May 31, 2012 OPSEU welcomes 250 paramedical employees at London Health Sciences – University Site. In a vote held May 29, 2012, the technical staff voted in favour of OPSEU.

Sandi Blancher, Region 1 Executive Board Member and President of Local 106 at London Health Sciences, Victoria Site, said she is very pleased these employees have chosen OPSEU as their union.

“OPSEU has more experience with hospital professionals than any other union in Ontario,” Blancher said. “They will be a welcome addition to our local and to OPSEU’s Hospital Professionals Division. I also want to thank Connie Rose, Joe Serodio and all the amazing people on our inside organizing committee who played a key role in winning this vote.”

May 31, 2012 OPSEU welcomes our newest members at Hotel Dieu Grace Hospital in Windsor. Paramedical employees in the hospital’s Diagnostic Imaging (Nuclear Medicine) department voted to join OPSEU in a vote held May 25. They join over 18,000 members in OPSEU’s rapidly growing Hospital Professionals Division.

Special thanks to go OPSEU Local 142 President Angie Tuovinen and OPSEU Staff Representative Marisa Forsyth for all their hard work during this vote.

April 27, 2012 OPSEU is pleased to announce that Sector 17 (Community Health Care Professionals) has new members at the North Simcoe Muskoka CCAC. In a vote held April 25, formerly non-union clerical services employees chose OPSEU as their union. This group of employees were the last non-unionized CCAC workers in Ontario

Our new members coordinate services for the CCAC which covers the entire North Simcoe Muskoka Local Health Integration Network, which encompasses the District of Muskoka, most of the County of Simcoe and a portion of Grey County. These members work with case managers and clients to ensure delivery of community care.

Special thanks go to Julie Lenko from Local 274, Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant CCAC, for her assistance during this campaign.

April 18, 2012 Approximately 200 new OPSEU members arrived earlier this month at Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory Association (EORLA). The Regional Lab was originally created in 2008 as a joint venture between the 14 participating hospitals in the Champlain Local Health Integration Network.

OPSEU and EORLA took an innovative approach and agreed to a union representation vote among all the lab staff in 2008. OPSEU was successful in this vote, and a first collective agreement was negotiated and a new OPSEU local was formed prior to the transfer of any lab staff from the hospitals to EORLA.

In addition to the OPSEU members at the hospitals in Cornwall, Deep River, CHEO, QCH and TOH, the former CUPE and non-union hospital lab professionals from Almonte, Winchester, Glengarry, Renfrew, Pembroke and Montfort  hospitals elected to transfer to EORLA this month. “Our newest local, with 800 members at EORLA, is a prime example of why OPSEU is Ontario's union for changing times,” said OPSEU President Smokey Thomas. “We have the experience to deal with large mergers such as these, and we get results for our members.”

March 16, 2012 OPSEU’s welcomes its newest members, workers at CML Healthcare Inc. In a vote held March 8, these members chose OPSEU as their union. These workers provide medical lab services in nine different locations in Brantford, Paris and Cambridge.

Members are extremely happy that they will now have a legal voice in their workplace, and the ability to negotiate fair wages and working conditions in their workplaces.

OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas welcomes these new members and looks forward to working with them. “OPSEU represents more lab workers than any other union in Ontario,” Thomas said. “Our smart, strong approach to negotiations produces superior agreements, and no one else has our expertise in this sector. That’s why more lab workers choose OPSEU as their union.”

CML Healthcare Inc. is Ontario’s largest private-for-profit lab services provider.

January 16, 2012 In a representation vote held January 12, 2012, Security Professionals at Hamilton Health Sciences have voted to choose OPSEU as their union. These individuals provide security services at Chedoke Hospital, Hamilton General, Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre and McMaster University and Medical Centre. OPSEU looks forward to welcoming these 70 new members to our union.

January 12, 2012 OPSEU welcomes our second group of members employed by Saint Elizabeth Health Care. Employees of Saint Elizabeth’s Metro Crisis Services chose OPSEU in a vote held January 10, and brings another 41 members to our Community Health Care Professionals Division.

These newest members also provide immediate telephone support for mental health issues, respond through a mobile crisis team, and provide pre-crisis and follow-up support for clients. OPSEU is proud to be their new bargaining representative.

December 15, 2011 OPSEU is proud to welcome the newest members of our Community Health Care Professionals. Workers at Saint Elizabeth Health Care, Peel Crisis Services voted December 14, 2011 to have OPSEU as their bargaining representative.

Our newest members provide immediate telephone support for mental health issues, give prompt response through a mobile crisis team, and also provide pre-crisis and follow-up support for clients. This support includes respite housing and hospitalization if needed.

December 8, 2011 OPSEU is pleased to welcome our newest Ambulance Division members at Oneida First Nations Ambulance Service. Oneida Nations Emergency Medical Services (EMS) delivers Primary Care Paramedic medical care and ambulance services to all residents and visitors of Oneida of the Thames, Chippewa of the Thames, Munsee-Delaware, Elgin and Middlesex County.

In a vote held December 6, 2011, these paramedics voted 100 per cent in favour of joining OPSEU.

December 8, 2011 OPSEU welcomes our newest members at George Brown College. These 28 members work for Topnotch Building Maintenance and perform cleaning and maintenance services at the Casa Loma campus. On December 7, these employees voted 100 per cent in favour of joining OPSEU.

Marilou Martin, president of Local 557, says with the addition of these employees, all unionized employees at the Casa Loma campus are OPSEU members. “These members will now have the security of a union contract along with all the benefits of belonging to OPSEU.”

November 30, 2011 Effective December 1, 2011, OPSEU is the official bargaining representative for the staff of the Sarnia-Lambton Children’s Aid Society. This is the result of a merger of the Sarnia-Lambton Children’s Aid Society Staff Association (SLCASSA) with OPSEU. With this merger, our CAS Sector now has 78 new members who provide child protection services to the people of Ontario.

Members of SLCASSA voted 95 per cent in favour to merge with OPSEU. Lesley Allen, President of SLCASSA, said the deciding factor was the strength of OPSEU and the long-term benefits of belonging to a province-wide organization. “We looked at a number of different unions,” Allen said. “We chose OPSEU because it was the best fit for CAS workers.”

Jane Kaija, chair of OPSEU’s CAS Sector, says these newest members will benefit greatly belonging to our union. “OPSEU provides a wealth of resources, from research, negotiations, benefits, communications and education. These new members will have access to all of these services, and will also be able to liaise with our CAS members across the province to discuss solutions and strategies to common problems and work issues.”

OPSEU welcomes our newest members and thanks them for choosing our union.

October 25, 2011 OPSEU would like to welcome our newest members at the Elizabeth Fry Society of Ottawa. The Elizabeth Fry Society provides assistance to women involved in the criminal justice system. The counsellors and residential support workers provide practical and effective support for women incarcerated in provincial and federal institutions. In a vote held October 20, employees voted to join OPSEU.

Jonathan Guider, chair of OPSEU’s Justice Sector, says these new members will find an excellent fit with OPSEU. “Elizabeth Fry staff are a natural extension to the OPSEU members working in youth and adult corrections. We understand the unique problems faced by members working in the criminal justice system, and these new members will receive excellent representation.”

October 20, 2011 OPSEU is pleased to announce a welcome addition to our Hospital Professionals Division. Allied Health professionals at St. Francis Memorial Hospital in Barry’s Bay have voted 100 per cent in favour of joining OPSEU. These new members join their service colleagues in Local 473.

October 14, 2011 OPSEU welcomes our 95 new members at Hamilton Health Sciences. In a vote held October 13, non-union rehabilitation therapists, advanced rehabilitation therapists and behaviour therapists joined their OPSEU colleagues in Local 273.

A large factor in the vote is the current wage freeze legislation for non-unionized public-sector workers. The non-union workers at HHS saw the benefits enjoyed by the OPSEU-represented employees who transferred from St. Joseph’s Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Clinic, along with the OPSEU members currently working at HHS.

These new members will join OPSEU’s 16,000+ member-strong Hospital Professionals Division, one of the union’s fastest-growing sectors.

Thanks go to local members Betty Palmieri, Marilyn Bello-Crispo, Debbie Teichgraf and the transferring members from the ABI Clinic who were instrumental in the success of this campaign.

August 30, 2011 OPSEU is proud to welcome 106 new members from the Bonnie Brae Health Care Centre in Tavistock. In a vote held on Thursday, August 11, workers from this long term care facility voted 92% in favour of OPSEU, proving once again that OPSEU is the union of choice for health care workers in Ontario.

Dedicated to the residents they serve, these members range in age from 15 to 65 plus and some have worked at Bonnie Brae for over 30 years. They chose OPSEU because they want respect for the important work they do, a voice in their workplace and job security, and they are confident that OPSEU will help them achieve this.

The Bonnie Brae employees will join OPSEU's Long Term Care Sector which is committed to improving wages and working conditions for all employees and, most importantly, the quality of residential care in all long term care facilities.

July 29, 2011 OPSEU is proud to welcome our newest members at The Dr. Bob Kemp Centre for Hospice Palliative Care. All employees of the hospice are now represented by OPSEU and belong to our Community Health Care Professionals sector.

This is one of the first hospices in Ontario to become unionized. Members there provide a very important service to the community and the families they help and support, and want the same respect and fairness from their employer that their patients give to them. OPSEU recognizes the invaluable service this hospice provides, and looks forward to building a positive working relationship between staff and management.

We thank Dr. Bob Kemp employees who have now paved the way for other palliative centers in Ontario. OPSEU looks forward to continue building a strong force in palliative care in the province.

July 27, 2011 OPSEU is pleased to welcome our newest members at the Queen’s University Faculty Staff Association (QUFSA). These new members are staff of the Queen’s University Faculty Association and specialize in labour relations. This is the first group at Queen’s University organized by OPSEU, and the group is unique as they bargain collective agreements for QUFSA who is currently in bargaining with the University. In a vote held July 14, these new members voted 100 per cent in favour of joining OPSEU, with a 100 per cent voter turnout.

July 26, 2011 OPSEU welcomes our newest members at ONE Fertility Clinic. The clinic was a part of the Hamilton Health Sciences Centre that transferred the operation to a group of doctors in 2009. All of the unions at the hospital filed a Public Sector Labour Relations Transition Act application. A settlement at the Labour Relations Board last month resulted in a union representation vote. OPSEU was successful and will now represent all the paramedical staff at ONE Fertility Clinic in Burlington. This is the second fertility clinic for OPSEU. The Ottawa Fertility Clinic paramedical staff became members of OPSEU through a similar divestment two years ago.

June 7, 2011 OPSEU welcomes our newest members at Frontenac Youth Services in Oshawa. The 46 full-time and part-time contract staff voted 94 per cent in favour of OPSEU in a vote held May 31. These new members join their full-time OPSEU colleagues in Local 361.

"We represent over 3,000 members at 27 different centres across the province," said Deb Gordon, Chair of OPSEU's Children's Treatment Centres Sector. "These new members are a great addition to our sector, and our union."

May 27, 2011 OPSEU is pleased to welcome Pharmacy Technicians at University Health Network (UHN). In a vote held May 26, these new members voted 92 per cent in favour of joining OPSEU. The employees work out of three different sites in Toronto - Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto General Hospital, and Toronto Western Hospital.

“With all the changes happening with Pharmacy Technicians, these new UHN members will benefit from the stability that comes with belonging to OPSEU and our Hospital Professionals Division,” said Sara Labelle, Chair of the HPD. “We are proud they now belong to our constantly-growing division of Health Care professionals.”

May 16, 2011 OPSEU is pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached with the Ontario College of Trades (OcT) for members divested from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

In 2009, legislation was passed to establish the OcT, a regulatory college that the government says will modernize the province's apprenticeship and skilled trades system. The College will be implemented in phases, becoming fully operational in 2012.

Under “successor rights” which were reinstated for employees whose work is divested from “The Crown”, OPSEU began negotiations first with the government to ensure that the affected members would continue to have union rights and protections. Members whose work was transferred to OcT have moved with their former OPS collective agreement.

Through subsequent negotiations with the new employer, an OPSEU “all employee” bargaining unit at Ontario College of Trades has been established. As opposed to going through a process at the Ontario Labour Relations Board, this agreement achieves a positive outcome sooner, cooperatively and more economically. OPSEU members whose work is divested to the College in the future, as well as new employees who are hired by OcT, will automatically become part of the OPSEU bargaining unit, which is expected to grow considerably over the next few years.

May 11, 2011 OPSEU welcomes our newest members in the Hospital Professionals Division (HPD). In a vote held May 10, paramedical employees at Arnprior and District Memorial Hospital voted 95 per cent in favour of being represented by OPSEU.

“These members are a welcome addition to our constantly-growing Division,” said Sara Labelle, chair of OPSEU’s HPD. “OPSEU is second to none representing Hospital Professionals and the important work they do.”

April 15, 2011 The staff at Connexion Family Health Team- l 'Equipe de Sante Familiale Connexion voted unanimously in favour of joining OPSEU earlier this week. Classifications in this new bargaining unit include Psychologist, Registered Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Registered Dietician, Social Worker and Administrative Staff. The staff provide services at two work locations in Ottawa and Orleans.

“The staff of Connexion Family Health Team are a welcome addition to our Community Health Care Professionals Sector,” says Lucy Morton, OPSEU Sector Chair. “OPSEU is the union of choice for health care workers.”

April 7, 2011 Workers at the West Toronto Community Legal Services have voted 100 per cent in favour of OPSEU as their union. They now join a long list of OPSEU members who work at legal clinics across Toronto.

OPSEU also represents the staff at the following legal clinics:

• Community Advocacy & Legal Centre, Belleville

• Mississauga Community Legal Services, Mississauga

• Centre for Spanish-Speaking Peoples, Toronto

• Community Legal Education Ontario, Toronto

• Injured Workers' Consultants, Toronto

• Kensington Bellwoods Community Legal Services, Toronto

• Neighbourhood Legal Services, Toronto

• Parkdale Community Legal Services, Toronto

• Scarborough Community Legal Services, Toronto

• Legal Aid Ontario 

Amarna Moscote, president of Local 525, is pleased with the outcome of the vote. “These new members are a welcome addition to our local and our sector.”

April 5, 2011 OPSEU is proud to welcome our newest members at the newly-merged Firefly, a child treatment organization.

Formerly known as Patricia Centre for Children and Youth in Sioux Lookout and Lake of the Woods Child Development Centre in Kenora, the merger of the two agencies resulted in the amalgamation of an OPSEU-represented bargaining unit and a mix of non-union employees and union members from Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union (COPE)

Through an agreement between OPSEU and COPE, OPSEU now represents all 130 employees at the two former agencies.

OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas said that this joint effort produced favourable results for everyone involved. “This was an excellent example of true cooperation between all the parties, and I commend all those involved for their work during this process.”

Deb Gordon, Chair of OPSEU’s Sector 15 (Child Treatment Centres), also welcomes the newest members of the sector. “I look forward to working with all the OPSEU members, new and old, at the merged agency.”

December 15, 2010 OPSEU is pleased to announce the addition of 75 new hospital professionals at Sault Area Hospital. These members, which include respiratory therapists, social workers and occupational therapists, join the 239 hospital professionals currently at the hospital. The non-unionized hospital professionals voted over 90 per cent in favour of joining OPSEU. “Our new members had the benefit of working alongside OPSEU members and saw first-hand how being an OPSEU member improved their working lives,” said OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas. “They will now have the opportunity to have a real voice in addressing their concerns and working conditions.”

December 10, 2010 OPSEU continues to grow with the addition of our newest members at York Region District School Board. English as a Second Language (ESL) and Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) instructors voted an overwhelming 97 per cent in favour of having OPSEU as their union. These new OPSEU members provide language instruction in over 22 locations in Toronto and York Region. We are proud to welcome them to OPSEU’s Education Sector.

November 18, 2010 OPSEU is proud to welcome our newest members at Frontenac Community Mental Health Services. On November 18, 2010, the 125 employees of Frontenac Community Mental Health Services have voted for OPSEU as their union. The staff members of the agency offer quality services with an emphasis on psychosocial rehabilitation principles and practises. Frontenac Community Mental Health Services is located in the City of Kingston and supports recovery and community for persons with a mental illness and/or an addiction.

November 3, 2010 Health Care Professional employees at the Kirkland and District Hospital have voted 78 per cent in favour of joining OPSEU. They work in a variety of professions at the hospital in Kirkland Lake such as Physiotherapists, Respiratory Therapists, Dieticians, Pharmacy Technicians, Technologists in Diagnostic Imaging and the Laboratory. They join their 13,000 colleagues who are part of OPSEU's Hospital Professionals Division. “In times of wage restraints, cutbacks and uncertainty, being a union member is the only way you can bring stability to your working life,” said Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU President.

October 28, 2010 Employees at Misiway Milopemahtesewin Community Health Centre in Timmins have voted unanimously in favour of joining OPSEU. We welcome these 10 new members who provide quality programs and services that honour, respect and support Aboriginal culture, values and healing practices, complimented by western approaches to primary health care.

October 14, 2010 OPSEU welcomes our 30 newest members at Kingston Military Family Resource Centre (KMFRC). In a vote held October 12, employees voted 92 per cent in favour of joining OPSEU. The KMFRC is Kingston's primary agency dedicated to meeting the unique needs of the military community. Members there provide services such as social work, child care, military community outreach and support services for families who have military members deployed overseas.

September 3, 2010 The multidisciplinary team at l'Équipe de santé familiale communautaire de l'Est d'Ottawa/ The Eastern Ottawa Community Family Health Team voted 74 per cent in favour of joining OPSEU.

The "all employee" bargaining unit includes nurses, medical secretaries, dieticians, and social workers.

This dedicated group of frontline community health workers is the first bilingual family health team to join a union in Ontario.

May 28, 2010 OPSEU welcomes our 134 newest members at Fred Victor Centre (FVC) across 11 worksites in the City of Toronto. FVC provides housing, shelter and community support services to marginalized individuals living in poverty, including members of the transgendered community. Our new OPSEU members include food service workers, harm reduction workers, maintenance staff, shelter support staff and community housing workers.

Special thanks to members of the Organizing Team: Stephen Allin, Krystin Brinton, Joseph Deogracias, Sparky Johnson, Jennifer Moxon, Idil Mussa, and Jordan Zaitzow.

In addition, OPSEU has gained new members at the following locations across the province this year:
- Health Care professional staff at the Kemptville District Hospital
- Employees of Bee-Clean Building Maintenance that provide services to the Ontario Government Complex in Timmins
- Research staff of the Inclusive Design Research Centre at the Ontario College of Art and Design
- Health Care professional staff at the Mindemoya site of the Manitoulin Health Hospital

December 21, 2009 The workers that provide cleaning services at St. Lawrence College in Kingston voted last month and have chosen OPSEU as their union. They are employees of Sodexho Canada Ltd., which has the contract to provide janitorial services at the Kingston campus. The 31 staff members provide cleaning, custodial, and housekeeping services. They are a welcome addition to the full-time academic and support staff, members of OPSEU Locals 417 and 418, and work alongside these newest members at the Kingston campus located at 100 Portsmouth Road in Kingston.

November 3, 2009 In a vote held on October 28, 2009, the 60 employees of the Bruce Peninsula Association for Community Living voted to join OPSEU. "We are proud to welcome this group as a new addition to the more than 8,000 OPSEU members who work in the Developmental Services sector of our union," said Sue Walker Sector Chair.  Developmental services workers provide professional care primarily to people with developmental or “intellectual” disabilities. The staff of this agency provides services in Bruce County and are primarily based out of Wiarton.

October 1, 2009 OPSEU is pleased to welcome our 76 newest members at Guelph Independent Living. In a vote held September 30, members voted in favour of joining OPSEU.

October 1, 2009 OPSEU welcomes our newest members at American Water Canada Corporation, Middlesex Centre. On August 19, 2009 these members joined our other members of American Water Corporation at Elgin, Local 115, and Grand Bend, Local 120. These members provide water treatment services in OPSEU Region 1.

July 20, 2009 OPSEU welcomes our newest members at Royal Ottawa Health Care Group – Child and Youth Counsellors in Ottawa.  The vote took place July 16 with these members voting 100 per cent in favour of joining OPSEU. Once again, these members have proven that OPSEU is the union of choice. 

Congratulations to Lead Organizer, Eileen Wesley.  Heartfelt thanks go out to these members for their unanimous vote and their faith in OPSEU as their bargaining agent.
 

July 14, 2009 OPSEU welcomes its newest members at Homes First Society in Toronto. Earlier this year, Homes First Society acquired the Scarborough Hope Centre. The sale of business triggered a run-off vote between the long-time OPSEU members at Homes First and employees at Scarborough Hope Centre, represented by the Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC). That vote took place on July 14, 2009.

Workers from both sites voted over 90 per cent in favour of OPSEU, proving once again that OPSEU is the union of choice! CLAC, an Alberta-based group, has been identified by the Ontario Federation of Labour as working against the best interests of working people.

Special thanks go to OPSEU Staff Rep Gwen Jenkins, the executive members of OPSEU Local 540, especially unit steward Liz Peterson for all their assistance during the campaign.

April 9, 2009 Welcome to our newest members at Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Lambton. The vote took place on April 8, and this is the fourth CMHA OPSEU has organized. Special thanks go to Deb Gordon of Local 145 and Tischa Battram of Local 154 for all their hard work.

April 1, 2009 OPSEU welcomes our newest members at Huron House Boys' Residential Home in Brights' Grove, near Sarnia. In a ballot held March 24, employees voted 75 per cent in favour of joining OPSEU. Thanks go to Brother Gino Franche, Executive Board Member; Brother Jonathan Guider, Sector Chair, BPS Corrections; Brother Steve Nield, Region 1 & 2 Staff Supervisor (A); and Sister Lois Boggs, Staff Organizer, who worked on this drive.

March 4, 2009 OPSEU is pleased to welcome our newest members at Northern Ontario School of Medicine. The 152 members voted 75 per cent in favour of joining OPSEU at votes held March 3-4. The new bargaining unit is comprised of office, clerical, technical, and service employees working in and out of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.

Organizer Gayle Lebans worked very closely with OPSEU members from our faculty unit at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. The faculty as an association chose to transfer their bargaining rights and merged with OPSEU in June of 2008.

Congratulations to all who worked on the campaign. OPSEU is once again the union of choice.

NOSM Union News: Special Staff Union Issue more...

January 5, 2009 OPSEU welcomes new members who work at the Lee Manor Home for the Aged in Owen Sound who voted to join OPSEU on Dec. 30.

The 170 workers were formerly represented by the Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC), an Alberta-based group that has been identified by the Ontario Federation of Labour as working against the best interests of working people. OPSEU and other OFL affiliates have been active in soliciting CLAC members across Ontario.

The successful displacement drive was spearheaded by organizer Lois Boggs, assisted by members Jill McIllraith Carolyn Elder, Donna Van Eck and OPSEU staff.

December 16, 2008 As a result of a merger with the United Employees Association on October 1st, 2008, OPSEU welcomes 77 new members based out of Toronto. This could not have been achieved without the tireless efforts of our Organizing Unit and the Local Executive: Lil Nobel (President), Shelly Rotman, Debra Allan, Ellen Drazner, Donna Bernardo-Ceriz and Clare Adam. The members will hold a meeting to ratify their first collective agreement with OPSEU in the next few weeks. Welcome to OPSEU!  We are proud to have your group as our members.

November 24, 2008 OPSEU welcomes our 102 newest members at the Canadian Mental Health Association - Cochrane Temiskaming Branch. This is an all-employee unit in the District of Cochrane, Temiskaming and the City of Temiskaming shores.

Special thanks to Paul Jadot, Maggie Wakeford and Mary-Louise Noel for all their assistance during the organizing campaign.

November 7, 2008 OPSEU victorious at Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory Association. OPSEU’s Organizing Team welcomes the 800 members of the Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory Association (EORLA). The vote took place from November 4-6, and workers overwhelmingly voted to have OPSEU as their union.

Organizers Leslie Sanders, Ed Ogibowski, Eileen Wesley and thank the incredible group of members who worked throughout the campaign: Bonnie Taillon and Louise White from Cornwall Community Hospital; Robert Hickman from Queensway-Carleton Hospital; Ilda Paciocco from The Ottawa Hospital; and Pat McNamara, Toronto East General and Treasurer of the Hospital Professionals’ Division Executive. Their tireless efforts during the campaign were key to OPSEU’s victory.

September 25, 2008 Proving that OPSEU is the union of choice for Hospital Professionals, the union is extremely proud to welcome our 704 newest members at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), in Ottawa.

Starting with only 14 OPSEU physiotherapists who transferred into the non-unionized facility of nearly 700 health professionals, OPSEU organizers Leslie Sanders and Eileen Wesley went to extraordinary lengths to win the vote held Sept. 24.

This huge victory could not have been achieved without all the support and assistance during the campaign. We want to thank the former Ottawa Children's Treatment Centre physiotherapists at Local 484 affected by the transfer, and members at Local 464 (Ottawa Hospital) for their tireless work. We also recognize the many CHEO staff who provided invaluable help in getting their colleagues out to vote. Lastly, a very special thanks to Local 484 member Pelle Stenbring, one of the transferring physiotherapists, who went above and beyond the call and was instrumental in the success of the drive.

We look forward to working with the newest members of OPSEU's dynamic Hospital Professionals Division.

July 11, 2008 OPSEU welcomes its 51 newest members at the Frontenac County Childcare Centre in Kingston. OPSEU received 73 per cent of the vote. Special thanks go to inside committee members Dawn Watt and Erin Provost for all their hard work.

July 11, 2008 The Members of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine Faculty Association (NOSMFA) officially joined OPSEU on June 1, 2008. This certified bargaining agent, after careful examination of various unions, chose to transfer their bargaining rights to OPSEU. The bargaining unit includes a group of full-time, non-physician faculty and academics in related disciplines. 

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is a training institution unique to Northern Ontario. It has two main sites: Northeast (based in Sudbury) and Northwest (based in Thunder Bay). The School is affiliated to Laurentian University and Lakehead University. It offers undergraduate and post-graduate academic programs and community placements towards sustainable and culturally relevant medical practice and the health research industry in the North.

They chose OPSEU based on its services, history of mobilizing and its clear presence in the labour movement. Our union provides a natural fit for this group.

June 10, 2008 OPSEU welcomes our newest members at Meaford Long Term Care Centre. In a vote held for the 85 employees on June 4, 73 per cent of those voting chose OPSEU. Meaford joins our other Long Term Care members in Sector 8.

May 29, 2008 All developmental service employees at Woodstock and District Developmental Services chose OPSEU as their union on May 27, 2008. The 160 employees voted over 70 per cent in favour of joining OPSEU. We thank the five-person committee for all their hard work and dedication - you all know who you are, and you were awesome. A extend a warm welcome to your OPSEU home, and good luck in your first round of bargaining.

May 26, 2008 OPSEU welcomes all Paramedical employees at Hanover and District Hospital. On May 7 the 22 full-time and part-time employees voted 97 per cent in favour of joining OPSEU’s Hospital Professionals Division.

May 26, 2008 All employees of Parents of Technologically Dependent Children of Ontario Kids Country Club In London now call OPSEU home. On April 24, 2008 the 27 employees voted 97 per cent in favour of joining OPSEU’s developmental sector. We thank everyone on the committee for their support and give them a warm welcome.

May 5, 2008 Employees at Canadian Mental Health Association, Elgin Branch are now members of OPSEU. The 42 employees voted overwhelmingly in favour of joining our union.

Employees at Canadian Mental Health Association, Elgin Branch