Issue #7 October 25, 2001
Moving on site agreements
This week our team has been putting essential service issues forward to the mediator/arbitrators and we are making progress on moving through the site agreements. The employer has tabled almost all of the relevant documents with us. We thank the resource people who have been invaluable in giving us the
information we need to verify the employer's position.
Where's my special case?
The bargaining team received a lot of questions from members about special case submissions. All of the special case submissions that have been received have been catalogued and separated for discussion during issue bargaining. Special case submissions are not recorded in the demand review books, but
don't panic - we do have them. All of the submissions will be given due consideration when we begin to look at the issues as a whole.
Mobilization endorsed by Board
The OPS contract mobilization campaign has received 100 per cent unanimous endorsement by the OPSEU Executive Board.
This endorsement ensures that members of the OPS will have full resources to get the best contract possible in this round of bargaining.
Get involved, and help us get you the “A” contract you deserve.
80 activists attend mobilization meeting
A Queen’s Park cluster lunch hour information session on October 22nd drew over 80 stewards and activists. The huge turnout was a solid indicator that activists in the Queen’s Park area are ready to organize for the collective agreement that they deserve. All locals within the Queen’s Park cluster were present.
“This show of solidarity and strength from Queen’s Park is very encouraging,” said Sandra Noad, OAD representative on the Central Team. “Queen’s Park is the ‘heart’ of the government and this strategic location must be the strong link.”
Other guests at the meeting were Region 7 Central Team member Joe Catroppa, unclassified organizer Paul Myers and Local 542 LEC member Peggy Maybury from the Region 5 Queen’s Park Mobilization Office.
The meeting, co-chaired by former Region 5 vice-presidents David Rapaport and Gary Shaul, included a bargaining update, an overview of bargaining timelines and upcoming cluster activities.
“Once again, we see that hard work and effective communications are key to mobilization,” said David Rapaport.
Unclassified mobilizers plug members in
Unclassified members in the OPS have mobilizers working for them. Paul Myers from the Ministry of the Attorney General (Toronto Superior Court) and Neil Fraser from the Ministry of Correctional Services (Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre) are working to assist the mobilization of every unclassified
member in the province. You can contact these two members at the Unclassified Workers Mobilization Unit at 1-800-268-7376 ext. 382. You can also reach them by e-mail at pmyers@opseu.org or nfraser@opseu.org.
Meet your team members
Sandra Noad, Central Team Member
 The Central Team’s very own version of Anne Robinson from the television show, Weakest Link, Sandra is the only returning member from the 1999 Central Team.
A member of the OPS since 1979, Sandra became involved in OPSEU as a steward and has been the president of Local 101 on and off for the last 10 years. She currently holds the position of 1st vice president at her local.
Sandra has had some up close and personal experience with the protection afforded in the OPSEU contract.
“I’ve been surplussed twice during my career in the OPS,” Sandra said. “The collective agreement has kept me working. I believe in the collective agreement and especially in the importance of enforcing it.”
Sandra is a very open and honest person and over the years she has been on a variety of OPSEU committees. Sandra is the past chair of the Ministry of Health Employee Relations Committee (MERC) and is currently a member of the Central Employee Relations Committee (CERC).
So how does Sandra feel about the current negotiations?
“This round of bargaining will be a true test of the membership,” Sandra said. “We’ve had one round with a strike and one round without. It’s time we showed the employer how valuable the collective bargaining process is to our members, and how much our contract means to us.”
Sandra is a proud member of Office Administration (OAD) bargaining unit, the largest group in the OPS. “I'm proud of what I do as a public servant, and,” Sandra says in her British accent, “the OAD group is not the weakest link!”
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) 364-7580 (after hours), jeffbendig@hotmail.com
Teri Breau-Auzins
L. 506, (416) 721-2767 (after hours), teriauzins@home.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@home.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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