For Members in: Developmental Services Sector 2 Children’s
Aid Societies Sector 4 Community Services Sector 5 Youth Corrections Sector 7
Child Treatment Sector 15
Message from the CSD Chair
The Drummond Report commissioned by the
Ontario Government was released on February 15, 2012. It begins by stating
that: “Ontarians want excellent public services from their government…with
the proviso that they must come at a cost Ontarians can afford”. The
“overarching tasks” of the report include “sharpen(ing) the efficiency of
literally everything the government does so Ontarians get the greatest value
for money from the taxes they pay.”
Community and Social Services
recommendations are included in Chapter 8 and Labour Relations and
Compensation can be found in Chapter 15. While Drummond appears to
acknowledge the challenge of finding the “right funding mix” (and formula)
between “entitlement based” social programs (OW, ODSP and Ontario Child
Benefit) and “discretionary based” programs (DS, Child Protection, CYMH,
Childcare, Youth Justice and “other services”), his proposed solutions
suggest there will be a narrowing of the definition of “entitlement” for
discretionary based programs through increased use of inclusion and/or
exclusionary criteria for the public not-for-profit services we provide.
This will likely have the real effect of rationing available services to
Ontarians, and further downloading financial and emotional/mental costs onto
Ontarian families who do not “qualify” for publicly funded services. It
appears that the push towards utilizing common centralized assessment tools
and outcome measures in our Sectors to determine who “qualifies” for “what”
will continue. The belief that this will allow for greater “choice” and
“control” for individuals and their families remains to be seen.
The report also suggests that alternative
bargaining models be investigated along with the strong message that
amalgamations and mergers within our Sectors continue. OPSEU has been
working for many years on strengthening coordinated bargaining models within
our Sectors (Developmental Services, Child Protection and Children’s
Treatment). Provincial Discussion Tables have already begun in the
Developmental Services and Child Protection Sectors. We anticipate that
further discussions with government with a focus on improved labour
relations within our Sectors will be a priority should the recommendations
in Chapter 15 of the Drummond Report be accepted.
The full report can be found at:
www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/reformcommission/index.html . I encourage our CSDC
membership to review it and begin discussions at the local level about
potential impacts on our services and how they are provided.
The Greek Philosopher Heraclitus stated:
“Nothing endures but change.” We who work in Community and Social Services
can certainly relate to this philosophy, as many of us cannot recall a time
when we were not in some form of system “reform”! However, in accepting this
philosophy, we can anticipate, prepare for and respond to whatever is ahead
through collective networking and bargaining effective collective agreements
that will ensure “excellent public services” endure for the years ahead.
In Solidarity,
Deborah Gordon
CSDC Chair
The Commission on Quality Public Services and Tax
Fairness
Stand Up Campaign
Thank you to all who made written submissions or spoke at
the hearings or town halls, which were held in January and February of this
year. The Commission on Quality Public Services and Tax Fairness has
compiled all the information from the hearings in their report Something to
Value, which is available at:
http://www.publicservicesfoundation.ca
The Drummond Commission
The Drummond Commission report released
February 16, 2012 recommended that the Ontario government “consolidate
agencies and improve service delivery and integration both within the sector
itself and with other sectors such as children’s services, health,
education, and youth justice.” This is part of the greater plan to
centralize and integrate social services in Ontario. OPSEU responded to the
Drummond Commission report by writing the paper Out of Step with Ontario: A
First Look at the Report of the Drummond Commission, which can be downloaded
from the OPSEU website.
Sector 2: Developmental Services
We are OPSEU’s 8000 developmental service
workers, representing one-third of Ontario’s Developmental Service workers.
We have 66 bargaining units including 32 “Community Living” chapters.
Provincial Discussion Table (PDT):
The PDT met its unfortunate end on May
5th 2011. Despite the Ministry and Unions being clear that discussions at
the table are about unionized members only, the employer group did not agree
and wanted managers to be part of the discussions as well.
Pattern Bargaining:
With the end of PDT we made the obvious
decision to return to pattern bargaining, in order to continue to move the
sector forward. This year continues to be a busy year for bargaining, since
half of our units are at the table.
Community Living Thunder Bay was the
first contract ratified after the end of PDT and all Developmental Service
locals were encouraged to accept no less than the terms of that agreement.
Many locals have had success with achieving the standard set out in the
Thunder Bay agreement.
Bargaining will continue to present its
challenges in our current economic climate since the government is promoting
austerity measures as the only solution. We need to continue to stand
together and support each other. We are having success and making
settlements due to the drive of our sector membership.
Sector submission to the Commission on
Quality Public Services and Tax Fairness:
Our sector made a written submission to
the Commission on Quality Public Services and Tax Fairness. We stressed the
importance of the value of our work and that consistent under funding to our
sector makes it difficult for us provide quality public services to support
our clients.
As the year moves forward we need to be cognizant of the of
the challenges that will be thrown our way. We have to keep our lines of
communication open as we learn of impeding mergers, layoffs and other
workforce changes.
Sector 4: Children’s Aid Societies (CAS)
Pink Shirt Day
OPSEU members once again marked National
Pink Shirt day on February 29 with the message that there is no place for
bullying in our workplaces and communities. Members across the province
marked the day by participating in local events and wearing their pink
T-shirts.
NUPGE Child Protection working group
Jane Kaija, CAS Sector Chair and Tracy
More, OPSEU Staff Negotiator attended the NUPGE Child Protection working
group in Ottawa on February 16th and 17th. Various members working in child
protection from across Canada also attended, representing British Columbia,
Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland
and Nova Scotia. Each province wrote a component report which consisted of
Bargaining, Health & Safety and also Campaigns related to Health & Safety
and Workload. Not surprising our counterparts across the country echoed the
same issues. The final report is likely due out by May and will be shared
with everyone.
Membership Dues
Secretary-Treasurer, Michael Rowan has
sent out a reminder to pay the dues for the year. Please make your cheque
payable to “Sector 4 CAS.” The cheque can be given to Michael at convention
or mailed to Michael at:
Michael Rowan, Secretary-Treasurer|
104 Leona Street, Cornwall, ON K6H 5L7
The Agenda with Steve Paikin
The November 29th episode of the Agenda
with Steve Paikin entitled Fostering a Better Outcome brought to light the
importance of our work. Importantly, it highlighted the fact that if 10 per
cent of our paperwork was taken away it would amount to 1.2 million hours
that could potentially be spent on frontline care. The episode can be viewed
online at:
http://theagenda.tvo.org/episode/141066/fostering-a-better-outcome
SECTOR 5: COMMUNITY AGENCIES
Leadership training in June
The Sector 5 Community Agencies Executive
Committee has been hard at work over the past several months and we are
excited to announce a leadership training conference June 8 – 10 in Toronto
for Sector 5 activists.
After mobilizing last May 2011 for Sector
5, members expressed that they felt disconnected from OPSEU as a whole. They
said they needed training and to know how to access resources to better
serve their members and the union.
This leadership training weekend is
designed to help all of you. You will come away with the tools to better
mobilize and build solidarity within your locals and bargaining units. You
will also be able to network with other members who do the same type of work
and struggle with the same issues as you. Importantly, you will all be
connected.
The training goal is to have each
activist:
· Understand OPSEU, its
structure, and how to access resources within the union;
· Know how to interpret your
contract;
· Know steward rights and
responsibilities, and how to handle grievances;
· Know how to mobilize your
local. You will map out your local and leave with a plan to get your
members engaged and connected; and,
· Walk away with a folder filled
with resources.
Although the goal is to educate members
in sector 5, there will be opportunities to network with other members. We
will be hosting a wine and cheese social on the Saturday evening.
Up to three people per bargaining unit
can attend. It will work best if two stewards and a new activist come as a
team. Space is limited and we encourage you to speak to others in your
bargaining unit and get your applications in as quickly as possible.
To obtain an application please contact
Michelle Norman at
mnorman@opseu.org or 1-800-268-7376
Survey Results
Thank you to all who completed the Sector
5 survey online or by mail. We had a fantastic response and we will be
sharing the results at our Sector 5 caucus meeting at the OPSEU convention
on Thursday April 19th. Our Sector 5 caucus meeting will also include a
40-minute presentation on the new BPS Pension Plan-TOPPS. All Sector 5
members at convention are encouraged to attend.
SECTOR 7: JUSTICE SECTOR
News from Sector Executive
Welcome to our newest members
Congratulations to our newest members
from the Elizabeth Fry Society of Ottawa. Our new 39-member bargaining unit
will be part of OPSEU local 479. Frontline-staff include counselors and
residential support workers that provide practical and effective support for
women incarcerated in provincial and federal institutions. We understand the
unique problems faced by members working in the criminal justice system and
as such these new members will receive excellent representation.
The impact of the Drummond
Report on the Justice Sector
The importance of province wide
coordinated bargaining was underscored with the recent release of the
Drummond report, which advised the Ontario government on cuts to public
services and pensions. The attack on public services threatens us all, but
for many members in our sector this threat is deeper, since there is no
recognition that our compensation and working conditions are already below
what are considered acceptable standards. With the implementation of
Drummond’s recommendations there will be pressure to force amalgamations and
closures and also reduce benefits and wages, ultimately resulting in greater
disparities in our sector. The impact is already being felt with the recent
closure of Salvation Army Booth House, an open custody unit. Now is the time
to take a stand together and protect the quality public services that we
provide.
Stay tuned for a campaign
The general public is mostly unaware that
not all public services are created equally. As frontline staff in the
Justice sector we deal with some of the highest- risk youth in Ontario. We
cannot run away from dangerous situations. We are forced to deal with
violent and traumatic scenarios that the general public is unaware of.
However, despite the risk and involvement level of our work, many of our
members make little above minimum wage and are required to have a three-year
Child and Youth Worker diploma at minimum. We are devising a campaign to
create awareness around this issue. Please stay tuned for more information.
Your opinion please
We want to improve our communications
network and are asking BPS Corrections members to send their personal secure
email address to our sector executive email address
BPSCorrectionsSEC@gmail.com. Feel free to email us ideas, concerns and
stories.
Increasing solidarity within our sector
One of our sectors goals is to continue
to build solidarity in our sector and to educate the general public about
the issues affecting our frontline staff. We have excellent, caring,
highly-educated, underpaid frontline staff working in very stressful working
environments in an effort to help rehabilitate violent and repeat criminal
offenders. For many of us our work is not just a job, it is a career choice.
However, the public services our members provide cannot operate with further
wage or benefit cuts. We have already gone several years without increases.
As we get closer to our first attempt at coordinated bargaining in 2013, we
will be increasing our lobbying efforts and promoting our sector wherever
possible.
Sector 15: Child Treatment
Finding the “Right Mix”
OPSEU’s Children’s Treatment Sector
Members understand that for us to do our jobs well, it is essential to
maintain a healthy work-life balance. Our Kids Matter Campaign promotes the
principles of “stability” and “help kids can count on” as being key
ingredients to being effective in the work we do. These principles are
supported by research regarding Continuity of Care and Timeliness of Service
Response to children, youth and their families. These principles just as
importantly apply to good labour relations and strong collective agreement
language. System Transformation creates challenges to find “balance” and
the “right mix” of accountability in “client care” (work) and “self care”
(life).
If government accepts the recommendations
from the Drummond report in respect to CYMH and Labour Relations reform,
further amalgamations and mergers will likely be in our collective future.
As well, there is a possibility that alternative bargaining structures will
be employed and we need to be ready to ensure the “right mix” in addressing
work-life balance is achieved. It will be important for us to have a good
understanding of the challenges facing our present workforce, what is
working and what needs to be addressed within a collective bargaining
environment.
At the BPS Conference held in June 2011,
the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) was piloted with the CSD
membership in attendance. COPSOQ is a validated questionnaire developed in
Denmark that evaluates related sources of work place stress to self-reported
health symptoms. It considers such factors as Work Environment, Personal
Health and Well-Being, Work Effects on personal/ family life and the effects
of conflict and offensive behaviours in the workplace.
We will be reviewing the preliminary
COPSOQ results at Convention during our CTS Caucus meeting. This is the
first step in engaging our members in the importance of participating in
this project. We are working with Terri Aversa (OPSEU Health and Safety)
and believe that the information gained through your participating will help
us all prepare for the work ahead. Stay tuned and get involved!
OPSEU Local 666 strike boosts
job security and work-life balance
As proud members of OPSEU Local 666 and
frontline staff at the Child and Family Centre of Sudbury, we took a united
stand in our strike a few months ago. We were off the job for 19 days in
November and December. We were forced to go on strike to win contract
language on job security and work-life balance for frontline workers.
With 83 members in three towns in the
Greater Sudbury area, we stayed in touch by email and our closed Facebook
page. Despite the distance, we maintained solidarity among our members in
Espanola, Manitoulin Island, and Chapleau.
There were other contributions to our
success. Our members put together a video now on YouTube. We had regular
media coverage and support from parents, the public, other OPSEU locals and
also the OPSEU executive board members, staff representatives and other
staff.
We are now back at work and dealing with
the after-effects of the strike. However, I am glad we stood up together for
what we thought we were entitled to because we matter just as much as
kid’s matter.
Rachelle Lacoste
Local 666 steward and CTS vice-chair
Local 666 Child and Family Centre of Sudbury are the proud
recipients of the
2012 Leah Cassleman Award
GOVERNMENT LEGISLATION (how it affects you and your
work)
College of Registered Psychotherapists and Registered
Mental Health Therapists of Ontario (CRPRMHTO) Update
Will the CRPRMHTO affect you and your
job? The mandate of the College is to protect the public through regulation
of those who practice psychotherapy across the Province.
Who is excluded from having to be a
member of this new College? Those individuals who are already a member of:
the College of Physcians and Surgeons of Ontario, The College of Nurses of
Ontario, the College of Psychologists of Ontario, The College of
Occupational Therapists of Ontario and the College of Social Workers and
Social Service Workers of Ontario following amendments made to their
respective Regulatory College language.
What does “practice of Psychotherapy”
mean as defined by Bill 171 legislation?
If your job duties meet the following
criteria/definitions you will likely be required to be a member of the
CRPRMHTO:
From Bill 171
Definitions in Code
(3) Definitions in the Health
Professions Procedural Code apply with necessary modifications to terms in
this Act.
a) Scope of practice: The practice of
psychotherapy is the assessment and treatment of cognitive, emotional or
behavioural disturbances by psychotherapeutic means, delivered through a
therapeutic relationship based primarily on verbal or non-verbal
communication.
b) Authorized (Controlled) Act “In the
course of engaging in the practice of psychotherapy, a member is authorized,
subject to the terms, conditions and limitations imposed on his or her
certificate of registration, to treat, by means of psychotherapy technique
delivered through a therapeutic relationship, an individual’s serious
disorder of thought, cognition, mood, emotional regulation, perception or
memory that may seriously impair the individual’s judgement, insight,
behaviour, communication or social functioning”.
The RHPA (Regulated Health Professions
Act) states that:
· unregulated individuals may not
perform restricted activities/controlled acts.
· Members of regulated health
professions may perform only those controlled acts authorized for their
profession
Once enacted, this legislation will
likely change the landscape for some of the job postings across the sector
to include affiliation requirements (and the cost of annual fees to belong
to the college). OPSEU submitted a brief under Bill 171
http://www.opseu.org/news/Press2007/041607
submissiontostandingcmte.pd f on the scope of the legislation and the
impact on the social services sector. For more information please visit:
www.collegeofpsychotherapists.on.ca
The work of the Transitional Council of
the CRPRMHTO continues. As noted on their website:
1. The draft Registration
Regulation was approved by Council on December 8, 2011 for submission to the
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
· Under development for almost
two years and draft underwent two rounds of stakeholder consultation last
year.
· Stakeholder feedback resulted
in changes to the draft regulation.
· a number of minor changes were
made, as well as two more significant changes:
· an additional condition was
added for independent practice by Registered Mental Health Therapists; and
·
b) the words “aboriginal
healing” were changed to “indigenous practice”.
Feedback on these changes was to be
submitted by stakeholders between January 6th and March 5th.
The Transitional Council plans to submit
final drafts of regulations to the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care
after the public consultations and will be looking at registration in the
fall of 2012.
THE OPSEU PENSION PLAN SYSTEM
The OPSEU Pension Plan System (TOPPSFund) - A pension
plan for the Broader Public Sector
The OPSEU Pension Plan System (TOPPSfund)
was designed specifically to give OPSEU member’s and their families an
important source of financial protection — and a foundation for building a
secure future.
Some TOPPSfund features are:
· Flexible contribution levels -
Employee contribution levels start at an affordable 3% of wages. Employers
must at a minimum match employee contributions.
· Benefits are targeted - Pension
benefits are based on a benefit formula taking into account things such as
contribution history and years of plan participation.
· Life/10 Guarantee - Your
pension is payable for life and guaranteed for ten years. This means that if
you die within the first ten years of retirement, your full pension payments
will continue to be made for the remainder of those first ten years (the
guarantee period). Thereafter, survivor benefits may apply.
· Survivor Benefits - In the
event of a pensioner’s death, after the guarantee period (see Life/10
Guarantee above), a surviving spouse will be eligible for survivor benefits
of 60% of the pensioner’s benefit payable for their natural life. Other
survivor benefit scenarios also apply depending on when death occurs, and
the amount of continuous service in the Plan.
· Optional part-time and casual
employee participation - If you regularly work less than 24 hours per week,
participate only if you qualify and want to!
· Normal Retirement Age of 65 -
With options to retire as early as age 55, and as late as age 71.
· Buybacks - You can “buyback” up
to 5 years of pre-membership service to build a bigger pension.
· Joint Trusteeship - The Board
of Trustees of TOPPSfund will be comprised of 50% Union Trustees and 50%
Employer Representatives. Their role is to ensure that the Plan is well
managed on behalf of individual members and Participating Employers. One of
the Board’s key responsibilities is to choose the experts and other
specialists required to help run the Plan and invest its assets, ensuring
the long-term stability and growth of TOPPSfund.
· Administration - TOPPSfund will
be administered by Manion Wilkins and Associates Ltd., a Third Party
Administrator who will be responsible for things such as signing up new
members, receiving contributions from employers, answering questions and
preparing annual pension statements.
· Professionally managed assets -
The assets of the TOPPSfund will be professionally managed in line with the
Trustee’s Statement of Investment Policies and Procedures.
Joining TOPPSfund is done through
negotiations between OPSEU and Employers with OPSEU bargaining units. Once
participation in the Plan and contribution levels have been agreed to, a
Participation Agreement is signed. The Participation Agreement outlines the
terms of participation in TOPPSfund, such as the negotiated contribution
levels and timeliness of remittances to the Plan.
On a one-time basis, upon initial
enrolment, non-union employees may also join TOPPSfund at the same
contribution rate as OPSEU members.
For more information, or to request a
presentation on TOPPSfund, contact the OPSEU Resource Centre at
1-800-268-7376 or E-mail:
TOPPSfund@opseu.org
HEALTH & SAFETY
Work on “Stress” steams ahead!
In the last edition we reported that a
survey done at the 2011 BPS Conference showed that workplace burnout,
stress, sleep deprivation, excessive levels of bullying and harassment are
taking their toll on members of OPSEU’s Community Services Division.
The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire
(COPSOQ) Questionnaire relates sources of stress (both workplace and home)
to symptoms and the general health that workers are experiencing. The
questionnaire is used worldwide and has a population of data in Denmark to
compare our results to. It provides a useful tool to see where efforts to
improve should be focused. Our surveys showed very low trust in management,
and low justice and respect. Our survey of our 153 delegates showed almost
twice as much emotional demand in our jobs as the Danish population, not
surprising because of the work we do caring for people. Even worse, levels
of workplace violence, threats of workplace violence and bullying are at
least 13 times greater for our sample as in Denmark’s data.
After we reported these findings to
survey participants, we got many calls and emails of members wanting to use
the COPSOQ at their workplaces. We’ve been waiting for the COPSOQ to be put
online and for it to be paired with a resource about how to use it and how
to develop a local action plan. These materials are going to be ready
shortly and then we will move ahead to collect more data within sectors,
likely using one sector to start. We will also make the resources available
to locals and members who wish to do work on this issue in their workplaces.
The COPSOQ collects data and identifies the top three priorities to focus
local action on. Knowing the top three areas in which to focus helps inform
JHSC and union work and helps expose the workplace factors that detract from
a worker’s health and well-being.
Books & Movies to Inspire:
· The Garden (2008) The Garden
is about the South Central Farmers, a group of dirt-poor Los Angelenos who
took a track of urban ruin and turned it into an Eden--only to see the flora
they so lovingly planted and tended be bulldozed by a selfish land owner.
This film is about their dignity, determination and their fight to preserve
their garden--and what they’ve done to recover from its loss.
· In A Better World (2011 Best
Foreign Film) “Bathed in a golden light that contrasts with the film’s dark
emotional currents, In A Better World brilliantly dramatizes the vexing
problem of trying to do right in a world of situational ethics” – Peter
Howell, The Toronto Star
· Chris Hedges “Death of
the Liberal Class” (2010) No one is spared Hedge’s criticism as to why we
have a ‘permanent underclass’ (including the Democratic Party, churches,
unions, the media and academia). No wonder he is a supporter of the
“Occupy” Movement!
BARGAINING HIGHLIGHTS
Sector 2 :
L.166 Middlesex Community Living
A four-year agreement effective April 1,
2010 expiring March 31, 2014, settled at conciliation
• general wage increase of 1.75% and
1.75% in the final two years
• lump sum; $1000 for full time, prorated
for part time.
L.336 Community Living West
Northumberland
A four-year agreement effective April 1,
2010 expiring March 31, 2014, settled at conciliation
• general wage increase of $0.40 April
2012 and $.40 April 2013
• lump sum; $1400 for full time and $450
for contract
• improvement to bereavement leave; now
includes step family.
L.597 Montage Support Services of
Metropolitan Toronto
A four-year agreement effective April 1,
2010 expiring March 31, 2014, settled at mediation
• general wage increase of $0.50 April 1,
2012 and $0.50 April 1, 2013
• educational stipend; $1500 for FT,
$1000 for PT and $500 for relief
• mileage increased to $.040 from $0.33,
organization will match rate given to managers
• increased bereavement leave for PT
staff
• Agreement to have a TOPPS pension plan
presentation
Sector 4 :
L 344 - CAS of Northumberland
A four-year agreement effective January
1, 2012 expiring December 31, 2015, settled at conciliation
• general wage increase 2.95% and 2.95%
in the final two years
• health and welfare spending account -
$1000 at ratification, $1000 every year of the agreement and every year
after that
• letter of understanding re: hours of
work
• letter of understanding re: workload
• health & safety language; harassment
training
• cell phone allowance of $30
• WSIB
• mileage $0.47 at ratification, $0.49 in
2013, $0.50 in 2014
Sector 5 :
L.509 Fred Victor
A three-year agreement effective April 1,
2011 expiring March 31, 2014, settled at mediation
• general wage increase of 1.5% April 1,
2012
• lump sum $750, April 1, 2013
• mileage increased to $.040 from $0.33,
organization will match rate given to managers
• paid training for relief & seniority
recognized when applying for jobs
Sector 15 :
L 332 - New Path Youth & Family
Counselling
A four-year agreement effective April 1,
2011 expiring March 31, 2015
• general wage increase 1% on April 1,
2012, 1% on Oct 1, 2012, 1.75% on April 1, 2013 and 2% on April 1, 2014
• $1000 prepaid Visa for all employees
(excludes contract) employed as of April 1, 2011 – non-taxable benefit
• NEW no contracting out language
• extra day vacation per year for
employees in excess of 17 years (max 5 days)
• NEW WSIB language
• mileage increase from $0.41 to $0.48
• NEW Restructuring language re: mergers,
amalgamations, etc.
L 334 – Peterborough Youth Services
A three-year renewal agreement effective
April 1, 2012 expiring March 31, 2015
• GWI - 2.5% April 1, 2012, 2% April 1,
2013, 2% April 1, 2014.
• Anniversary lump sums: At 5 years will
recieve $500, at 10 years will recieve $500, at 15 years will recieve $1000,
at 20 years will recieve $1500
• Lump sum at ratification - each
employee will recieve an amount depending on the amount of years they have
worked (5, 10, 15 or 20 yr amounts)
• Improvement to Benefits - vision care
$300 for adults every 24 months, $200 for children under 20 ever 12 months
