OPSEU rejects government offer

March 6, 1999
7 p.m.

TORONTO - OPSEU members across the province have rejected a government contract offer and authorized their bargaining teams to call a strike, if necessary.

The vote was more than 67 per cent to reject. More than 67 per cent of the 48,000 eligible voters actually cast ballots.

"This gives us a working mandate to return to the bargaining table and get something better," said OPSEU President Leah Casselman. Casselman will hold a news conference at 11 a.m. Sunday at the union’s head office in North York to elaborate.

In addition to the vote on the central offer, each of six bargaining units voted on job group-specific issues, including money.

All six rejected the government contracts:

• Correctional Unit - 85 per cent
• Institutional and Health Unit - 64 per cent
• Administration Unit - 61 per cent
• Office Administration Unit - 64 per cent
• Operational and Maintenance Unit - 64 per cent
• Technical Unit - 73 per cent

"Our members have spoken," said Casselman. "Let the bargaining begin."

She said the union bargaining teams were ready to begin Monday morning doing the job their members have called for - negotiating a fair collective agreement to cover the 48,000 Ontario government workers.

 

Return to Top