A message from OPSEU, June 13

The bridge has just crumbled

There’s been a lot of talk from CUPE about “bridging” you to a city job in the case of layoffs.

With their e-mail yesterday afternoon, we’re glad that CUPE has finally recognized that they won’t win their argument at the Labour Board that the City is the employer of TCHC staff. They did this in the section where they talked about a possible strike between the City and CUPE 79 at the end of June.

The bridge has just crumbled.

The truth is that both unions are in the same situation. We’re faced with the same challenge: how to protect you from $10 million in cuts. Whichever union wins the representation vote will have to negotiate a new collective agreement, NOT with the City, but with the TCHC.

Your elected bargaining team, whether it’s with OPSEU or CUPE, will need your support in the workplace to bargain you the protections you’ll need.

CUPE still doesn’t recognize your seniority for bumping and layoffs

In their e-mail yesterday afternoon, CUPE still did not specify that they would recognize your seniority when it comes to bumping and layoffs. They specifically did NOT mention bumping and layoffs in their list of things they would recognize. This is a crucial point for OPSEU members. You could end up at the bottom of the CUPE seniority list when and if the TCHC starts to lay off staff.

For more information

If you have questions about the vote, call one of your OPSEU representatives listed below or visit us at: http://www.opseu.org/campaign/tchc.htm.  

Your OPSEU 592 representatives:

Professional, Office, and Clerical Unit
Patricia Lee-Quai: 647-227-0761
Fonda Reed: 647-227-0760