Our union and how we work together
With some 125,000 members in Ontario, the Ontario Public
Service Employees Union has the resources to offer:
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19 fully-staffed regional offices;
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a staff of more than 300 people, including
specialists in bargaining, grievance-handling, pensions, benefits,
health and safety, human rights, communications, education, and
more;
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office space and equipment for OPSEU locals at all
regional offices and at 13 stand-alone membership centres;
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meeting space for provincial committees and other
member groups at OPSEU Head Office at 100 Lesmill Rd. in Toronto and
at 5757 Coopers Ave. in Mississauga;
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tons of experience in mobilizing union members to
get what they need; and
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a strong voice at local labour councils and in
larger labour bodies.
To pay for all of this, OPSEU members pay union dues at
the rate of 1.375 per cent of gross pay. Total dues revenue for the
union is approximately $87 million per year. Of this, five per cent goes
directly into the strike fund. The strike fund currently has a very
healthy balance of $41 million to support OPSEU members who are fighting
to improve and defend their collective agreements.
Getting involved in your union
Getting involved in your union means, first of all,
getting involved in your local. OPSEU locals hold the keys to power in
our union’s democratic structures.
OPSEU divisions and sectors help locals with issues in
common to coordinate their activities right across the province. OPSEU
regions support locals by geographic area, and give locals influence and
access at the Executive Board.
The OPSEU model balances local autonomy with strong
regional and central coordination.
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Next: The front door: OPSEU locals
