Ontario Public Service

March 28, 2013 In a letter to all OPS Presidents, CERC Chair Roxanne Barnes explains the changes to the OPS sick pay article and how to deal with any issues. more...

January 31, 2013 More communities in Ontario’s north will suffer a huge loss of service as a result of government cuts to ServiceOntario counters.  more...  

OPS BARGAINING

January 24, 2013 Unionized provincial government employees have ratified a new two-year collective agreement with their employer, the Government of Ontario. more...
 

OPS Campaigns: Rethinking Ontario Place

January 24, 2013 Imagine the possibilities when 40 designers and creative leaders gather to image an alternative vision for Ontario Place. View a video of their activities at a special design charrette. more...

OPS BARGAINING

January 14, 2013 Questions and answers for members regarding the upcoming OPS Ratification Vote.   more...

January 14, 2013 Table Talk Update - The latest bargaining and mobilizing news for OPS members: A decent contract in the worst bargaining environment imaginable. That’s exactly what your bargaining teams have managed to achieve after hundreds of hours of bargaining sessions with the employer.  more...

January 11, 2013 The tentative agreements for Central, Unified and Corrections are now available, along with highlight documents to guide members through the changes. Voting on the tentative agreements will take place January 21-23.  more...

Ontario Public Service workers reach tentative agreement with Ontario Government

January 3, 2013 Ontario Public Service workers reach tentative agreement with Ontario Government  more..

January 9, 2013 After marathon bargaining sessions, your OPS Central/Unified and Corrections bargaining teams have reached settlement offers with the Ontario Government.. more...

Janaury 8, 2013 Ontario Liberals will choose a new leader and the next Premier on Saturday, Jan. 26. Join us at an early-morning rally outside Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto to send a strong message to delegates entering the Convention  more...

January 4, 2013 As per OPS policy, the Central/Unified and Corrections Bargaining Teams have called an OPS Local Presidents’ meeting for January 12, 2013 at the Hilton Suites, Markham. more...

NORTHERN ONTARIO CRISIS

January 4, 2013 The Ministry of Natural Resources is being targeted with a budget cut of 10 per cent over 3 years. Read this report to find out  more...

NOTICE

January 3, 2013 Being part of the Ontario Ranger Program was a life-changing experience for many Ontarians. Former rangers and their supporters will hold a rally at Queen’s Park on Friday calling on the McGuinty government to reverse its decision  more...

NEWS

December 26, 2012 Despite a marathon negotiating session that went until 4:30 a.m. Saturday morning, your Corrections Team did not reach an agreement on a new contract. more...
 

December 21, 2012 Table Talk Bargaining updates from your OPS teams. more...

December 20, 2012 The Ontario government will pay out bonuses to top managers in the Ontario Public Service this week, the union has learned. more...

BARGAINING 2012

December 3, 2012 Last week’s OPS Tele Town Halls were a big success. Thousands of OPS members joined the meetings by telephone to discuss important issues with the chairs of the bargaining team. more...

December 3, 2012 More than 22,000 OPS members have met with their bargaining heads and OPSEU president Warren (Smokey) Thomas by phone and overwhelmingly voted to take action to back their bargaining teams. more..

Join the Conversation on November 28 and 29

All OPS members are invited to participate in telephone town halls on November 28 and 29, 8 – 9 p.m. Ask questions of the Bargaining Team chairs and learn more about the employer’s opening offer and the union’s plan to bargain quality public services and prevent privatization. OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas will be the moderator  more...

November 13, 2012 OPSEU members working in the Queen’s Park complex are invited Thursday morning to drop by the St. Lawrence Lounge at 900 Bay Street for refreshments and bargaining information   more...

November 9, 2012 Bargaining for our new contract starts on Tuesday, November 13. Support your bargaining teams by wearing blue and a Choose Public lanyard or Corrections lapel pin  more...

NEWS

October 24, 2012  Today’s recommendations by the Commission for the Review of Social Assistance to download the Ontario Disability Support Plan (ODSP) and integrate it into Ontario Works will leave thousands of vulnerable Ontarians without long-term income support and force people with disabilities into precarious, low-wage jobs  more...

BARGAINING 2012

October 18, 2012 OPSEU members in Locals 546 and 585 confronted Labour Minister Linda Jeffrey to demand she reinstate 19 Employment Standards Officers her ministry laid off on Sept 20.  more...

CAMPAIGNS: SAVE THISTLETOWN

October 15, 2012 Parents have lost their faith in a provincial process that is forcing their adult children – 13 residents of Thistletown Regional Centre – to leave the facility which is slated for closure  more...

NEWS

October 3, 2012 Angered by a decision by the Minister of Labour to, first, hire 18 new Employment Standards Officer and then, three days later, lay off 19 more, members of Local 102 plan to demonstrate Oct. 4 in London  more...

BARGAINING 2012: TableTalk

October 1, 2012 Table Talk Update - The latest bargaining and mobilizing news for OPS members: After a week-long training session, your OPS bargaining teams are now well under way with preparations for the upcoming round of negotiations. more...

BARGAINING 2012: EVENTS

September 28, 2012 On the same day Finance Minister Dwight Finance announced legislation that would take away their constitutionally protected rights, more than 250 OPSEU members came out to donate non-perishable food items to the OPS Food Drive  more...

CAMPAIGNS: NORTHERN ONTARIO CRISIS

Duncan puts MNR on endangered species list

September 28, 2012 In his latest attack on public services Finance Minister Dwight Duncan had delivered even more cuts to a beleaguered Ministry of Natural Resources more...

NEWS

September 27, 2012 Correctional Officers at London’s Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre will hold an Information Picket on September 28 to protest the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services’ lack of action in addressing deteriorating jail conditions across the province.  more...

September 27, 2012 The Ontario Public Service Employees Union is calling on Finance Minister Dwight Duncan to get a ruling on the legality of his proposed public sector wage freeze legislation prior to passing it into law. more...

September 26, 2012 Three days after announcing it would hire 18 new employment standards enforcement officers, the Ministry lays off 19 others  more...

September 6, 2012 OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas has addressed a letter to Minister of Government Services, Harinder Takhar delivering decision to suspend participation in OPS union/employer committees. Read the letter now. .more...

September 6, 2012 Correctional Officers at Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre have been off the job since August 14th as they continue to fight to be allowed to wear their personal safety equipment..more...

OPSEU IN THE NEWS

August 27, 2012 A Sun Media columnist slams the McGuinty government for shutting down the renowned Centre for Forensic Sciences. more...

BARGAINING

August 24, 2012 More than 250 OPS members came out at lunch time on August 22 to enjoy a free hot dog and support their bargaining teams. more...

NEWS

August 17, 2012 The government’s pledge to review management bonuses must include a study of the rapid increase in management personnel. more...

August 16, 2012 In the name of deficit-busting, the Ontario government has eliminated an office responsible for fighting crime through highly-skilled analysis of electronic information technology. more...

CAMPAIGNS

Thistletown

June 28, 2012 Support grows, action widens to save T-Town Opposition to the planned closure of a renowned mental health facility continues to grow.  more...
>>Visit the Save Thistletown campaign page for additional news and resources.

BARGAINING

June 25, 2012 The best defense against a strike is to be ready for one, and negotiators for the next OPS contract will ask the 38,000 OPS members for a strong strike mandate, said OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas. more...

June 25, 2012 Delegates to the OPS central bargaining conference have elected their bargaining teams, one for the central OPS contract and one for Corrections. more...
>>Visit the OPS Bargaining 2012 section for complete bargaining news and resources

CAMPAIGNS

Ontario Disability Support Plan

June 21, 2012 OPSEU Members Protest Changes to Ontario Disability Support Program Local 601 held a Sidewalk Bake Sale and Rally to protest changes to the Ontario Disability Support Program June 21 more...

June 19, 2012 Community Engagement WeekEvents supporting community based initiatives such as food banks, youth sports and family shelters took place across the province. more...
>>Visit the Ontario Disability Support Campaign Index for additional news and resources

NEWS

June 20, 2012 The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care is sending inspectors out to conduct investigations which they are not educated and trained to do says the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. Nursing home residents are being placed at risk to save money on inspection. more...

CHALLENGING AUSTERITY

Budget Bill 55 update

June 19, 2012 News on developments at Queen’s Park here. .

CAMPAIGNS

ServiceOntario

June 14, 2012 Fraud Stopper Day events a success Wearing stickers that identified them as fraud stoppers, ServiceOntario staff in Toronto, Oshawa and Thunder Bay warned the public today of security breaches if their work is privatized. more....

The McGuinty government’s budget bill will amend 69 pieces of legislation, one of which will be used to privatize ServiceOntario. Read this article and e-mail your MPP now. more…  

>> Visit the ServiceOntario Campaign Index for additional news and resources

NEWS

Fraud stopper events in Ontario cities tomorrow

June 13, 2012 Wearing stickers that identify them as fraud stoppers, ServiceOntario workers are holding lunch-time events in front of their workplaces in Toronto, Thunder Bay and Oshawa on Thursday, June 14.  more..

Matthews betrays promise to inspect nursing homes

June 13, 2012 Health Minister Deb Matthews has responded to a persistent problem with neglect and abuse in Ontario’s nursing homes by eliminating annual inspections, says Warren (Smokey) Thomas, president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union.  more...

BARGAINING

OPS Bargaining Team elections

June 8, 2012 The two-step election process to elect the 2012 OPS Bargaining Teams began on Saturday, June 9, at the OPS Regional Bargaining Conferences held across the province.  more...

OPS Regional Bargaining Conferences Agenda

June 8, 2012 The agenda for the June 9th conference is now available. more...

NEWS

Security breach hit ServiceOntario hours after OPSEU’s warning

June 7, 2012 Three hours after a legislative committee was warned of the dangers of privatizing ServiceOntario, a security breach forced the shutdown of privately-operated kiosks.  more...

The Ontario government must not be allowed to sell ServiceOntario to a U.S. corporation

June 6, 2012 OPSEU president Warren (Smokey) Thomas will tell provincial budget hearings this evening that a portion of Bill 55, the budget legislation, poses serious danger for Ontarians’ privacy and must be deleted. .more...

Private information at risk if government sells ServiceOntario

June 6, 2012 The privacy of every Ontarian will be at risk if the Ontario Budget passes, allowing the Ontario Government to sell ServiceOntario to a U.S.-based corporation.  .more...

Ontarians Health Care Information put at Risk

June 5, 2012 Ontario’s health ministry has awarded an administrative services contract for the Ontario Drug Benefit Program (ODBP) to a U.S. based company potentially exposing the health care information of millions of Ontarians to provisions of the U.S. Patriot Act. .more...

NEWS

Actions, not words, will provide certainty, OPSEU tells McGuinty

June 4, 2012 Vague promises to stop privatizing government services will do little to provide certainty to the people of Ontario or those who provide front-line services, says the president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union .more...

 

CAMPAIGNS

Ontario Place

June 1, 2012  Meet the man that works to keep Ontario Place a family place Harvey Doogle recently met up Councillor Mike Layton. Layton, aside from being the son of the late Jack Layton, is the man behind the Motion to keep Ontario Place a family space. more...
Visit the Save Ontario Place Campaign Index for additional news and resources.

NEWS

Northern Ontario in crisis: emergency information not getting through

May 24, 2012 (TORONTO) - With cuts to emergency information staff, Ontario could be headed for it's own firestorm such as British Columbia had in 2003 with unprecedented forest fire damage, says the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. more…

Closure of St. Thomas office for disability benefits is “an extreme hardship” for 2,200 clients

May 24, 2012 The closure of the St. Thomas office of the Ontario Disability Support Program will force 2,200 people with disabilities to go to London to receive help. more…

Natural Resources plan will jeopardize emergency response time

May 23, 2012 (TORONTO) – Ontario won’t have the staff for smooth, quick evacuations during forest fires and other emergencies if the Ministry of Natural Resources goes ahead with plans to close offices and lay off workers, says the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. more...

Public at risk as Ontario scales back prevention of bear attacks

May 7, 2012 Campers and residents in most of Ontario face greater danger with bears this year because the Ontario government has cut by more than half the number of staff trained to deal with bears that threaten people’s safety. more...

CAMPAIGNS

NEW!  OPS Campaigns Section

OPS Campaigns information can now be accessed from one section.  Includes information on:  ServiceOntario Campaign, Save Ontario Place, Save Thistletown, ODSP Campaign,  "Choose Public" Day. more…

NEWS

The 2012 Budget and OPS Bargaining

April 26, 2012 OPS members at Convention heard detailed presentations on bargaining, the 2012 Ontario Budget and the OPS campaign  more…

OPSEU joins in OFL "Day of Action"

April 17, 2012 OPSEU delegates joined the OFL rally at Queen's Park on April 21, 2012, only hours after the OPSEU Convention had adjourned. The demonstration was organized to oppose the deepening austerity measures being exacted by the McGunity government. . more…

OPSEU condemns government closure of Goderich youth facility

March 5, 2012 The Ontario government’s decision to close the Bluewater Youth Centre in Goderich will have a devastating impact on the town, the workers and families in the area that have young people involved in the system. more…

OPS Presidents’ Meeting: Fight tough and fight smart

February 10, 2012 Fight tough and fight smart was the theme of the OPS Presidents’ Meeting in Toronto on Feb. 4. OPS presidents, supported by Executive Board members and observers from various OPS locals, came together to strategize and plan for bargaining with the government later this year.  more...

February 4 All OPS Presidents Meeting

December 12, 2011 There will be a meeting for all OPS Local Presidents on Saturday, February 4, 2012 at the Hilton Doubletree Hotel, Toronto Airport. Public services are under attack. Indications from the Ontario government are that NO public service job is safe. Since last July we have been building the mobilization of members. As local presidents, you must lead our locals in preparation for what will certainly be a very difficult round of bargaining. .
Download Information Package

Professional Liability Insurance available for Members of a Regulated Health Profession

November 30, 2011 Effective 2012, it is law for all members of a Regulated Health Profession to carry Professional Liability Insurance. OPSEU has, in consultation with CG&B Insurance Group, arranged for our affected members an opportunity to get insurance at a discounted rate. more..

Second wave of OPS layoffs undercutting front-line services: OPSEU

November 17, 2011 Another 231 OPS layoffs will further erode support to front-line services and increase workloads and public waiting times.  more…

OPSEU fights back against employer tactics around the layoffs

November 17, 2011 Members are urged to grieve all violations of Article 20 (job security) rights, said President Warren (Smokey) Thomas and CERC Chair Roxanne Barnes in a letter to all OPS members today more…

OPSEU Submission to the Commission for the Reform of Social Assistance

October 27, 2011 One of the fundamental obligations of a government is the protection of its people more...

COs to Ombudsman: widen scope of investigation

September 27, 2011 MERC members recently met with investigators from the Ombudsman’s office and said a study of the complaints procedure inside jails must be widened to address the concerns of correctional officers more...

Ombudsman’s investigation must include COs concerns

August 17, 2011 Ombudsman’s Andre Marin’s investigation of the inmate complaints process must include input from correctional officers whose calls for cleaning up the Ministry’s investigation process are most often ignored more...

OPSEU Corrections Division MERC seeking applicants for Diversity Sub-Committee

August 15, 2011 OPSEU has negotiated a Memorandum of Agreement with the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services, Correctional Services Division, for the establishment of a MERC Diversity Sub-Committee (MDSC). Applications for three positions on this committee are now being accepted, with a closing date of September 16, 2011. more...

OPS suffers largest job losses since Harris era

July 14, 2011 Layoff notices went out to 274 Ontario Public Service workers today in the largest job cut since the dark days of the Mike Harris era more more...

Historic OPS meeting prepares activists for the fight ahead

June 22, 2011 News and Events 175 OPS leaders came out of their fightback meeting June 17-18 with a plan to protect good jobs and defend quality public services.   Includes slideshow of photos. more...

OPSEU member provides rebuttal to biased media reporting on OPS contract

May 17, 2011 Local 517 Chief Steward Matthew Duffy wrote in a letter to the editor recently "...there is a very large segment of (The Toronto Sun) readership that is working class and purchases The Toronto Sun, solely, for its superb sports section, not for the extravagant anti-labour rants of a columnist in the employ of a large media corporation."  more... 

Facts on the Unified OPS Collective Agreement

May 5, 2011 Collective Agreement Recent media coverage of a dispute between the province and the Association of Management Administrative and Professional Crown Employees of Ontario (AMAPCEO) and the debate about it among MPPs contain some statements worth clarifying. .  more...

Postcard campaign: Union-Busting is Disgusting

April 13, 2011  Ministries: Attorney General For nearly five years the employer has refused to comply with a Grievance Settlement Board decision that found transcript work should be covered by the collective agreement. Sign a postcard to Chris Bentley, telling him to quit with the union-busting tactics  more...

OPS Emergency Caucus

April 4, 2011 Convention 2011: Attention all OPS members. OPSEU’s Ontario Public Service (OPS) Sector will be holding an emergency caucus at Convention 2011. more...

 

OPSEU wins personal privacy victory for enforcement workers

March 31, 2011 The Crown Employees Grievance Settlement Board (GSB) has ruled in favour of OPSEU in a key settlement on personal privacy in the workplace.  more...

Toronto Star: States vs Unions: Wisconsin’s War on Workers

March 3 2011 This Toronto Star editorial points out the heavy-handed union-bashing tactics of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker amount to a cautionary tale for Canadian policy-makers, including Conservatives who may be tempted to go the Wisconsin route  more...

 

President Thomas questions what programs the Liberals will axe as a result of job cuts

February 23 2011 “I have one question to ask Premier Dalton McGuinty – where does he propose to start? With the correctional officers who guard accused murderers? With the inspectors who make sure our food is safe?” Read more of President Thomas’ letter to the editor published in today’s Globe and Mail.   more...

Sign petition to support NDP anti-scab bill

January 27, 2011 Circulate in your workplace and community this petition in support of Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas’ private member’s bill to ban temporary replacement workers  more...

Job competition so flawed, vice chair orders rare remedy

November 30,  2010 During the summer of 2007, the Ministry of Labour, specifically the Office of the Worker Advisor, posted new positions and ran a competition. The Union and individual members filed grievances about this competition, alleging that it was so flawed that it ought to be re-run.  more...