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| Lights and Sirens: Issue #3 - Feb. 2000 |
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| Lobbying Strike Vote Fact Sheet Bargaining Bulletins OPSEU letter to invoke job registry for
crown agents |
Additional Articles OPSEU and the Ambulance Division: Protecting your union rights Niagara paramedics fight for their own bargaining unit York paramedics won’t "volunteer" to be CUPE Demerit points victory wins jobs back for paramedics Back to the table Ambulance Division Executive Join our e-mail lists Contact Us
February 2000 Issue #3 London paramedics vote OPSEU– again Paramedics at Ambulance Consulting Service Inc. (ACSI) in London voted 88 per cent to join OPSEU on Jan. 11. Before Jan. 1, the 89 paramedics were employed by Thames Valley Ambulance Service and were members of OPSEU Local 147. The Ministry of Health transferred the license on Jan. 1 to ACSI on an interim basis. The company holds the license until April 23, when a new ambulance service contracted by Middlesex County takes over. The paramedics got jobs with ACSI but no union. The new employer offered similar working conditions but discouraged the need for collective bargaining rights. As non-union employees, the paramedics’only protection was the Employment Standards Act (ESA) and their individual contracts of employment. They wanted the protection of the Ontario Labour Relations Act (OLRA) for their current situation and for the future. They called OPSEU. After meeting with the "ambo team" from OPSEU’s Organizing Department, the London paramedics signed cards and OPSEU applied for a vote to be held to determine whether they wanted to join OPSEU. The successful vote means the paramedics are no longer crown employees. They have rights under the OLRA and they are back with OPSEU. OPSEU and the Ambulance Division: Protecting your union rights OPSEU is working with the executive and members of the Ambulance Division to protect your union rights. The province’s downloading of ambulance services to the municipalities has jeopardized your union rights. The scenario in each municipality is different and raises many questions. How can we ensure our members keep their jobs, their union and their collective agreement when the Harris government has taken those rights away? How can we win back union protection for our members once they know who their new employer is? How do we negotiate with municipalities who don’t recognize OPSEU before the transfer? How can we prevent our members from being swept into large all-employee bargaining units? How can we ensure our members have the right to choose which union they want to represent them? As each downloading situation unfolds, OPSEU’s Organizing Department is working with representatives from the Ambulance Division and your locals. Together, we figure out what the downloading means for your representation rights, how we can get you what you want, what information we need to do that, and how to make sure you stay informed. If you have questions or concerns, contact your Division Director or one of the following Organizers at 1-800-268-7376: • Connie Huziak, ext. 327 chuziak@opseu.org • Tracey Mussett, ext. 679 tmussett@opseu.org • Ed Ogibowski, ext. 362 eogibowski@opseu Niagara paramedics fight for their own bargaining unit Niagara Region paramedics, who were members of OPSEU prior to Jan. 1, are fighting for a paramedics-only bargaining unit and the right to choose their union. The paramedics are upset that they automatically became CUPE members when they went to work for Hotel Dieu Hospital in St. Catharines on Jan. 1. The hospital’s contract to run the region’s ambulance service started that day. The paramedics found themselves lumped in a CUPE bargaining unit with other hospital workers. Before Jan. 1, the paramedics were members of OPSEU Local 264 and were employed by the Ministry of Health, three crown agent services and the Niagara-on-the-Lake hospital. The disgruntled Niagara paramedics signed OPSEU cards and the union made two applications on Jan. 4 to the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB): an application for a vote to see whether the paramedics wanted to join OPSEU and an application under the Public Sector Labour Relations Transition Act (Bill 136). The OLRB ruled that the certification application was untimely. However, it is deliberating on our second application. OPSEU is arguing that the transfer of ambulance services between two hospitals allows for a reconfiguration of the bargaining units and for a vote determining which union will represent the paramedics. If the OLRB agrees with OPSEU, the union will have won the right for Niagara paramedics to have their own bargaining unit and the right to choose their union. York paramedics won’t "volunteer" to be CUPE OPSEU told a hearing of the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) on Jan. 27 that paramedics now employed by York Region did not volunteer to be CUPE members. The hearing was the result of an application filed by OPSEU on Jan. 10 to ask for a vote to be held to determine whether York Region paramedics wanted to join OPSEU. York Region took over the ambulance service on Jan. 1. It had negotiated agreements with CUPE that swept the paramedics into a bargaining unit with all of the other regional government’s employees. Before Jan. 1, OPSEU had represented most of the paramedics in York. CUPE had not represented any of them. OPSEU argued that the paramedics are not properly covered by the scope of CUPE’s contract and that the "voluntary recognition" of the paramedics is invalid. Under the law, a "voluntary recognition" can be ruled invalid if there is no evidence of support from the employees affected or if there’s another union demonstrating interest. The paramedics were never consulted, even while CUPE and York Region negotiated their working conditions and OPSEU’s organizing drive was well underway. A decision from the Ontario Labour Relations Board is pending. If we win this one, the paramedics in York are back in control. They will have their own bargaining unit and they will be able to vote as to whether they want OPSEU to represent them. OPSEU told a hearing of the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) on Jan. 27 that paramedics now employed by York Region did not volunteer to be CUPE members. The hearing was the result of an application filed by OPSEU on Jan. 10 to ask for a vote to be held to determine whether York Region paramedics wanted to join OPSEU. York Region took over the ambulance service on Jan. 1. It had negotiated agreements with CUPE that swept the paramedics into a bargaining unit with all of the other regional government’s employees. Before Jan. 1, OPSEU had represented most of the paramedics in York. CUPE had not represented any of them. OPSEU argued that the paramedics are not properly covered by the scope of CUPE’s contract and that the "voluntary recognition" of the paramedics is invalid. Under the law, a "voluntary recognition" can be ruled invalid if there is no evidence of support from the employees affected or if there’s another union demonstrating interest. The paramedics were never consulted, even while CUPE and York Region negotiated their working conditions and OPSEU’s organizing drive was well underway. A decision from the Ontario Labour Relations Board is pending. If we win this one, the paramedics in York are back in control. They will have their own bargaining unit and they will be able to vote as to whether they want OPSEU to represent them. Demerit points victory wins jobs back for paramedics Four OPSEU paramedics who were fired for getting six or more demerit points on their driving records are back at work. Three of the paramedics were back on the job by December. The fourth one returned to work on Feb. 9 after his dismissal grievance was settled. OPSEU negotiated with the employers to ensure all four received back pay for the time they were fired and did not lose their seniority. The Harris government dropped the six demerit points rule after OPSEU mounted an effective campaign against it. OPSEU held a rally at Queen’s Park on Oct. 25, presented the legislature with petitions with 5,000 signatures, met with the Minister of Health’s staff, and lobbied local MPPs. "People have to realize that we won a major victory," said Jamie Ramage, then president of Local 256. Ramage was one of the driving forces behind the campaign. "We got the government to rescind a piece of legislation, which is a huge victory," he said. OPSEU and the 41 ambulance services in central bargaining head back into conciliation on Feb. 22 and 23. The two sides agreed to the dates at a brief meeting called by the conciliation officer on Feb. 10. The employers team told the union that there was unanimous consent among the operators to get back to the bargaining table. The critical issues on the table are wages, the job offer guarantee, transfer car language and double severance. There was no agreement on those issues when the union and the employers met in conciliation on Dec. 20 and 21. Paramedics covered by central bargaining have voted 93.5 per cent in favour of a strike, if necessary. OPSEU President Leah Casselman has appointed an Ambulance Central Strike Strategy Committee of Member Mobilizers and staff. While the bargaining team focusses on bargaining, the Strike Strategy Committee will focus on mobilizing the members to give the team more leverage at the bargaining table. Locals can expect to hear from the Member Mobilizers in the very near future. With the strong strike mandate from the members and their continued support, the bargaining team is hopeful of negotiating a good contract.
Do you have an e-mail address? If you do, and you would like to receive information from the union, please e-mail it to Darryl Taylor, the Secretary-Treasurer of the Ambulance Division at darryl.taylor@sympatico.ca. We hope to start sending out information by e-mail in the very near future. If you have questions about your union representation when your employer changes, contact OPSEU’s Organizing Department at 1-800-268-7376. Please ask for: • Connie Huziak, ext. 327 chuziak@opseu.org • Tracey Mussett, ext. 679 tmussett@opseu.org • Ed Ogibowski, ext. 362 eogibowski@opseu.org Please forward any questions or comments about Lights and Sirens to Darryl Taylor, Secretary-Treasurer of the Ambulance Division at 705-967-0460 or darryl.taylor@sympatico.ca. Check out our web page: http://www.opseu.org/bps/bargaining/ambomain.htm
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