Bargaining 2008
 

January 19,2009

OPS Presidents stand solid in support of their teams

OPS local presidents met in Toronto on Sat., Jan. 17 to hear first-hand about the upcoming contract vote.

OPSEU President Smokey Thomas welcomed the delegates, calling this vote a historic occasion in the OPS. He also thanked Central/Unified Bargaining Team Chair Eric Morin for his leadership in getting the Central and Unified tentative agreements and for all his work over the past five years. Eric will be stepping down from his role as CERC chair after this term.

Thomas then called on all members of the OPS to support the Corrections Bargaining Unit in opposing what he called “heinously unworkable and insulting” Corrections contract offer that would “lead to a generation of acrimony in the institutions.”

“We need Corrections’ members to give the bargaining team a 100 per cent strike vote,” Thomas said. “We know the issues and we know the fight. Whatever shot the team calls, we will support them.”

Prior to leading the delegates through the Central and Unified tentative agreement, Eric Morin thanked and individually acknowledged the OPS mobilizers. “The ability to book off mobilizers during bargaining was a huge gain from the previous round,” he said. “These tentative agreements are living proof the process worked, and come as a result of our collective will and leadership.”

Eric also thanked the Executive Board Members, local presidents and a number of OPSEU staff for their support during bargaining. “We have benefited from our collective leadership. This is truly a collective achievement.” 

Morin then took the delegates through the agreements and answered dozens of questions from the floor. Many presidents stood and congratulated the teams for getting to the agreements. “Our teams believe this was everything we could get,” Morin said. “We fully support these tentative contracts.”

Corrections Bargaining Team chair David Kerr then led the delegates through the Corrections offer, which his team is unanimously recommending Corrections members reject.

A motion was put on the floor that the Corrections local presidents support the rejection vote. The motion passed unanimously. “This sends a clear message that our bargaining unit supports the team and will not accept a substandard deal,” Kerr said. “Our fight is everyone’s fight. If we don’t stand up to this employer, the rest of the OPS will be next.”

OPSEU 1st Vice-President/Treasurer Patty Rout assured Corrections members the union was behind them. “When the time comes, Corrections will have all the support it needs.”

OPS members will vote on the contract Jan. 27-29. Vote locations and times are now available at http://www.opseu.org/ops/barg2008/index.htm.