LONDON, PICTON, ON Negotiators for the Ontario
Public Service Employees Union reached tentative
agreements with employers in two strikes at
developmental service agencies in London and
Picton.
OPSEU Local 144 reached
an agreement this morning with Community Living
London which, if ratified today, will mean 450
staff will soon return to work, ending an
eight-week strike. The deal included a
back-to-work protocol acceptable to the union.
This follows a
tentative agreement signed Aug. 15 between OPSEU
Local 448 and its employer, Community Living
Prince Edward, in Picton. The ratification vote
is scheduled for the morning of Aug. 17. If the
deal is ratified, 150 staff will return to work
after a week on strike.
These two agreements
settle the last two of seven developmental
services strikes involving 1,300 workers across
Ontario. Low wages in the sector were the main
issue province-wide.
“Throughout these
strikes, our members have been steadfast in
their desire for a fair wage, and to improve the
quality of services for the people they
support,” said OPSEU President Warren (Smokey)
Thomas.
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