OPSEU in the News

Hospital cuts bring LHINs under fire

May 9, 2008 Inside Toronto (Community News) On May 16, a plan to slash costs at Rouge Valley Health System will land before Ontario Superior Court. more..

Colleagues show support for striking health unit workers

May 9 2008 Owen Sound Sun Times Striking Grey Bruce Health Unit workers got a boost from other area public service unions Thursday. more...

We're all in the same boat

May 3, 2008 Globe and Mail - Economists used to say that "a rising tide lifts all boats," but the latest StatsCan report tells a different story. more...

Clerical workers could strike if talks fail today

April 30, 2008 Owen Sound Sun Times - With wages at about $35,000 per year, clerical workers at the Grey Bruce Health Unit plan to strike May 1 if talks today fail to produce an agreement. More...

"Now more than ever"

April 29, 2008 St. Thomas Times-Journal   OPSEU members participate in the Day of Mourning memorial ceremony at Pinafore Park in St. Thomas. The monument (pictured in this article) was created by David Morris, an OPSEU member.  more...

Part-time college workers to unionize

Windsor Star - Ontario's part-time college workers are poised to join the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, allowing them the same collective bargaining rights as their full-time unionized colleagues. More...

Pickets planned at arbitration talks

April 17, 2008 St. Thomas Times-Journal : Members of Ontario Public Service Employees Union Local 152 at St. Joseph’s Healthcare in London and St. Thomas plan to picket Thursday and Friday as arbitration talks are to be held regarding pay increases holding a master’s degree in social work. More...

Loyalist part-timers have high union hopes

April 16 2008 Belleville Intelligencer  more...

Part-time college staffers launch Ontario's largest union drive

April 14 2008 Toronto Star  OPSEU applying for right to represent 12,000 workers. More....

OPSEU threatening legal injunction over cuts

April 11, 2008  Community News (Scarborough, Durham)  An escalating battle between Rouge Valley Health System, hospital workers about to lose their jobs and the provincial government reached a fever pitch Thursday. more...

OPSEU favours Dofasco model

March 27, 2008  Hamilton Spectator - "We are impatient to get to the bargaining table," said Roger Couvrette, president of OPSEU's part-time and sessional workers' organization. More...

OPSEU to honour Earth Hour

March 18, 2008   Kingston Whig Standard - OPSEU is turning off its lights in a show of support for Earth Hour. more...
For more information on OPSEU's involvement,  visit our
Greening OPSEU site.
 

Part-timers talk first contract

March 17, 2008 Sudbury Star:  Now that the Ontario government has recognized the right of part-time and support staff at the province's 24 community colleges to unionize, the workers are "very impatient to get to the bargaining table. more...

Drumming up support

March 11, 2008  Welland Tribune   Part-time and sessional employees at Niagara College have a big name supporting their right to be unionized. more...

ODSP Day of Action - March 5, 2008 news stories

For a complete listing of news coverage from the ODSP Day of Action, click here.

OPSEU reaches out to part-timers at St. Lawrence in Cornwall

February 22, 2008 Standard Freeholder:  Part-time employees at the Cornwall campus of St. Lawrence College are being asked to join in the largest union organizing drive in Ontario's history. more... 

Also visit www.collegeworkers.org

Largest Union Drive” stops by St. Lawrence College

February 20, 2008 Kingston This Week: Board members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) rolled into St. Lawrence College with a blue bus Tuesday, Feb. 19. more...

Also visit www.collegeworkers.org

St. Lawrence College staff may unionize

February 19, 2008 Whig Standard – Kingston: The province's largest public-sector union wants to unionize part-time workers at the three campuses of St. Lawrence College. more...

Also visit www.collegeworkers.org

Thomas on BNN panel: Public sector workers provide full value

February 14, 2008 OPSEU President Smokey Thomas appeared on BNN’s program SqueezePlay on Feb. 13, 2008. Smokey comments on OPS bargaining, productivity, and the value of public services.  more..

Feb 15, 2008: Note - the link on the BNN site is not opening the above video. When they have fixed the problem, we will update the link.

Note: This is a 47-minute show -- Smokey appears from about 18th to the 25th minute. So to view only that segment, you can click and drag the little circle just right of the words “full screen” about a third of the way. 

OPSEU rolls into Barrie to sign up college workers

February 13 2008 Barrie Examiner -- Locals 349 and 350 of the Ontario Public Service Employees union staged a Winter Semester Welcome for all faculty and support staff at Georgian College's Barrie campus this morning in effort to sign up part-time workers. more...

Also visit www.collegeworkers.org

OPSEU leader calls for bargaining rights for college part-time staff

February 12, 2008 London Topic: Warren (Smokey) Thomas, President of OPSEU, said the call for the province to "move quickly to establish a legislative framework for part-time and sessional workers to take part in collective bargaining," is in response to the Whitaker Report. more...

Also visit www.collegeworkers.org

College workers call for union rights as administrators meet in London

February 12, 2008 London Free Press -- In London yesterday, union representatives were pitching the need to organize part-time teaching and support staff, while 500 Ontario community college leaders were meeting a block away at the London Convention Centre. more...

Protestors greet college administrators in London

February 11, 2008 London Free Press: As Ontario college administrators rolled into London last night, protesters braved bitter cold to support a union drive to sign up part-time college teachers and support staff. more...

Halton paramedics reach impasse; contract talks going to mediation

February 8, 2008 Burlington Post - Contract talks for Halton paramedics have broken down and are headed for mediation, with wage and benefit parity cited as key issues. . more...

Brockville: OPSEU recruits part-timers at college 

February 7, 2008 Brockville Recorder and Times - Part-time college workers are the target of a travelling recruitment drive by OPSEU at Brockville's St. Lawrence College.  more...

Brockville: Maple View Lodge workers endorse OPSEU

January 31, 2008 Brockville Recorder and Times
Workers at Maple View Lodge voted yesterday to be represented by OPSEU, although the certification bid might head to the province's labour board before it is decided.  more...

OPSEU eyes part-time college staff

January 30, 2008 Timmins Daily Press Spurred by an historic Supreme Court of Canada decision, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union says it is kicking its membership drive into "high gear" this week. more...

OPSEU fights for part-time employees at Durham College

January 29, 2008   Two hundred part-time teachers and support staff at Durham College are being included in one of the largest union membership drives in Ontario history.  more...

College organizing bus visits Durham

January 25, 2008 The OPSEU college part-time campaign met the media in Whitby today, and toured Durham College

OPSEU organizers toured Durham College today to sign-up part-time workers. Meeting the media at a news conference in Whitby, left to right: OPSEU First Vice President/Treasurer Patty Rout; Roger Couvrette, president of the part-time college workers (Centennial); CAAT support activists Betty Cree (Fleming) and Rod Bemister (Seneca). Also in attendance at the news conference: Claire Rowett, EBM Region 3, Candy Lindsay, Vice President of the part-time workers (Fleming), Rick Nemisz (support) and John Bisset (academic) from Durham College. Watch local TV (CHEX or Rogers), radio or This Week newspaper for more details.  The tour continues Jan. 29 with visits to Humber College and Northern College next.

College organizing bus visits Peterborough

January 24, 2008 Peterborough Examiner OPSEU seeks to represent 12,500 part-timers.  more...

More than 1,500 pack hall to back caregivers

January 17, 2008 Hamilton Spectator: 1,500 pack hall to back VON, St. Joe’s caregivers  more...

Staff appreciation day in Developmental Services

January 17, 2008 Sudbury Star:  OPSEU Local 676 - Staff appreciation day more...

Lives Lived: Kathleen Lawrence

September 20, 2007 Mediator, traveller, nature enthusiast, cat aficionado, devoted partner. Born Jan. 11, 1951, in Ottawa. Died July 16 in Toronto of cancer, aged 56.

Globe and Mail  more...

Commissioner "living in a dream world"

September 10, 2007 Toronto Star - OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas responds to the Ontario Human Rights Commissioner. More…

Talks stall for Peel paramedics

No new contract for paramedics
August 31, 2007 Mississauga News - Negotiations have broken down between Peel and the Ontario Public Service Employees' Union

 Talks Break Down for Peel Regional Paramedics
August 31, 2007 Brampton News, -  Negotiations have broken down for 350 paramedics, members of Local 277

Children's Aid Societies

York CAS strike is big news in Greater Toronto area

August 27, 2007 Following are links to news stories about the first day of strike action at York Region Children’s Aid Society.  

Toronto Star: Children’s Aid Workers Strike in York http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/250183 

CBC Toronto: Strike begins at York Region children's aid society http://www.cbc.ca/canada/
toronto/story/2007/08/27/cas-strike.html

640 Toronto: Strike Action at York Region CAS
http://www.640toronto.com/news/metro.cfm
 cat=7428109912&rem=73195&red=80110923a
PBIny&wids=410&gi=1&gm=metro.cfm

680 News - Toronto: York Region's Children's Aid Society to strike at midnight
http://680news.com/news/local/article.jsp?
content=20070826_105551_4196

York Region Era Banner – Newmarket: CAS talks break down again
http://www.yorkregion.com/article/44613

City TV -Toronto: Children's Aid Society Workers In York Region Walk Off Job
http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_14116.aspx

Developmental Services

Strike begins in Meaford

July 26, 2007 Owen Sound Sun Times   Strike shuts community living programs

www.owensoundsuntimes.com/webapp/
sitepages/content.asp?contentid=626995&
catname=Local+News&classif

Tillsonburg members make strike preparations

July 23, 2007   Tillsonburg News  OPSEU strike could begin July 29 

 http://www.tillsonburgnews.com/News/325310.html

Save Ontario Parks

Ontario Parks Need Help

July 20, 2007 Peterborough Examiner

http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/
webapp/sitepages/content.asp?
contentid=620452&catname=Editorial&classif=
 

Ontario Public Service

Province continues to abandon Provincial Parks 

July 19, 2007 North Bay Nugget Park becomes battleground for Ministry, Union

http://www.nugget.ca/webapp/sitepages/content.asp?
contentid=617910&catname=Local+News&classif=

Sorry doesn't cut it if you can't make ends meet: Thomas

July 19, 2007 Toronto Star   Disabled suffer because helpers are overloaded

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/237522

Developmental Services

Hampton boosts pickets, blasts MPP pay raise

July 13, 2007  London Free Press  Hampton blasts Premier’s pay raise as caregivers strike

http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/CityandRegion/
2007/07/13/4336027-sun.html

Hamilton paramedics need more resources to cut response times

July 13, 2007 Ancaster News Consultants sound alarm on emergency response times

http://www.ancasternews.com/an/news/news_832589.html

Prince Edward Community Living staff could strike by August 7

 July 13, 2007  Belleville Intelligencer   Community Living staff on the verge of a strike

http://www.intelligencer.ca/webapp/
sitepages/content.asp?contentid=609781&catname=Local%
20News&classif=

Underfunding means high staff turnover at Kenora Community Living agency
 

July 12, 2007 Kenora Miner and News Strike looms - government underfunding blamed

http://www.kenoradailyminerandnews.com/
News/322713.html

Hope for Mayor’s support in Chatham-Kent
 

July 5, 2007, Chatham Daily News   Chatham Kent Mayor Randy Hope wants a resolution

www.chathamdailynews.ca/
webapp/sitepages/content.asp?
contentid=599387&catname=Local+News&classif=

July 5, 2007 St Thomas Times Journal      Quiet day in St. Thomas – busy day in London

www.stthomastimesjournal.com/News/320831.html

“You got a 23 per cent raise, why not help us now?”
 

July 4, 2007 London Free Press   Union says safety at stake

 http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/
CityandRegion/2007/07/04/4310961-sun.html

July 4, 2007 London Free Press    Premier Confronted

http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/CityandRegion/
2007/07/04/4310960-sun.html

July 4, 2007 Toronto Star    Parents confront Premier

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/232230
 

July 3, 2007 CKNX Radio, Wingham   HARC workers in Hanover could strike July 18th

http://www.am920.ca/news.php?artID=20220