the power of the people is the key to overcoming even the largest corporate employers in the world.
Organizers Laura Walton (President of OSBCU-CUPE and newly-elected President of the Ontario Federation of Labour) and Chris Ramsaroop (Assistant Professor at New College-University of Toronto, and Organizer with Justice for Migrant Workers) also shared messages emphasizing the importance of organizing workers to challenge difficult employers and governments.
Sherri Bastos from the Public Services Health and Safety Association, and Venier Wong, Master Teacher and Healer from Tao Academy, shared information and tools for workers around health and safety, wellness, and mental health. The participants enjoyed a brilliant musical performance by Lucas Silveira, dynamic frontman of the Cliks turned solo artist.
To celebrate the 30-year anniversary of the BPS in OPSEU/SEFPO, celebratory cookies were provided to all conference participants. An incredible “Graphic Recording” of the conference was created in real time by artist Lynne Dalgleish of ThinkLink Graphic Recording as well.
The 2023 BPS Conference Planning Committee’s goal was to further educate BPS members on how we can move forward, following a deep organizing model, as we fight at bargaining tables for better contracts. We thank the following members who were elected to the 2023 planning committee:
- Silvana Cacciatore, Local 738, Chair: Sector 2 – Developmental Services
- Sandra Cadeau, Local 330, Chair: Sector 3 – Boards of Education and Cultural Institutions
- Tara Langford, Local 435, Chair: Sector 13 – Municipalities
- Kella Loschiavo, Local 596, Chair: Sector 9 – Universities
- Jill McIllwraith, Local 260, Chair: Sector 11 – Hospital Support
