February 9, 2009
OPSEU and the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation have
signed a Pay Equity Plan that will give union members retroactive pay of
close to $3.3 million.
The plan, signed last Thursday, will pay an average of
$12,000 to 228 current and former members in 17 job classifications for the
period from Jan. 1, 2002 to June 25, 2009. In addition, eligible members who
worked for the former Ontario Property Assessment Corporation will receive a
lump sum payment for the period from 1998 to 2001.
The plan raises current pay rates for all workers in the 17
classifications. Typical hourly increases are in the $0-$2 range.
One exception is the Intermediate Accountant position, which
was underpaid by more than $8 an hour from 2002 to 2007 and by more than $4
an hour in 2008-09. The individual in that position will receive retroactive
pay of more than $112,500.
The plan is fully retroactive. Both male and female
incumbents, past and present, are entitled to retroactive payouts if they
worked in any previously underpaid female-dominated jobs.
MPAC will provide each current or former employee who is entitled to retroactive pay with a letter spelling out the period of time their retro covers and hours worked.
At the end of 1998, the Ontario government divested property assessment from the Ontario Public Service and into a stand-alone agency known as the Ontario Property Assessment Corporation (later the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation). In 2002, a major restructuring of MPAC (known as “Futures”) changed most job descriptions and pay, and a number of pay equity issues arose. Negotiations began in 2003 using a gender-neutral job evaluation process.
“I want to thank each and every OPSEU member and each and every OPSEU staff person who hung in there through a long and tedious negotiation to make MPAC recognize its responsibilities under the Pay Equity Act,” said OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas in reaction to the deal. “This shows yet again the power of negotiation, the power of persistence, and the power of being a union member.
“Great job, everybody, and congratulations to all the OPSEU members who are finally going to get the wages owed to them.”
The MPAC Pay Equity Plan was negotiated by OPSEU members Jennifer Reid (Local 105), Craig Wright (Local 308), Tina Faibish (Local 552), and Alba Policicchio (Local 589). The team was ably assisted by OPSEU Pay Equity Negotiator Ann Wallace.
A copy of the Pay Equity Plan, with pay rate increases for the affected positions, can be found
below.
The Pay Equity Plan 
Appendix A: Female and Male Job Classes
Appendix B: Pay Equity Adjustments
