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Draft speaking notes for May 2, 2002 news conference
Posted 12:30 pm
On March 13, 2002 45,000 OPSEU members in the Ontario Public Service went on strike against the Ontario government.
The government gave our union no choice.
Not only were the Tories determined to ignore our just and reasonable demands; they also attempted to extort a series of vicious concessions.
I am here today to say that we have a tentative agreement that reflects the courage and determination of our members.
Arrangements are being made as we speak to provide our members will full details of the agreement and give them an opportunity to vote on it soon as possible.
On March 13, our members withdrew their services, and they made this government listen.
Through bad weather, management harassment, and over 150 picket line injunctions, our members backed their bargaining teams. They backed them on the picket line, and, where essential services workers were on the job, they backed their teams inside the workplace.
They withstood the stress of not knowing what was happening, they withstood a barrage of management propaganda, paid for at taxpayers’ expense, and they withstood the stress of sacrificing over $26 million per week in lost wages to fight this employer.
Right across this province, from Ear Falls to Whitney to Hawkesbury to Windsor, OPSEU members have taken part in a grassroots communications project like this province has never seen.
After 51 days, the Ontario public now has a clearer idea than ever before of the absolutely crucial work that our members do.
We stop poachers.
We supervise pedophiles in the community.
We teach deaf and blind children.
We provide psychiatric care.
We inspect water treatment plants.
We prevent workers from being killed on the job.
We are Ontario’s front line of defence – even, and especially, when the attackers are the elected officials who currently call themselves the government of Ontario.
As you can appreciate, the agreement we have was signed this morning at 6:00 a.m., so we are not able to give you full documentation on every single thing that is included in the new tentative agreement. However, we can provide highlights.
First, in the area of pensions, we have fought and won an historic defensive battle.
As you may know, our members’ pensions are administered through the OPSEU Pension Trust, jointly trusteed by a Board of five union and five employer representatives.
Under the terms of the Trust, all surpluses in the fund are split 50-50 between plan members and the government.
The next valuation of the plan will reveal that, over the last seven years, the Trust has generated over $2 billion in surpluses, with our half being $1 billion.
The employer tried to seize control of that money, and effectively rob members of over $140 million a year in an average year.
Public service workers began fighting for pension control in the 1960s. We achieved it in the 1990s.
I want to say to all those workers who have come before us, living and dead, We did not let you down. We have held on to the Trust that binds past generations of public employees with future generations.
The OPSEU Pension Trust gives more workers more control over more money than any pension plan I know of. We knew this employer would come after the Trust eventually. I am pleased to say the employer has failed in this attempt.
As you may know, wages for public service employees at the start of 2002 were 12 per cent below what they were at the start of 1994.
While we hope to make more forward progress in the next round, we have, in this contract, come very close to restoring our buying power to what it was. Wage improvements are as follows:
§ an increase of 8.45 per cent over three years, plus an additional one per cent per year for employees at the top of the pay grid in every category except Corrections; and
§ an increase 8.45 per cent over three years, plus an additional immediate five per cent increase for workers in the Corrections Category; plus
§ immediate wage hikes for workers in several job classifications, including medical and chemical laboratory technologists, classroom assistants and school aides in provincial schools, Conservation officers, Transportation Enforcement Officers, Probation and Parole officers, and
others.
Over 26 per cent of public service employees work on contract, as “unclassified” employees.
These workers, the most exploited in the public service, have won the following improvements:
§ All contract or “unclassified” employees will see their pay in lieu of benefits increase to six per cent. That is up from two per cent for full-time unclassified workers, and up from zero for all other unclassified workers.
§ The time required for conversion to permanent status will be reduced from 24 months to 18 months on the job.
§ Seniority for contract workers in correctional facilities is recognized for purposes of transfer, and layoff, and job competitions within individual institutions.
On benefits for OPSEU members, we have won improvements in the areas of hearing, vision, and semi-private hospital care. The employer will now pay 100 per cent of the Premiums for Long Term Income Protection and Life Insurance.
There are also improvements to leave provisions, kilometric rates, and other items too numerous to mention here.
I am not here to give the impression that OPSEU members have not paid a high price for this contract. They have.
But this is nothing new for unions.
Without union struggle, our society would not have the health and social programs it has.
It would have a much less equal distribution of wealth.
More workers would be killed on the job.
Wages and working conditions would, in general, be worse.
And we wouldn’t have such a thing as weekends.
I am extremely proud of our members today, as I am every day. Each and every OPSEU member who fought for this contract is, today, a hero. I salute them all.
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