You are here: Home > OPS > Ministry >February 16, 2004 LockTalk

February 16, 2004

Youth justice: negotiations ongoing

The Corrections MERC team is still in negotiations with the employer over the rights of members providing Youth Justice Services.

In the last several months, the employer has made a number of important announcements. So far they’ve told us that:

1. Some Youth Justice Services will be transferred from the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services to the new Children’s Services Ministry by April 1, 2004.

2. Young offenders at the Toronto Youth Assessment Centre (TYAC) will be transferred to other facilities over a period of time and then TYAC will close.

3. The young offender units at the Brockville Jail and the Quinte Detention Centre will close and young offenders at the two facilities will be transferred elsewhere.

4. All Youth Justice Services will be transferred to the Children’s Services Ministry over time.

Except for the transfer of services in #1, we don’t known when these closures and transfers are supposed to happen.

In talking to the employer, the top priority of your MERC team is to ensure the job security and job mobility (including between ministries) of all affected members. Negotiations mostly revolve around Articles 2, 6, and 20, and Appendix 13 of the collective agreement.

We are hoping to have something to announce in the next few weeks. When we know more, you’ll know more.

MERC urges support for Local 369

Your Corrections MERC is calling on all members to support members of OPSEU Local 369 in their bid for a first contract at the Central North Correctional Centre.

The MERC attended Local 369’s contract vote Feb. 12, when members rejected the employer’s offer by a 95 per cent margin. Ninety-four per cent of members voted.

This is the second time the members have rejected an offer from their employer, Utah-based Management and Training Corporation (MTC). In the second offer, MTC agreed to raise Correctional Officer wages to OPS levels, but failed to address issues like holiday pay, vacation entitlement, pregnancy and parental leave, and shift premiums.

“It was clear to us that the bargaining team and the local executive and stewards had done an excellent job informing and educating their members on the issues,” said Barry Scanlon, chair of the Corrections MERC. “Local 369 members responded with an overwhelming message to their employer that they want parity with the public service and are willing to fight for it. Everyone in the local deserves congratulations and support from all Corrections members.”

Original authorized for distribution by Leah Casselman, president.

For more information, call Don Ford (ext. 442) at 1-800-268-7376 or (416) 443-8888.
e-mail: dford@opseu.org

Ontario Public Service Employees Union, 100 Lesmill Rd. Toronto, ON M3B 3P8  (416) 443-8888  www.opseu.org