Brockville General Hospital
Clerical and Service Employees

On May 9, you will be asked to vote for the union you wish to represent you here at Brockville General Hospital.

Why is this happening?

The vote is triggered by the transfer of clerical and service workers from the former Royal Ottawa Hospital (Brockville Psychiatric Hospital) to Brockville General Hospital. OPSEU represents these workers and OPSEU takes that responsibility seriously.

Under the Public Sector Labour Relations Transition Act (PSLRTA), this transfer requires members of the CUPE group and the OPSEU group to decide which union they wish to continue representing them.

OPSEU wants you to have all the information you need to vote wisely.

Why does it matter?

Both CUPE and OPSEU are reputable unions. But when workers are already union members there’s not often a chance to take a close look at two unions, make your comparisons and make your choice. This vote gives you that opportunity.

What are OPSEU’s strengths for someone at Brockville General Hospital?

• OPSEU has a union office right in Brockville, so your staff representative and union support are right around the corner.

• ·OPSEU already represents employees at BGH – the hospital paramedical group. So OPSEU has experience dealing with the hospital’s management, and the hospital knows OPSEU.

• While the clerical and service workers would continue as its own local within OPSEU, it would benefit from the union’s more central structure. This means that almost all expenses are borne by the central union: member time off for collective bargaining, the costs of handling grievances and arbitration, the costs of participating in union conventions, educationals, and other meetings. One level of union dues covers all of the major activities of the organization.

• OPSEU is an Ontario union. Nobody knows public service in this province in its broadest sense better than OPSEU. We have links to the entire Canadian labour movement through our participation in the National Union of Public and General Workers and the Canadian Labour Congress, but we are the specialists in Ontario..

How can I get more information?

The PSLRTA vote will be preceded by a formal “campaign,” from May 2 to May 8. OPSEU will have an opportunity to meet you and answer any and all questions you may have. See our notice on the location of information tables and dates and times of OPSEU information meetings.

For more information please contact:

Connie Huziak  •  Riley Dawe  •  David McDougall

1-800-268-7376