The Factual Report on Corrections Negotiations

Issue 15 - December 20, 2001

“As we approach the end of the year and the beginning of real issues bargaining your corrections team would like to thank you for your continuing support. The employer’s opening positions indicate that we have a very tough road ahead of us over the next few months. With your strong backing, we will get a good contract. Beginning early in January we will be asking members in locals across the province to do specific things to show the employer that you back your team. Every member who helps moves us closer to that good contract.” Barry Scanlon, Chair, Corrections Bargaining Team

Tuesday December 18 was the official ‘kick off’ of issue bargaining. Both teams submitted their list of demands to the employer and vice versa.

This employer continues to fail to recognize that the corrections category has separate and unique issues. They have not yet agreed to discuss our list of demands as they claim most of our issues fall on the Central Table. With the support of the members, the Corrections Bargaining Team firmly believes that we can and will bargain these issues at our table.

This week, the employer submitted their list of demands (takeaways) to the Central Team. The following is quick overview of those employer demands:

For more details on both the employer’s and the Central Team’s lists of demands, read “The Real Deal,” the newsletter of the Central Team. It is available on the OPSEU website by clicking here.

The following is a list of demands submitted by your Corrections Bargaining Team:

‘Call Back’ is the only issue tabled by the employer at this point. “Let the games begin!”

The “brown bags” are still coming in.

An acting manager in southern Ontario has sent your Corrections Bargaining Team a complete, worksite-specific Legal Strike Response plan. The bundle includes communications plans, emergency procedures, a health and safety plan, a plan to deal with mass staff sickness and a province-wide Strike Response template.

This type of information is invaluable to your bargaining team - keep it coming.

Staff at the Toronto Jail are being ordered to produce medical certificates for all sick time usage, in direct violation of the collective agreement. This policy places a presumption of abuse of sick time on employees availing themselves of their rights under the collective agreement.

As a direct result, some employees are forced to take a second day off to obtain a medical certificate. “This policy is unconscionable,” said Jack Hopkins, Corrections Bargaining Team member. “This is a waste of taxpayer dollars and valuable medical resources.”

Such policies have no place in the modern workplace. Taxpayers’ hard earned tax dollars are being wasted and our already overburdened health care providers are being further overloaded with what can only be described as a draconian policy.

Corrections Bargaining Team Vice Chair Dave Graves said, “The politicians would make better use of their time if they were to reign in this type of management abuse instead of trying to score cheap political points at the expense of dedicated correctional workers.”

This week, Santa and his elves were busy making their rounds as they dropped off fire barrels and wood to some institutions. On Monday and Tuesday, Sudbury, Sault Ste Marie, Monteith and the Northern Treatment Center held fire barrel luncheons. The purpose of the fire barrels was to show support for the bargaining team on the first day of issue bargaining. All these locals, including Probation and Parole, will continue to wear the black armbands every Tuesday.

Sudbury Jail went one step further by having a grand opening for their strike trailer, which is now up and ready to go.

Staff at the Thunder Bay Jail donned black armbands on Tuesday in a show of solidarity for the members in the Corrections Bargaining Unit. Black ribbons are also being attached to car antennas until a new collective agreement is reached.

Kenora Jail has joined the effort by putting black ribbons on their antennas and has “something up their sleeve” for next week.

The Corrections Bargaining Team applauds the efforts of the members in leading the solidarity efforts.

This week, the Correct View profiles none other than the “Resolution Warrior” himself, Len Mason.

A serious “headbanger” from way back, Len started with the Ministry of Corrections at the Thunder Bay Jail in 1988. The following year, Len became a member of the Local 737 Local Executive Committee, and has held an executive position ever since. Currently, Len holds the position of Local President. In addition to his local responsibilities, Len is an executive member of the Thunder Bay and District Labour Council and is treasurer of the Thunder Bay and District Area Council.

Len has been extremely active in the OPSEU campaign to stop jail privatization. He is personally responsible for 203 of the 271 council resolutions supporting public facilities and is proud of that achievement.

A passionate writer, Len is the editor of Local 737’s newsletter, The Guardian. He is also on the editorial board of In Solidarity and the managing editor of The Correct View.

When he is not busy with union activities, Len enjoys spending time with his dog, “Hey Jude,” as well as hunting, fishing and playing baseball.

Asked what attracted him to run for the corrections bargaining team, Len said, “The All-Presidents meeting empowered the corrections division to negotiate on a broader base. I wanted to be a part of that process. I’m hoping that my communication skills and strong work ethic will help the team achieve its goals.”

Len feels that Factor 75, a respectable wage recovery and the Probation and Parole special case are extremely important issues in this round of bargaining. Len knows that to achieve these and other goals the corrections division must stand as one.

“I have full confidence in the corrections division,” Len said. “I truly believe that they will do whatever it takes to achieve a fair and respectable collective agreement.”

The Correct View will be available by fax, by e-mail, and on the OPSEU web site at www.opseu.org . To receive it directly, send your secure fax number to Lesley Williams at (416) 443-1762 or send your e-mail address to lwilliams@opseu.org.

The Correct View is authorized for distribution by Barry Scanlon, chair, Corrections team, and Leah Casselman, president.