Message from the President and First Vice-President/Treasurer: Building a solid foundation for a solid contract
Tradespeople don’t just arrive one morning to start building a house. The ground must first be carefully prepared and a solid foundation put down. The bigger the building, the more time that takes; and the better that’s done, the more solid the end result.
It’s the same with bargaining. Months before both sides meet at the bargaining table, they prepare. The bigger the bargaining unit, the longer that can take – and the OPS Unified Bargaining Unit is the biggest in OPSEU/SEFPO.
We’re highly impressed with this round’s bargaining team and the preparatory work they’ve done. We’re confident they’ll give their very best of themselves to realizing the demands that thousands of hardworking members have put forward.
The team will have the expert support of OPSEU/SEFPO professional staff every step of the way. They’ve worked alongside uncounted bargaining teams to get fantastic collective agreements. You can also be assured of our personal support and that of all Executive Board Members, not to mention the backing of 180,000 OPSEU/SEFPO members.
We’ll be closely following the progress of negotiations as they unfold, and we wish the bargaining team every success at the table. We stand shoulder to shoulder with you and support you all the way.
In solidarity,
OPSEU/SEFPO President Warren (Smokey) Thomas
Eduardo (Eddy) Almeida, OPSEU/SEFPO First Vice-President/Treasurer
Message from the bargaining team: Your support and solidarity are crucial
On October 1, 2021, your Unified bargaining team submitted our notice of intent to bargain with the employer for our approximately 30,000 members. As we await a response from the employer, we are currently going through your bargaining demands and preparing proposals. Your bargaining team is working well together, and we are all committed to negotiating strong gains for all members.
In the meantime, we encourage you to review OPSEU/SEFPO’s response to the Ford government’s Bill 124. OPSEU/SEFPO and other public service unions filed a Charter challenge to this law, and your team is committed to fighting this government’s attempt to destroy public services and punish the same workers who have kept this province running during the pandemic.
Your only official source of information for bargaining updates will be posted to the OPSEU/SEFPO website. Members can also email the OPS Unified bargaining team at UnifiedOPSBargaining@opseu.org for general inquiries. Your bargaining team will also be holding virtual information sessions when updates are available.
We look forward to your support and solidarity as we move through this process. We ask that members keep their information updated on the OPSEU/SEFPO Member Portal and stay in touch with your local to ensure you have the most up-to-date information on bargaining. Together, we can make every effort to negotiate a fair collective agreement for all OPS United members.
In solidarity,
Your Unified bargaining team members:
Coleen Houlder – Chair – Region 5 representative
Neil Martin – Vice Chair – CERC representative
Leslie Aiston – Region 4 representative
Brenton Beeston – ADM representative
Shawn Burr – Region 7 representative
Chris Eckert – OPM/TEC representative
Patrick J. Fry-Smith – Region 2 representative
Grace Grieve – IHC representative
Will Larose – Region 6 representative
Melissa Penner – Region 1 representative
Melanie Powers – OAD representative
Kevin Sprague – ADM representative
Matthieu St-Jean – FXT representative
Riese Stuber – OAD representative
Amanda Usher – Region 3 representative
Roxanne Barnes – OPS Negotiator
Len Elliott – Supervisor, OPS Negotiations