ImpacT At the Table
Volume 11, Issue 2 • December 1, 2011
We have a tentative agreement!
Gains and stability for the next four years
After only five days at the bargaining table, your team has reached a
tentative agreement with the employer on a four-year collective agreement.
As reported in our last newsletter, this round of bargaining was in stark
contrast with the last one. Exchanges at the table were mostly positive, and we
were able to get to the agreement in record time.
David Lynch, chair of the bargaining team, said the team believes they have
fulfilled the mandate given to them by the members.
“We heard from members all over the province that they wanted two things:
Improvements and a certain measure of stability for the next few years,” Lynch
said. “We managed to achieve improvements to wages, working conditions and
benefits, along with an agreement that goes to December 31, 2015.”
OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas congratulates the team for this
accomplishment, noting that under the current economic climate bargaining has
been difficult for unions everywhere.
“These aren’t easy times to bargain new agreements,” Thomas said. “However,
when two sides approach bargaining with an open mind a lot can be achieved in a
very short time. Dave, Peter, Everett, David and Steve, along with staff
negotiator Mirla Alvarado-Fenn, did a remarkable job at the negotiating table.”
Lynch points out that while the increase does not completely “catch up”
wages, the tentative agreement was reached before outside influences negatively
affected bargaining.
“The Ontario government’s Drummond Commission is set to release a report in
January and all indications point to sweeping cuts across every public service
sector,” Lynch said. “We also have Conservative Leader Tim Hudak, in opposition
to a minority government, calling for public service wage freezes across the
board. With this agreement, we will not get caught up in the frenzy of future
cuts or any surprises that may appear in the 2012 Ontario Budget.”
Highlights of the four-year agreement are as follows:
-
Four-year agreement: January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2015.
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Wage increase of 2%, 2%, 2.2% and 2.2% (8.4% over four
years).
-
Life insurance: Employer now provides coverage of 100 per
cent of the employee’s salary instead of 75 per cent (Article 25.01).
-
Paramedical: Cap of $50 per visit removed. Still $1,200
maximum per year, but no limit on individual visits.
-
Vision care: Employer now pays 100 per cent of the premium
for Vision and Hearing plans instead of 75 per cent (Article 25.04).
-
Psychological testing: Cap of $16 per one-half hour visit
removed. No limit on individual visits, maximum paid is $2,000 per year.
-
Bereavement: Death of step-sister and step-brother added for
both full-time and temp staff (Article 19.01).
-
Accommodation/harassment/discrimination language
strengthened. Family leave language (under the Employment Standards Act)
added to the collective agreement so members are aware of its availability.
-
Acting assignments: Employer must now provide to the union,
on a quarterly basis, the list of all acting assignments including name,
position, location and the duration of the assignment.
-
Local stewards now given 15 minutes paid time during normal
work hours to explain to new hires the role of the union in the workplace.
-
Province-wide notification of job postings maintained.
-
Position titles now added to the revised pay grid.
-
Relocation expenses: Eligibility for relocation expenses has
been lowered from 125 km to 100 km. Employees taking a demotion or a move to
a lateral position are only eligible if the employer initiates either
action. Moving expenses paid if new position is a promotion.
Finally, the only “take-away” at the bargaining table isn’t a
real loss at all. We have agreed to the employer’s proposal of the elimination
of Article 14.06 (VDT Eye Examinations). In exchange, the employer has agreed to
remove all video display terminals (the older cathode ray tube models, not the
LCD flat screens) within the next six months. The elimination of these displays
in effect makes the Article unnecessary.
Team recommends acceptance
Your bargaining team recommends members vote in favour of the tentative
agreement.
Over the next two weeks, bargaining team members will hold meetings (either
in person or by conference call) with every office in the province. The vote on
ratification of the agreement is scheduled to take place on December 16, 2011.
“We want to hear your thoughts and answer your questions on this agreement
before the vote,” Lynch said. “We believe every member will benefit from the new
contract, and we will all enjoy some peace of mind for the next four years.”
You can also email your questions to the bargaining team representative for
your area. These questions will be compiled, and a “Question and Answer”
document will be made available prior to ratification.
Your bargaining team thanks you for all your support, and also thanks all the
OPSEU staff who provided their professional assistance at the table.
Stay in touch!
To ensure a speedy response to your questions, your
leadership team has divided up all MPAC offices in the province. If you have
a question or a comment, please contact the bargaining team member
responsible for your office. Contact us by e-mail at work or at home, as
follows
David Lynch, Chair:
Bracebridge, London, Mississauga, Ottawa, Barrie,
Brockville, Cornwall, Pembroke, Trenton, Bancroft & Kingston
E-mail: opseu409@yahoo.ca;
david.lynch@mpac.ca
Peter McClenaghan, Vice Chair:
St. Catharines, Goderich, Chatham, Sarnia,
Windsor, Kitchener & Brantford
E-mail: pmcclenaghan2020@yahoo.com ;
peter.mcclenaghan@mpac.ca
Everett Kelly:
Oshawa, Pickering, Richmond Hill, Toronto & Peterborough
E-mail: evkelly@rogers.com;
everett.kelly@mpac.ca
David Fong:
North Bay, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie,
Timmins, Thunder Bay, Kenora, Fort Francis & Dryden
E-mail: visor243@nt.net;
david.fong@mpac.ca
Steve Kovacs:
Milner (CCC, CPF, LPU), Owen Sound, Hamilton & Parry Sound
E-Mail: stevekovie@hotmail.com;
steve.kovacs@mpac.ca
Mirla Alvarado-Fenn, OPSEU Staff Negotiator
E-mail: malvarado@opseu.org
ImpacT At the Table is produced by the bargaining
team for the Property Assessment Division of the Ontario Public Service
Employees Union and authorized for distribution by Warren (Smokey) Thomas,
President.
Ontario Public Service Employees Union
100 Lesmill Road, Toronto, Ontario M3B 3P8 www.opseu.org
