Issue #21  February 7, 2002

As reported last week, your negotiating teams called for conciliation on Thurs., Jan. 24. Why did we do this? Because the employer’s hired help said no, no, no and no to all of our proposals to get things moving. Nothing that the employer has done has been productive.

That being said, make no mistake about what your bargaining team is here to do. We are here to negotiate a collective agreement. When the conciliators show up on Fri., Feb. 8, we will bargain in good faith. However, the employer has given us no reason to believe that conciliation will produce any significant change.

What exactly does that mean?

That means that should conciliation fail, we will be looking to you for your support. We will need to come to you and ask you for a strike mandate in order to get a contract worthy of you and your families. Imagine what we can do when “they” know that 45,000 people are with us at the table!

The time lines

While conciliation, in and of itself, does not trigger any time-lines, failure at conciliation will. You will know the time lines immediately should that happen.

We have received many questions about when to do the essential service draw. When you received your essential service agreements, a conditions document was attached. On Page 11 of the document, you will find Stage One. The ninth step of this process states, “after either party requests conciliation under the Ontario Labour Relations Act, an ordered list of all names will be created using a draw jointly conducted by ‘worksite’ union and management representatives, to ensure random selection.”

Local leaders are free to conduct these draws anytime between now and five days prior to a strike vote, at their convenience.

It should be noted that this process is not currently a part of the Corrections strategy. Stay tuned to the Correct View for further details from the Corrections table.

Local managers and police departments have been trying to set up meetings to enter into picket line protocols with our members. Do not enter into these discussions! No local picket line protocol agreements are to be made.

Should this message change, you will be informed in this publication and only in this publication.

On Mon., Feb. 4, the Ontario Labour Relations Board held a hearing with regards to what could be bargained at the Corrections Team table. Arbitrator Whitaker ruled that the following items are Central Table issues:

· Autonomy
· Temporary Assignments (new Corrections article),
· Unclassified other than seasonal, students and go temps - new Corrections articles dealing with seniority and conversion

On Tues., Feb. 12, we are asking people to wear blue in support of the Rebuild the OPS rallies taking place on that day. Contact your SACG (Service Area Coordinating Group) to find out how to participate.

Members are also asked to wear red on Feb. 14 in support of our Office Administration (OA) members. The OA group will be participating in events across the province on that day, such as the OA appreciation lunch at MacDonald Block in Toronto. OA members are reminded to get their “new” Office Action Memos as soon as possible. Contact your SACG for details.

Black and Blue theme begins the week of Feb. 20. Members are asked to wear black on Tuesday and blue on Thursday. Our message: We’re tired of getting beat up by this government!

The idea that major cuts to public services are justified by an alleged $5 billion deficit is “irrational arithmetic” designed to terrorize front-line public employees in contract talks with the Ontario government, says OPSEU president Leah Casselman.

“This is a bogus crisis from the John Snobelen School of Bogus Crises,” President Casselman said. “The real crisis in Ontario is not a financial crisis, it is a public service crisis. The report of the Walkerton Inquiry revealed a public service devastated by cuts, layoffs, privatization, and mismanagement at the highest levels. The provincial auditor has pointed out ‘critical’ deficiencies in Ontario food safety and gross mismanagement of road safety. Ontario probation and parole officers have the highest caseloads of any in Canada. They have, on average, only 30 minutes a month to meet with convicted sex offenders.”

“I don’t know what has to happen for the Tories to get it through their thick skulls: their policies kill people.”

“If this government were really concerned with the province’s finances, they’d stop privatizing public services and get companies like Andersen Consulting out of the public trough,” Casselman said.

“Cross the river in a crowd and the crocodile won't eat you.”  Proverb from Madagascar

You can contact the Central Team directly at (416) 815-1406, by fax at (416) 815-1412 or by e-mail at centralteam@opseu.org 

Marg Simmons
Chair, L. 263, (905) 844-5239 (after hours)

Mark Kotanen,
Vice-chair, L. 128, (519) 336-6926 (after hours) mkotanen@tct.net 

Jeff Bendig
L. 434, (613) 264-7580 (after hours), jeffbendig@hotmail.com 

Teri Breau-Auzins
L. 506, (416) 721-2767 (after hours), teriauzins@rogers.com 

Joseph Catroppa
L. 736, (807) 628-5147 (after hours), jncat@tbaytel.net 

Laurie Chapman
L. 323, (705) 323-8172 (after hours), lchapman@bconnex.net 

Michel Chaumont
L. 623, chaumont@attcanada.net 

Darwin Lacelle
L. 447, 416 815 1406, dmlacell@nrtco.net

Steve Nield
L. 123, (519) 383-5643 (after hours)

Sandra Noad
L. 101, (519) 657-9518 (weekends), sanoad@rogers.com 

James Roland
L. 720, (807) 345-4609 (after hours), jimrol@hotmail.com 

Serge Valcourt
L. 634, (705) 497-4393 (after hours), opseu.634@sympatico.ca 

Peter Wall
L. 638, (416) 815-1406