December 24, 2008
Brothers and Sisters,
I'm pleased to report that has of 3:45 AM today our Central/Unified Bargaining Team signed a Memorandum of Settlement with our employer for a four year deal. Details of which will be available shortly at our www.opseu.org website. On a sad note I am sorry to inform you that we were unable to reach a deal at our Corrections Table. My understanding is that both sides have not walked away from the table, and our Corrections Team will continue bargaining on January 5, 2009. For now we need to be concerned with the threat of an employer who could be attempting to divide us and we should be concerned that any belated outcomes from the Corrections table could potentially impact our Unified bargaining table in the future. For our Unified members, it is important to appreciate that “no one would be afraid of us” if it wasn’t for the work of our Corrections Sisters, Brothers and their bargaining team members! Let’s rise together and show everyone that we will continue to stand united, and will assist them in every way we can so they too can get a fair and reasonable offer! For now until further notice keep on demonstrating our solidarity by wearing and showing off our colours, and continue holding events and campaigns when we return to work in January!
Finally please understand that the Central\Unified Team’s outcome would not have been possible without your assistance! Early during bargaining our Teams were advising us that a reporting mechanism was clearly in place and every time we generated activity at our workplaces or publicly, concessions were moving off the table! Once again this morning our mobilizers heard our Central\Unified Communications specialist explain how our employer did not like the "chatter that was coming from our worksites" and especially did not like it when “we showed our solidarity by showing our colours, or when we held gatherings, demonstrations and events”; a valuable observation to be remembered for future negotiations!
For now let’s keep in mind and in prayer our Brothers, Sisters and bargaining Team members from Corrections. Enjoy the Festive Holiday with your family and friends and let’s look forward to going over the details of our Central\Unified offer in the New Year!
In solidarity,
Brother Pierre J. Verhelst
December 24, 2008
Central / Unified Reach Tentative Agreement!
December 24, 2008 The Central / Unified bargaining teams signed a tentative agreement with the employer at 3:45 this morning. Details on the terms of the new collective agreement will be posted later today.
Corrections Asks Employer For Offer!
December 24, 2008 At the Corrections table, there is still no settlement. The Corrections Team has asked the employer for an offer that will be voted on by the Corrections Bargaining Unit members. Details on that offer will be posted as soon as they are available.
December 21, 2008
Season’s Greetings to everyone!
On behalf of the Ontario’s Public Service Employees Union a special welcome to our service area website!
We are proud of the fact that we are the first and only OPSEU service area website in Ontario that boasts an innovative professional web design whose key objectives are designed to benefit the interests of our members while gaining the general public’s endorsement. Our site provides for member education, notifies our members about important local activities and solidarity events, and above all gives our members the ability to monitor and keep tabs on negotiations while receiving alerts from our bargaining tables. Not only is our website intuitive and simple to use, it also empowers and engages our members to actively participate in supporting and standing squarely behind the work of our bargaining teams.
Issues bargaining began on November 04 and we are now in the final week of bargaining and our members should receive an offer by December 23rd. For now keep in mind that “It’s better to show solidarity on the employer’s time than on the picket line!”
For those visiting for the first time, I now invite you to explore our website, sign-up for alerts, and remember to spice up your festive season by sending our popular free on-line holiday wishes to your favourite MPP and Premier Dalton McGuinty. They are looking forward to hearing from you!
May the Joy of the Season fill all our hearts!
Brother Pierre J. Verhelst
OPSEU Region 6 Mobilizer for the Sault Ste. Marie Service Area.
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ATTENTION MEMBERS! Both sides continue to talk at the tables. Our teams are reporting that whenever we generate activity at our worksites, publicly or otherwise, annoying concessions are disappearing proving there's a reporting mechanism in place.
At this time there are three major concessions (below) that continue to plague our Central table. These have deep ramifications and must be taken seriously! Combined these are clearly meant to reduce the OPS workforce by downloading and/or privatizing services economically! Simply put the employer wants to get our people out on the cheap! For this final week let's show our employer that we are serious about having these concessions removed from the table!
Ontario Public Service Employees Union Donates To The Soup Kitchen Community Centre
For the Holiday Season the Sault Ste. Marie Ontario Provincial Service Employees Union (OPSEU) members from Locals 602, 605 and 607 countered a $110.00 contribution by OPSEU Region 6 Vice-President Sister Sue Brown by raising $606.00 to assist the Sault Ste. Marie Soup Kitchen Community Centre. In total $716 was raised along with gifts of socks, personal care items, and canned and dry goods from the caring members from Bondar’s Local 605 Information Technology Section. At the rear from left to right is Brother Darin Bertolo, steward for Local 605, Brother Gerry Riberdy, president of Local 602, and Brother Ron Dorscht president of Local 607. On hand from the Soup Kitchen Community Centre was Calna McGoldrick accepting donations from the service area mobilizer Brother Pierre J. Verhelst. A young man by the name of Julien was also present to seal the transaction.
With approximately 42,000 OPSEU members working for the Ontario Public Service, the Sault Ste. Marie service area represents approximately 990 members from 18 provincial ministries in localities from Wawa to Blind River. Our members and their locals actively support their communities as partners which include the Algoma Residential Community Hospice (A.R.C.H.), the United Way and the Sault Ste. Marie Soup Kitchen Community Centre.
Sisters Carole Hay, Lorilee Matheson and Melissa Straight from OPSEU Local 605 participate in the "Red Friday Campaign" by showing off their "Rosie the Riveter" T-shirts at MNR in Bondar Place in Sault Ste. Marie.
On Friday, December 19th, Wawa's OPSEU Local 611 challenged our members to
wear red and have a "hat day" in support of our OPSEU bargaining teams hard
work. Friday also happened to be Sister Irene Grusys last's day at OMNR and
since Sister Irene has been one of our local's most cherished members, we
saw it fitting to gather our members and invite our favourite managers to
pose for one last photo at the front entrance. Irene was seated and she was
quite touched to be surrounded by her closest friends who wore red and their
favourite hats during her final working hours.
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