June 29, 2001

Bill 25 passes:
Table set for bargaining

The Harris government has passed Bill 25 - changes to the Public Service Act that will have a major impact on our bargaining.

Did they listen to our members’ call to keep public services public and maintain good permanent jobs in the OPS? No.

OPSEU members from the OPS dominated the 1½ hours allowed for public hearings on the bill. They talked about the importance of an impartial, professional and accountable public service. They called on the government to abandon Bill 25.

Despite those efforts, the Tories pushed Bill 25 through the Legislature on Tuesday, June 26.

In the Legislature, the Tories have a majority. They have the power to pass any legislation they wish.

The next step to putting Bill 25 into effect comes in negotiations with OPSEU for the next OPS contract - and in that forum the Tories do NOT hold a majority. They do NOT have the power to push anything they wish into the contract.

We have the power to stop them.

The government has set their side of the table for this round of bargaining. They want a more ‘flexible’ and ‘disposable’ workforce. They want to be able to contract out management to the private sector. They want more people to have access to your personnel files.

Bill 25 lets them do all of this. The only thing holding them back now is the OPS collective agreement.

The term classified positions, three-year unclassified, control by a boss from a different ministry or the private sector, and greater access to your personnel file are on the employer’s bargaining agenda.

Forewarned is forearmed. We know what they will be coming for in this round of bargaining.

And they don’t hold a majority at the bargaining table.

This signals a tough round of bargaining.

It won’t be easy to maintain the integrity of the existing contract and make the gains you have identified through demand setting. It is going to take work from everyone.

The government made three changes to the bill as a result of the hearings, two of which are small, but important victories for OPS members. We won them as a result of the Bill 25 protests and the hard work of all members who appeared at the hearings.

1. The government narrowed down the rights of private operators and contracted-out managers to dismiss OPS members. Under the change, only a public servant may dismiss with cause an OPS member. The private managers will still maintain the right to transfer or discipline.

2. Private sector managers will have only limited access to personal information. Your medical information from a qualified medical practitioner can not be used. The rest of the Bill 25 changes enabling the disclosure, collection, and use of all other personal information across the OPS is now possible.

A third change expands the Tories’ gift to the Ontario Provincial Police Association (OPPA). Bill 25 gives the OPPA a one-time chance to try to organize OPSEU civilians working at the OPP. Now, civilian instructors from the Ontario Police College are added to the list.

The government is bent on destroying the future of public services. Bill 25 gives them more options. Our contract can restrict them.

Bill 25 has huge job security implications for all OPS members.

Our collective agreement is our tool to defend us against the Bill 25 changes. It’s even more important than usual to support your bargaining teams.

The government tried to get some of the changes Bill 25 permits into our last contract, but we fought them off. We will have to do that again to get the contract that all OPS members need and deserve.

Mobilizing means preparing people for action and moving into action.

We should have the OPS Service Area Co-ordinating Groups up and running in September. We are developing training and actions to support the bargaining team. The areas groups will support local executive committees and bargaining councils with local mobilizing.

Check with your team members, your executive board members, or your local service reps for details. More information will be available through Table Talk as the details are hammered out in the coming weeks.

And there is always new information on the OPSEU web page: http://www.opseu.org/ops/bargaining/index.htm .

Region 1: Steve Nield, L. 123
Region 2: Marg Simmons, L. 263 (Chair)
Region 3: Laurie Chapman, L. 323
Region 4: Jeff Bendig, L. 434
Region 5: Teri Breau-Auzins, L. 506
Region 6: Serge Valcourt, L. 634
Region 7: Joseph Catroppa, L. 736
Administrative Category: Michel Chaumont, L. 623
Corrections Category: Mark Kotanen, L. 128 (Vice-Chair)
Institutional and Health Care Category: James Roland, L. 720
Office Administration Category: Sandra Noad, L. 101
Technical/Operational and Maintenance Category: Peter Wall, L. 638
Unclassified Workers: Darwin Lacelle, L. 447

Jack Hopkins, L. 122
Barry Scanlon, L. 230 (chair)
Larry Cripps, L. 309
Thomas James Bothwell, L. 467
Dave Graves, L. 521
Rick Dagenais, L. 642
Len Mason, L. 737

To receive Table Talk by e-mail or fax, send your e-mail address to lwilliams@opseu.org or fax your fax number to L. Williams at (416) 443-1762.

For more OPSEU information, check out the website:www.opseu.org

Getting an “A” Contract, our OPS mobilization booklet, is now available at OPSEU Regional Offices. Stop by and pick up copies for your Local Executive Committee and Local Bargaining Council.

Produced by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, 100 Lesmill Road, Toronto M3B 3P8.
Web: www.opseu.org; e-mail: opseu@opseu.org.
Original authorized for distribution by Leah Casselman, president. 

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