|
June 5, 2001
June is Local Demand Review month -
take part!
OPSEU members in the Ontario Public Service
are finalizing their demands this month in preparation for contract
talks later this year. Local Demand Review is the last stage
in the demand-setting process that began five months ago.
All OPS locals have now received the complete
package of demands. Their job now is to make sure that the
priorities that came out of the February demand-setting meetings are
the right ones.
“It is very important that as many members
as possible take part in the Local Demand Review,” said OPSEU
president Leah Casselman. “When we get into negotiations, our
bargaining teams need to know that they are fighting for exactly
what the members want.”
Bill 25 affects
bargaining
Local Demand Review is different this year
because of Bill 25.
Introduced April 30, Bill 25 changes the
Public Service Act and parts of the Crown Employees Collective
Bargaining Act. It will allow the employer to hire new unclassified
employees for up to three years. It will let the employer create a
new category of “term classified” employee. It will let private
operators be the boss of government employees. It will let private
operators change some workplace rules that, currently, can only be
changed by Cabinet. It will override the rules of the Ontario Labour
Relations Act to give the Ontario Provincial Police Association the
chance to absorb some 2,500 OPSEU members. More details on the Bill
are at http://www.opseu.org/campaign/bill25index.htm
.
Bill 25 creates a new bargaining environment
for OPS employees. We may need a few new demands to deal with this
new reality. If so, Local Demand Review is the place to create them.
For more information on Local Demand Review and how it works,
contact your local president or next-ranking local officer.
Make a presentation to the public
hearings on Bill 25
The government has agreed to one day of public
hearings on Bill 25. We do not yet know what day it will be, but it
will likely be either June 11, 13, or 18. Time is short - they want
to pass the Bill June 19. If you’ve got something to say about
this law, take part in the public hearings! To get on the list, send
your request to:
Standing Committee on General Government
c/o Anne Stokes, Clerk of the Committee
Rm. 1405, Whitney Block, 99 Wellesley St W.
Toronto, Ontario M7A 1A2
E-mail and fax requests are accepted. E-mail:
anne_stokes@ontla.ola.org
Fax: (416) 325-3505
All you have to say is something like, “This
is to formally request standing before the Standing Committee on
General Government to make remarks on Bill 25.” Make
sure to include a phone number so the clerk can reach you.
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.
|
