Central/Unified: We did it!
At 3:45 a.m. on Dec. 24, the Central and Unified
Bargaining Teams did what many said couldn’t be done: They
signed a tentative agreement for a new collective agreement. And
they did it without a strike vote, and before the current
contract expired. The bargaining teams are unanimously
recommending that their members accept the deal.
For OPSEU, this is an historic and
ground-breaking achievement.
“We have made huge strides in OPS bargaining,”
said Eric Morin, Chair of the Central/Unified teams. “From the
beginning, we told the employer and our members that all we
wanted was a fair and reasonable offer. We believe that we have
it, and are happy to recommend our members accept it.
Highlights of the four-year agreement include:
-
A wage increase of 1.75 per cent in the
first year, and 2 percent per year in the remaining three
years
-
Increases for special cases for Conservation
Officers, Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists,
Physical Laboratory Technologists, Nurses, Geoscientists,
Safety Instruction Officers, Senior Marine Engineers, Vessel
Masters and Waste and Water Project Operators
-
Increases to shift premiums, on-call rates
and meal allowances
-
Max + merit now converted to step on the
wage grid
-
A new wage level for Systems Officers
-
The creation of 230 new Information and
Information Technology positions
-
Improvements for unclassified employees on
seniority provisions and bereavement leave
-
Unclassifieds to move through wage grid
based on actual hours worked
-
Unclassifieds to receive 4.6 per cent
holiday pay in recognition of Family Day
-
Reduction of the dental deductible to $50
per year
-
Improvements to dental benefits, including
pit and fissure coverage and major restorative
-
New coverage for vaccines, and having the
cost of eye exams not included in the $340 allowance.
-
Employer to pay 100 per cent of the premiums
on vision and hearing aids
-
Improvements for court reporters with
respect to garment replacements
-
RPTs and seasonal employees have access to
posted jobs
-
Wage increases for student employees
Big takeaways staved off
Major progress was made on the employer’s big
three takeaways, Termination Pay Accrual, Surplus Factor 80 and
Reasonable Efforts.
The loss of accrual for Termination Pay only
applies to employees who resign – those who retire still receive
their full entitlement of one week of pay for every year of
service to a maximum of 26 weeks. Surplus Factor 80 still
applies to all members, but it is now the last option after
bumping and redeployment. These two provisions were to assist
the government in retaining their senior experienced people.
As for the loss of “reasonable efforts”
language, the employer removed that proposal from the bargaining
table.
This historic agreement would not have happened
without the incredible work of some very dedicated people.
“First, I want to thank our teams,” said Eric
Morin. “They worked very hard and made a lot of sacrifices to
get to this agreement. We also had amazing support from OPSEU
staff negotiators and Head Office staff who kept us on track.
Then there are our member mobilizers: The work they did to
spread the word and get the members excited about bargaining was
phenomenal. Never in the history of OPS bargaining have more
members been engaged and interested in their contract.”
But the biggest salute, Morin says, goes to the
members themselves.
“It was our members who made the difference.
They gave us their trust and support, and, when the time came,
showed their strength and solidarity in the workplace. So much
so, the employer voiced their concerns about it at the
bargaining table. That is what really brought everything
together.”
Watch for the agreements in early January
The full agreements, along with a more detailed
analysis of the offer, will be posted in early January. On Jan.
17, OPS Local Presidents will meet in Toronto to hear from the
bargaining teams. Voting on the tentative agreements will take
place from Jan. 27-29.
Details times and locations of the OPS
president’s meeting and the vote times and locations will be
available in the New Year.
Corrections stands firm
Late Monday night, the Corrections team asked
the employer for a final offer after failing to get the employer
to stop their attack on sick time.
The Corrections Team persisted throughout
Tuesday to get the employer to respond, but the employer didn’t
respond until late Tuesday night. Unfortunately, the removal of
Correctional Officers and Youth Workers from the OPS sick plan
remained in the employer’s offer.
“We have vowed to stand firm on this issue,”
said David Kerr, Chair of the Corrections Team. “The employer is
determined to punish our members for what is basically the
employer’s negligence in allowing our institutions to
deteriorate. They refuse to correct the problems, and want to
blame our members for suffering the effects.”
The employer’s offer contains the same wage
increase as the Unified bargaining unit along with a special
adjustment for Correctional Officers and Youth Workers, as well
as slight improvements to meal allowance and on-call pay.
Schedule 6 Probation and Probation and Parole Officers would
receive time and one-half pay for working overtime on weekends
and holidays, but only if pre-authorized by the employer. The
employer also wants to create only 10 (ten) PO3 positions
province-wide, which would be filled by competition. The
employer has also offered a 50/30 pension option, which would
allow Correctional Officers and Youth Workers to retire if they
are both 50 years old AND have 30 years service (this currently
affects less than 400 members). But all of this hinges on the
acceptance of the employer’s punitive sick time plan.
“Our team will meet again on January 5 to
consider and determine our next steps,” Kerr said. “Until then
we ask our members to continue to show solidarity in the
workplace.”
What
now?
All members are asked to rest up and have a
great holiday. No further information will be available until
January 5, 2009.
Thanks to all for your support and hard work.
See you in the New Year!
Original authorized for distribution:
Eric Morin, Chair Central/Unified Team
David Kerr, Chair Corrections Team
Warren (Smokey) Thomas, President Ontario Public
Service Employees Union
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