Important Message from the Chair of the OPS
Central/Unified Bargaining Team
January 6, 2009
Dear Sisters and Brothers
As many of you know, your Central/Unified Bargaining team signed
a four-year tentative agreement with the employer in the early morning hours
of December 24. Because of the Christmas break, only a high level overview
was posted on the OPSEU website at that time with a commitment to provide
more details early in the New Year. At this time, I would like to provide
you with a brief update.
Your bargaining team reconvened on January 5 to prepare for
the ratification vote. These preparations include the development of
communications material for our members. Your team is committed to
providing you with accurate and comprehensive information so that you can
make an informed decision when you vote on the ratification of your new
collective agreement. However, quality does take time and we are working
diligently in an effort to get you information as quickly as possible.
Within the next week, we will post the full text of the
tentative agreement along with supporting materials. On January 17, there
will be an OPS Local Presidents meeting in Toronto to hear about our new
agreement directly from the team. A notice will be sent to OPS presidents
shortly. Immediately following the presidents’ meeting, your bargaining team
will travel to information meetings across the province to share the results
of bargaining with you first hand as well as answering your questions.
All of this is to prepare you for the ratification vote that
is scheduled for January 27, 28 and 29. Details of the vote locations and
information meetings will be posted on the OPSEU website well ahead of these
dates.
Your patience is valued and appreciated.
Please remember that your team represents your interest and is the only
accurate source of information when it comes to this tentative agreement.
Your team bargained it, they understand it, and they will present it to you
before the ratification vote. Your team is unanimously recommending
acceptance of the new contract.
We look forward to meeting with you over
the next couple of weeks.
Solidarity,
Eric Morin
Chair, OPS Central/Unified Bargaining
Team
