Organizing: Newest Members

OPSEU secures bargaining rights for OAHPP members

March 29, 2011

The Ontario Public Health Laboratories (OPHL) was divested to the newly created Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (OAHPP) on December 16, 2008, At that time, the new employer and OPSEU entered into discussions to ensure that the members (who had successor rights) transferred with their jobs and their collective agreement.

OPSEU is pleased to secure the ongoing protection and bargaining rights for over 600 members and has worked diligently towards securing the terms of their first post-divestment collective agreement.

Many of the terms of the collective agreement have been negotiated and outstanding issues have been referred to arbitration under the Hospital Labour Disputes Arbitration Act (HLDAA).

The lengthy process of resolving issues arising from the divestment is now nearly at a conclusion. The parties look forward to making an announcement of the resolution of outstanding issues in the coming weeks.

Sean Allen, Chair of Sector 19 (CBS and Diagnostics), is pleased to welcome this new province-wide unit to the sector. "We have been working closely with the former OPS members to assist them with their transition into the BPS. They are a valuable addition to the 2,000 members that we already represent in this sector."

OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas congratulates all those who assisted with this lengthy process. "OPSEU has unrivalled experience dealing with mergers and divestments, and this shows once again how we are able to effectively protect our members when reorganizations take place."

OAHPP provides expert scientific and technical support relating to infection prevention and control; surveillance and epidemiology; health promotion, chronic disease and injury prevention; environmental and occupational health; health emergency preparedness; and public health laboratory services to support health providers, the public health system and partner ministries in making informed decisions and taking informed action to improve the health and security of Ontarians. Members work in the Central Laboratory in Toronto, and the many former Public Health Laboratories throughout Ontario.

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