Bargaining
News
OAD Recognition Day a province-wide success
“What a great day”, is how many members, mobilizers and
local leaders are describing the day that was about was all about
recognizing the contribution of 16,000 OPSEU members in the Office
Administration (OAD) classification to excellent public service.
17,000 blue OPSEU mugs, 20,000 “respect” buttons and 10,000
“respect” stickers were distributed. This day could not have been a success
without the phenomenal organizing of the regional mobilizers, local
executives and the provincial OAD mobilizer, the leadership of the
bargaining teams and support of the Executive Board Members.
Windsor and Chatham
Mugs and $2 Tim Hortons coffee cards were distributed to the
Chatham Local 130, as well as Ministries in Locals 154, 135 and 140 on the
Friday ahead of the day. On the day itself, mobilizer Helen Haggith along
with Mary Anne Docherty visited the courthouses and the Public Health Lab in
Windsor, Local 154, handing out mugs to OADs. “Everyone was on board,”
reports Helen
London and St. Thomas
Mobilizer Jayne Mackenzie spent the morning going to more than five
worksites in Local 115 in St. Thomas, handing out mugs. Local 102’s
executive looked after the OAD members in the courthouse and Jayne traveled
to 11 smaller worksites in the London area, including Office of the Public
Guardian and Land Registry, handing out mugs and talking to members. Members
from a number of London locals were involved including Locals 102, 112 and
128 and others. “I got a really good response and it was an excellent
opportunity to talk about bargaining,” reports Jayne.
Stratford and Woodstock
Local 119 had events in their Stratford and Woodstock
worksites. They had a lunch of sub sandwiches at the COMSOC office that
included staff from the courts and the probation office. In Woodstock, the
local had a pizza lunch for both probation offices, ODSP and OMAFRA. “It
went over really well,” reports mobilizer Steve Guylee. “The members were
very happy this was being done.”
Guelph
Provincial I and IT mobilizer
Doug Peebles reports: “Local 232 in Guelph had pizza and pop for all members
at its five work sites in Guelph and signed up 25 new members at 1 Stone
Road, OAD and others, with more to come in. Mugs, buttons, stickers were
given out at seven work sites in total. Local 232 sent a couple of pizzas
and Respect buttons up to the systems officers working at the OPS Help Desk
(one of four locations in the province), as they are experiencing respect
issues with local management.
“Overall the day was well
received by members, especially OAD members,” said Doug. “It also heightened
awareness for OAD issues (respect) among all staff, including other OPSEU
members and AMPCEO, management and non-OPS tenants in the building.”
Hamilton
Mobilizer Cindy Falcao reports: “We hit worksites in Locals
201, 202, 205 and 222. We had pizza, pop and cake in one site and we had
cake, coffee and tea in another site. The day went over fabulously, we got a
great reception. We told them we need their support, we got them up-to-date
with bargaining and we signed up 40 members.”
Niagara
Mobilizers Elaine Young and Kristy Grahame hit Local 212 in
St. Catharines. “We had coffee and cake and gave out the buttons and mugs.
It went over really well,” reports Kristy.
Brampton and Milton
Mobilizer Ingrid Ricketts reports: “We started at Local 228,
the Brampton courthouse, ran over to Guelph regional office, then went over
to the EC Drury School for the Deaf in Milton, Local 223, where management
are treating members with no respect, then went to the Probation and Parole
office, Local 271 in the Milton Mall, and in the evening went to Local 229,
the Ontario Correctional Institute. The day and the activities were well
received. We signed up 200 members in total among all the locals in Region
2.”
Toronto
Local 553 president Dallas Takeuchi reports: “OAD
Recognition Day coincided with a general membership meeting… we had over 150
members attend our meeting and at the end we had the OAD members come to the
front of the auditorium and we gave them their coffee mug, chocolate and a
long stemmed rose, along with applause from the rest of the local.”
Mobilizer Ibrahim Bozai reports: “Close to 200 members from
Locals 526, 527 and 528 made it out to a hot dog lunch at Nathan Phillips
Square. Executive Board Member Nancy Pridham and provincial OAD mobilizer
Cindy Hayes-Wright rallied the members and they returned to their offices
with spiffy mugs.”
Staff representative Kathleen Demareski reports: “Our event
at 77 Wellesley St. was a huge success. Mugs were distributed in the morning
and we had over 150 members attend the lunchtime rally. Executive Board
member David Rapaport rallied the members as did provincial OAD mobilizer
Cindy Hayes-Wright. We are connecting with more of our newer members at
every event we hold.”
Mobilizer Edie Strachan reports: “Members from Locals 542,
536, 585, 506 participated in an OAD event. We handed out mugs to everyone
who came. We purchased little cupcake treats and put one in every mug.
Executive Board Member Ted Montgomery rallied the crowd. We also signed up
members.
“Members from Local 504, 55 and 599 participated in a
lunch-time event at Gibson House Park in North York. We gave out cupcake
treats along the buttons and stickers. Mugs had been distributed earlier in
the day to members. President Warren (Smokey) Thomas rallied the crowd of
about 100 members.”
Mobilizer Leslie Howard reports: “Local 551 distributed the
mugs to their OADs with chocolates.”
Newmarket
Mobilizer Ken Hord reports: “It was a great day. We had
breakfast and gave out mugs to our members at the courthouse, Local 310.
Provincial OAD mobilizer Cindy Hayes-Wright attended and made this a fun
event for all. Our two new stewards, organized the breakfast with the
support of our 1st vice-president, treasurer and steward. The
members were very appreciative. We had a pizza lunch at the Ministry of
Labour. Members at the Ministries of Community and Social Services, ODSP,
Children’s Services, Finance and HR supported a United Way fundraiser with a
potluck lunch. Mugs were given out to 36 OADs. The whole event was
successful for both the United Way and OAD Recognition Day. OAD members at
Probation and Parole were treated to lunch and lunch was brought in for the
two officers who remained behind to provide support in the office. OAD
members at Children and Youth Services got mugs. The steward at Training
Colleges and Universities in Richmond Hill organized a lunch for the OADs.
We had a pizza lunch for the OAD members in the OHIP office.”
Orillia
Executive Board Member Doris
Middleton reports: “Treasurer Elfie Vivian delivered mugs, flyers and
stickers to all Local 314 work locations that had OAD members. They are
Probation and Parole, ODSP, OPP headquarters, Public Health Lab, Ministry of
Children and Youth Services and the Bass
Lake office of MNR.”
The steward at the OPP
Headquarters, a government building housing Attorney General, Community
Safety and Correctional Services, and Government Services, delivered the
mugs personally to fifty OADs throughout the three ministries. She included
candy in the mugs and wrapped the mugs in cellophane with a bow. She got
some good comments, questions about bargaining, also got a couple of cards
signed from non-members.
And at Local 323, Huronia Regional Centre, OAD members
received the OPSEU mugs and poinsettia plants which were appreciated.
Whitby and Oshawa
Mobilizer Glenna Caldwell reports: “OAD members in Local 331
got their mugs. Local 340 hosted an event across the street from the
workplace for the OADs. At all 17 worksites of Local 302, all stewards got
involved and distributed the mugs. We ensured the Customer Service Reps at
one of our worksites got the mugs because they are facing the same lack of
respect issues from management.”
Peterborough, Bancroft and Minden
Mobilizer Derek Bailey reports: “Local 308 member Valerie
English and I went through every office large and small to give out 100 mugs
to OADs. We had good conversations with members and the mugs were well
received. The mugs were also well received in Bancroft and Minden, where the
vice-president and president of Local 356 gave out mugs to staff. 108 mugs
were handed out to OAD members of Local 362 by the treasurer and the MNR
unit steward.”
Lindsay
Acting Local 368 president Laurie Sabourin of the Central
East Correctional Centre reports: “As we were handing out the mugs and
buttons, one of our OAD members was wearing the blue trillium t-shirt and
she was given her final warning for wearing a ‘logo’ and was told she would
be sent home the next day she wore it. After we left, others were told to
take down/off their buttons. We had planned to have cake for the OAD day of
celebration in one of our boardrooms which was approved by the
Superintendant but decided not to have it for logistical reasons. This
manager has told her staff they would not be able to participate in any
union activities during their government-paid 15-minute break.”
OAD members in Local 368 at the Ministry of Attorney General
and the ODSP office enjoyed their mugs.
Kingston and Belleville
Mobilizer Daryl O’Grady
reports: “More than 100 OAD members gathered for coffee and cake in the
cafeteria of the MTO building from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Local 430 president
Jean Dushane myself and one of the managers addressed the members and
acknowledge them for their dedication and professionalism. I spoke about the
continuing need to show solidarity in the workplace including having their
mugs visible and wearing blue on Wednesdays. Forty to fifty OAD members of
Local 468 came to the boardroom in the OHIP building for coffee and cake 12
noon - 2 p.m., with many other members dropping by during their breaks.
Executive Board Member Dave Lundy, staff representative Don Ducette and
myself spoke about their contribution to public service, bargaining and
again emphasized the need to show solidarity in the workplace. We were at
the boardroom in Children and Youth Services from 2-3 p.m. to talk to 25-30
OADs and have more coffee and cake. In Local 455 in Belleville, president
Pam Smith gave each OAD a mug and a Laura Secord chocolate. Overall, it was
a great day and a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the contribution of our
OAD members and talk about mobilizing.”
Ottawa
Mobilizers Bryan Adderley and
Shelley Moody report: We extended the OAD Appreciation Day to all OPS
members located in Ottawa and area. We held it from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
outside the Ontario government building at 347 Preston Street. Our hotdog
lunch, hosted by Local 410, attracted 150 members. The presidents and local
executive committees of 410, 414 and 446 attended. Executive Board Member
Lynn Orzel rallied the crowd. Also attending (and roasting the hot dogs) was
staff representative Nelson Ross Laguna. We had a visit by the Ottawa Police
and the Ottawa Fire Department when building management mistook one of our
two barbecues for a burn barrel. The Police and the Fire Department were
quick to point out that barbecues are legal on public property in the City
of Ottawa and promptly left us to continue to serve our hotdogs and drinks.
North Bay
Mobilizer Diane Gallupe reports: I delivered mugs and
t-shirts to my six sites in Local 633. We had an information session from
4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. with Executive Board Members Sue Brown and Amanda Dumais.
We had coffee and cake for about 50 to 60 members. Local 634 handed roses
with the mugs and people were coming out of the woodwork asking for a mug.
Local 669 walked through the building distributing theirs. Local 635 had
another coffee day with the new mugs and everyone participated. At the
courthouse, Local 633, members all loved their mugs and quite a few came to
the evening information session.”
Sudbury
Mobilizer Normand Pilon and Executive Board Member Amanda
Dumais report: Mugs were distributed to all the
OADs prior to and on the 25th. We had a great day. The central
activity was a noon-hour march in the downtown core. We handed out
70 red fleece scarves, as well as the respect
buttons and stickers. We walked from the provincial government building at
199 Larch St. to the provincial government building at 159 Cedar. We then
picked up more OADs at Ontario Shared Services on Elm St. We walked up three
blocks and picked up some court workers en route and then marched to MPP
Rick Bartolucci's office for a rally in front and some media coverage. Then
we all went back to the Cedar St. building cafeteria for pizza, hot
chocolate and juice. There were media interviews there that hit the CTV news
and Norm Pilon did many radio interviews too! It was a great
event! We had over 100 people
participating in the march and we were covered by lots of media. Members
from Locals 617, 623, 626, 628, 629, 630, 632, 671 and 680 participated in
the march. One of the two worksites of Local 671 that was too far to join
the march hosted a lunch for its OAD members.
At Local 618 Cecil Facer Youth Centre’s general membership
meeting on Nov. 25, we presented the OADs with cake. Poinsettias were
distributed to OADs with the mugs. One OAD member was close to tears. She
said in her close to 28 years with the Ontario government, nobody had ever
recognized her this way before.
Sault Ste. Marie and Wawa
Mobilizer Pierre Verhelst reports: Local 611 in Wawa
recognized their OADs as did Local 678, the Algoma Treatment and Remand
Centre in Sault Ste. Marie. Downtown Sault Ste. Marie, we held a general
membership meeting where OADs were recognized. It went over really well.
There were a lot of people coming out who haven’t been at our meetings.
Local 607 had muffin and coffee for OADs.
Kirkland Lake, Timmins, Hearst and Chapleau
Local 644 in Kirkland Lake held a 10 a.m. coffee and
presentation of mugs events for their OADs. Local 649 in Timmins hosted a
general membership meeting at lunchtime the Friday before where they
presented the mugs. Local 652 in Chapleau distributed the mugs at their
general membership meeting, Nov. 27.
Local 638 vice-president Suzanne Morin reports that they
celebrated OAD Recognition Day in style in Hearst. They had a white
tablecloth, non-alcoholic champagne, Belgian chocolates and the OPSEU coffee
mugs. Suzanne says, “It was the royal treatment for the nine Office
Administrative members within our local. Every member in the Hearst Ontario
Government Building joined in at coffee break to toast and show respect to
these wonderful people who provide excellent service to the people in our
communities.”
Thunder Bay
Mobilizers Ernie Brayshaw and Terri Morris report: “We had
events at both court houses, Local 710, and one of the larger government
sites. At the courts, we had a pizza lunch. With the other locals, we
delivered the mugs and brought around cans of Tim Hortons coffee. Local 722
ordered a cake and coffee in the morning. Local 714 did veggie and fruit
trays. Local 736 handed out the mugs and had coffee. For Locals 701 and 706,
we dropped off coffee.”
