Issue #34 March 17, 2002
Welcome to week 6
It’s hard to believe that we have been on strike for only five days. It has been an incredible week! It feels like Week 6, a continuation from 1996, rather than Week 1.
Picket lines are strong across the province and there is a real sense of strength everywhere.
The employer has decided that rather than come back to the table and negotiate, they will meet us daily at the Labour Board. We’re there arguing over a continuing series of charges of violating Essential Services Agreements.
This is costing the government thousands of dollars - money we’d be happy to accept into our offer.
They are playing a game of control, while we want to negotiate a fair deal at the table. The Employer walked away at 10:30 a.m on Tuesday, March 12 and has not returned since.
Our inside strategy is working, and that is evident by the employer’s tactics. They are taking us to the Labour Board on every front, trying to get decisions to block us. It isn’t working. While some of the decisions have slowed us down, they in no way have prevented you from continuing with your strategies. And
some of their tactics have been found to be illegal.
“To those of you on the inside, we cannot tell you how much your efforts mean to the success of this strike, said Team Chair Marg Simmons.
“We are maintaining professionalism in our Psychiatric Hospitals, Facilities for the Developmentally Handicapped and any other place where we serve people. Our fight is not with our clients but rather with our employer.
“The employer has suggested that we are putting people at risk. We say it is they who are choosing to put people at risk by refusing to come to the table and end this struggle,” she said.
“To those of you on the outside, stay strong,” said Simmons. “We have fewer people crossing the lines, fewer disturbances on the lines and more support being given by the community.”
Your central bargaining team plans to rally behind Leah Casselman during her court appearance in Newmarket on Monday, March 18. A judge in Newmarket cited Leah for contempt of court when prison inmates did not make it for a scheduled court appearance. She is scheduled to appear at 9:30 Monday.
If you are able to join us, please contact your mobilization office to find out departure times.
How to contact your team members
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
The Real Deal is your only accurate source of Central 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.
The Real Deal 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 Real Deal is authorized for distribution by Marg Simmons, chair, Central team, and Leah Casselman, president.
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