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TORONTO - The bargaining team representing Ontario Correctional
Services workers is asking its members to reject a government offer for a new
collective agreement.
The government offer, tabled early on Dec. 24, 2008, contains a
punitive sick time provision for Correctional Officers and Youth Workers. Dave
Kerr, chair of the Corrections bargaining team, says this is totally
unacceptable.
“The government wants to punish members for high sick time, when
they themselves are mostly to blame,” Kerr said. “Stress, overcrowding and
deteriorating working conditions are issues we have been fighting for over 10
years. The Ministry ignores the problems, and then wants to punish the victims.”
Warren (Smokey) Thomas, President of the Ontario Public Service
Employees Union, says the union fully backs the Corrections Unit.
“Our union can’t allow the employer to arbitrarily penalize
members who are sick for reasons beyond their own control. Instead, the
government should be working with the union to find positive solutions,” Thomas
said.
OPSEU represents 5,500 members in correctional services,
including correctional officers, youth workers, probation and probation and
parole officers.
Members will vote on the government offer Jan. 27-29, 2009. The
old agreement expired Dec. 31, 2008.
Negotiators representing employees in the other bargaining unit,
covering about 38,000 Ontario government workers, reached a tentative agreement
December 24, 2008. A ratification vote on this settlement will also be voted on
Jan.
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