Submissions

Introduction The Ontario Public Service Employes Union (OPSEU/SEFPO) represents 180,000 public sector workers in Ontario. OPSEU/SEFPO members work in the Ontario Public Service; in Ontario’s colleges, universities, and public schools; in Ontario’s hospitals, long-term care facilities, ambulance services and public health units; in developmental services, child treatment centres, mental health agencies; in laboratories and blood...

This morning at Queen’s Park, OPSEU/SEFPO President JP Hornick addressed the members of the Ontario legislature’s Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs as part of the 2023/24 Pre-Budget Consultations. Hornick presented OPSEU/SEFPO’s pre-budget submission and spoke about the cost of living crisis while urging the government to address the major staffing and retention crisis...

OPSEU/SEFPO President Warren (Smokey) Thomas appeared before the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs Wednesday afternoon as part of the 2022/23 Pre-Budget consultations. In his presentation, President Thomas focused on the five key actions that are needed to protect Ontarians and rebuild our province. They include: Building up our public sector capacity Improving workplace...

On November 25, OPSEU/SEFPO President Warren (Smokey) Thomas presented to the Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly regarding the proposed Bill 37, Providing More Care, Protecting Seniors, and Building More Beds Act, 2021. The following submission outlines OPSEU/SEFPO’s proposed recommendations to strengthen the Bill, which is set to overhaul Ontario’s long-term care sector. Download the...

To emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever, OPSEU/SEFPO President Warren (Smokey) Thomas is urging the Minister of Finance to invest billions more in public services in the 2021/22 budget. “Decades of cuts have left Ontario defenceless against COVID-19. Those cuts have already cost 5,000 lives,” Thomas told Peter Bethlenfalvy during a virtual presentation on...

After decades of budgets that portrayed public services and public service workers as a problem to be solved through deep cuts, privatization, and austerity, OPSEU/SEFPO is deeply relieved that the budget contained within Bill 229 finally treats us with some of the respect we deserve. It is a welcome change and the union commends the...

Long-term care in Ontario is broken. People are dying. Residents of this province deserve and expect that the care they receive in their golden years will allow them to live with dignity and respect. We are seeing the opposite. Many of the reoccurring issues facing both long-term care employees and the sector have been exacerbated...

OPSEU/SEFPO represents approximately 170,000 front-line public sector workers. We are deeply concerned about some of the provisions in Bill 218.  We understand that many organizations have done their best to align with changing public health guidance as the science around COVID-19 develops and requires new measures, and that there has been mixed messaging from different jurisdictions...

On June 18, 2020, Warren (Smokey) Thomas, President of OPSEU, submitted the union’s brief on Bill 175, Connecting People to Home and Community Care Act, to the Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly. Click here to download OPSEU’s brief. OPSEU’s Written Submission to the Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly Bill 175 – The Connecting...

Warren (Smokey) Thomas, President of OPSEU, sent the following letter, along with OPSEU’s submission, to the Honourable Ross Romano, Minister of Colleges and Education.   Click here to read the submission. May 22, 2020    The Honourable Ross RomanoMinister of Colleges and Universities438 University Avenue, 5th FloorToronto, Ontario M7A 1N3 Dear Minister: Please find enclosed...

Toronto – Building on the work of the Canadian Labour Congress, OPSEU is calling on the Ontario government to run long-term care and home care as an integrated publicly run service, along with 22 other recommendations aimed at preventing another tragedy like the deaths caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas says...

On April 2, OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas presented the following submission to the Standing Committee on Social Policy in response to Bill 74, The People’s Health Care Act.  To download a printable version of the submission, click here. A submission of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) to the Standing Committee on Social Policy on...