“The hospital strikers have demonstrated that you don't get a job done unless you show the Man you're not afraid...If you're not willing to pay that price, then you don't deserve the rewards or benefits that go along with it.” - Malcolm X, speaking at a rally in support of striking 1199 hospital workers, New York, July 22, 1962

Non-cooperation is the word

At the Corrections Caucus on Sat., Feb. 16, the Corrections Bargaining Team requested that all locals ask acting managers and those in secondments (other than those being accommodated) to move back to their home positions effective Fri., Feb. 22. We need their support at this critical time. In addition, we are asking locals to resist any type of cooperation with the employer.

“Why would we help an employer who is making preparations to take us on in a strike?” asked Barry Scanlon, chair of the Corrections Team. “We should not be doing anything that makes life easier for them.”

Over the next few weeks, things are going to get quite nasty. The more work we do now (prior to a strike), the more likely we will be able to achieve a good contract.

Corrections Team member barred from jail

Region 7 Corrections Team member Len Mason has been told he’s not welcome at the Kenora Jail.

Mason, who was to tour the jail with OPSEU president Leah Casselman, will have to cool his heels outside while President Casselman does her walk through.

“After working for 14 years at the Thunder Bay Jail, I’m not surprised,” Mason said. “Visitors, including those from other countries and sometimes even those who have criminal records, are welcomed into Ontario jails. People who actually work in the system, but happen to be union activists, are not.”

Local Negotiations - NOT YET!

Your Corrections Bargaining Team again reminds locals not to enter into any negotiations with the employer.

While we are legally obliged to conclude essential services on schedule, we don’t have to conclude them ahead of schedule. You don’t have to even review the eligibility list until Feb. 25. Do not agree to anything until after the contract offer vote has taken place and the ballot count is completed.

Essential services, picket line protocols, rotations and police protocols can wait. Do not feel pressured to enter into any local negotiations. The employer hasn’t been in much of a rush to bargain with your team, so why bargain with them at the local level?

The employer is also trying to do special joint “pre-strike” health and safety tours. There is no requirement for these pre-strike tours, so just say NO. Just do your obligatory monthly inspections.

We strongly recommend that you contact your regional bargaining team member if you have any questions regarding this issue.

Tattoo, where are you?

We have intercepted the following correspondence from Ministry of Correctional Services Regional Director Midge Ravensdale on how to deal with members who wear makeup or any statements of personal choice on their body:

We have not yet received a final decision on what approach we should take to staff who are wearing tattoos on their faces of the OPSEU logo. Until further direction is received, we are permitting staff to wear the tattoos provided they are not working in public view. If they do work in public view, then we should ask them to remove them and if they fail to do so then we should order them to remove them and go thru the process, needless to say this process should be as non-confrontational as possible.

Before any discipline is rendered though, you are asked to consult with me. (RDs: we have developed this interim approach in consultation with Staff Relations so I’m sharing it with you in the event you are faced with the same activity.)

Midge Ravensdale, Regional Director, AIS, Northern Region
Ministry of Correctional Services

This statement shows the life threatening issues that management must deal with on a daily basis. Issues such as what members wear on their faces seem to be paramount. Obviously, this issue is way more important to the employer than the health and safety problems, overcrowding, daily occurring overtime and security threats in our facilities.

Unclassified staff have choice of opting out

In accordance with the Conditions document for the Essential Services and Collective Agreement Negotiations (page 5), part-time employees have the choice of requesting to opt out of the Essential Services draw. If you are an unclassified member and wish to request to opt out, speak to a member of your local executive to fill out the form.

At some institutions, 100 per cent of the unclassified staff have requested to opt out. “The Corrections Bargaining Team has not requested this,” said Rick Dagenais, Corrections Bargaining Team member, “but we support the decisions of all unclassified staff and their locals.”

You can reach the bargaining team at (416) 815-0284 or by e-mail at correctionsteam@opseu.org.

The Correct View is your only accurate source of Corrections Team information during this round of bargaining. If you don’t read it here, you can't be sure it's true. Don’t rely on gossip and rumours. We will provide the facts.