dev-os

Mike Greene ( Region 1 OPS Unified Mobilizer)

Mike Greene is a Child and Youth Worker at the Child and Parent Resource Institute in London, which is a tertiary level children’s treatment facility. The Child and Parent Resource Institute provides specialized assessment, treatment and targeted interventions for children and youth with complex special needs and mental health challenges.

Mike is currently the Local 112 President and has held this position since 2017. Mike has been the Worker Co-Chair for the Joint Health and Safety Committee  at CPRI since 2015. Mike is currently the MCCSS Unified MERC Health and Safety Representative and is the current CPRI representative on the MCCSS Unified Alternate Dispute Resolution Committee.  Previously, Mike was a Chief Steward and began his union activism as a shop steward.

Mike enjoys engaging with members of OPSEU/SEFPO and providing them with information and knowledge regarding their collective agreement and other legislative protections.

Mike believes that we increase our power as a union by developing an informed and active membership and that it is vitally important that union representatives listen to the needs and requirements of members.

Alex Ilijoski (Region 1 OPS Unified Mobilizer)

Since joining OPSEU/SEFPO as an Ambulance Communications Officer, Alex has thrust himself in the union and labour movement. Alex is a Joint Health and Safety rep, steward and secretary for Local 154. Alex is a delegate with the Windsor District & Labour Council and is also the Region 1 Area Coordinating group vice-chair. In his local secretary and ACG roles, Alex has been active in empowering other union members to serve in union roles and contribute to the labour movement.

Alex has contributed to community building by serving on the Optimist Club of St. Clair Beach, first as a member and then on the board directors as of January 2024. Alex has helped the club with organizing community events like the Taste of Tecumseh, Corn Festival, Fishing Derby and other events. Alex is also serving on the board for the Essex County Youth Diversion, an organization for providing effective prevention and intervention services to children and youth in Windsor-Essex. Alex has been a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Windsor-Essex since May of 2021 and previously volunteered with The Village of Aspen Lake for 7 years.

Alex has been an active activist in the political realm in Windsor-Essex. Alex was selected for the 2024 Windsor-Essex Federal Youth Council where he lobbied the federal government representative for Windsor-Essex to seek legislation that would positively influence the quality of opportunities and lives of the youth in Canada. Alex is also a part of the NDP federal and provincial riding associations executive for Windsor-Tecumseh and recently accepted the role of Federal Membership Officer for Windsor-Tecumseh. Alex contributes to the riding associations by assisting in event planning, community outreach and political advocacy.

Novia Grant-Simon (Region 2 OPS Unified Mobilizer)

Novia started as a treasurer and steward and is now the vice president of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 219. Novia for the Ministry of Education at W Ross McDonald School for the Deafblind and Visually Impaired. This school falls under the umbrella of several Provincial and Demonstration Schools.

Novia has always had a passion for motivating and supporting others, so naturally being involved in the union was the right decision for her.

In 2015 Novia was invited to attend meetings for Region 2 Workers of Colour Caucus. Novia jumped right in getting involved; attending regular meetings, inputting ideas and executing tasks. Events such as our annual Black History Forum and BBQs are outcomes of Novia’s involvement. Novia had the honor and pleasure of sitting on the planning committee for the first ever Workers of Colour Caucus Conference. The committee has grown, and with growth comes change and once again, Novia was proud to be a part of the caucus, when they unanimously decided to change the name of the caucus to the Coalition of Racialized Workers.

Throughout her time as a union activist Novia has participated in mobilizing through the VOTE BETTER Campaign, she has attended various rallies, numerous educationals and has worked in an Acting position,  as  OPSEU/SEFPO Staff Rep for Region 2.

At W Ross McDonald School, Novia sits on the LERC committee as Co-Chair.

Novia is currently 1 of 14  OPS Unified mobilizers, for this round of bargaining and looks forward to the challenges and successes involved in mobilizing OPS Unified members.

David Smith (Region 2 OPS Unified Mobilizer)

David Smith is a first time Mobilizer working out of Region 2.

David has worked for the Ministry of Education for many years, he has seen the cost of living rise far higher than the rate of pay.

David became a Union Activist in 2021 when he was mentored by his Local’s now retired Chief Steward. David then became a Shop Steward, and a year later with the support of his Local was voted in as uncontested Vice President.

David has been developing his leadership skills by attending Region 2 Educationals, Convention, Regionals and every OPSEU/SEFPO related activity that he can fit into his busy schedule. A husband, a father, a union activist, who is always trying to use his methodical mind to empower everyone around him.

Chris McConnell (Region 3 OPS Unified Mobilizer)

Chris McConnell (they/them) is a dedicated OPSEU member who works for the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Chris works out of Local 317, a composite local advocating for MPAC and OPS members in Muskoka. Chris’ commitment to labour extends to leadership roles in the North Simcoe Muskoka District Labour Council, the OPSEU Orillia Area Council, and broader organizing within their community.

Chris began engaging with the labour movement because it fights for issues beyond better wages and benefits. Chris believes that although we are tied together as workers, we don’t experience work in the same way. Many other things intersect with what it means to be a worker.

Chris has engaged as a mobilizer because they believe that members should “actively lead” and that legitimacy flows from the ability of those affected by decisions to participate. It’s not just about aggregating interests but about engaging in discussion and debate on the issues and the strategies to meet them. Chris thinks that it will be grassroots leadership that is key to our power and success.

Chris is looking forward to collaborating with OPS Unified members to build through the next round of bargaining.

Alexander Miller (Region 3 OPS Unified Mobilizer)

Alexander Miller is the recently appointed president of Local 317, a Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) MERC member, and current Region 3 mobilizer. Father of a soon-to-be three year old, Alex understands the importance of free time and family values, however Alex is strongly dedicated to ensuring the betterment of all OPS Unified members and their families. Unity, determination, and passion are a few core values that Alex brings to the mobilizing team.

Alex works for Ontario Parks and understands the importance of a workforce that may feel like their voices have never been heard. Becoming a member of the MECP MERC has given Alex the opportunity to enlighten others about the challenges facing members and to provide a voice to hundreds of unheard members. Alex believes that this is just the start as we move to mobilize the OPS Unified membership and we need the help and dedication from every member to ensure the success of this round of collective bargaining. Alex wants members to know that his inbox and phone are always available for any member and that as a mobilizer, he looks forward to talking to as many members as he can!

Oren Nimelman (Region 4 OPS Unified Mobilizer)

Oren works as a deckhand on the Wolfe Island Ferry in Kingston, working a seasonal fixed-term contract employee. Oren says that his role used to be able to support a family a generation ago, but it’s withered over time to a workforce heavily mired in fixed-term contracts and wages that can’t support the life that it used to.

Before coming to the OPS, Oren was an infantry reservist in the Canadian Armed Forces, worked in private-sector operations management, and Oren spent some time doing industrial sales. Shifting away from private-sector work, Oren gained experience in political organizing as a campaign’s handler for a federal campaign and a campaign manager during a provincial election. During a period of higher need, Oren briefly assisted in delivering and organizing aid projects in a crisis zone.

Oren has been a longtime supporter of unions and a strong public sector, but is new to the OPS and to OPSEU/SEFPO.

Oren has taken on this mobilizer role during contract negotiations because he wants our jobs to once again be something that a worker can build a stable, comfortable life around. Oren believes that if you work a role that contributes to society, you should be able to support a household off of an honest workweek. Oren thinks that the slow decay of how our work is valued, in a huge part, is the result of the labour movement weakening in strength.

He thinks it’s time to catch up.

In his spare time, Oren enjoys his motorcycle, hunting, hiking, canoeing, cooking for the people he cares about, and saying unrepeatable things to his broken printer.

Mateo Dorado-Troughton (Region 4 OPS Mobilizer)

Mateo works as a geologist with the Ontario Geological Survey with the Ministry of Mines. Mateo is a steward for OPSEU/SEFPO Local 448.

Off the clock – Mateo loves to read, watch movies and sail.

Mateo took on the role as Region 4 OPS unified mobilizer in an effort to get more involved with OPSEU and help build worker solidarity. I

If you need a rock identified, he’s your guy!

Suzette Maxwell-Pemberton (Region 5 OPS Mobilizer)

Suzette is a Jamaican-born Canadian citizen.

She grew up in a household that taught the values of “it takes a village” and a community that exemplified the responsibilities as a citizen by “each one, teach one”.  Suzette is passionate about having accurate knowledge and educating our union membership so they too can be discerning about their futures.

Since 2005, Suzette has been employed at The Ministry of the Attorney General, Court Services Division in the Superior Court of Justice, as a Recording Management Coordinator.

In 2013, Suzette became a union steward for Local 526 and has since held the roles of Local Secretary and President, JHSC Co-Chair, and LERC Co-Chair. Suzette is a third-time R5 Mobilizer, a Certified WHSC Instructor, and a Co-Facilitator for OPSEU/SEFPO Educationals and has taken virtually every course offered.

The knowledge Suzette has gained has empowered her to ably navigate and represent her members.

OPSEU/SEFPO affiliates like GTAC and OFL have my continued support for the work they do.

Over the years Suzette has encountered an ever-increasing apathy particularly towards our union.  As a R5 mobilizer, Suzette hopes to build on our negations and bargaining wins, to encourage, support, inform and simulate our union members to actions, demanding a fair and deserving contract.

Matthew Higginson (Region 5 OPS Unified Mobilizer)

Matthew Higginson is a photographer, filmmaker and labour organizer based in Hamilton Ontario.

Matt works out of Region 5 to build social unionism across the labour movement.

He is the Labour Solidarity and Political Action Chair with the Greater Toronto Area Council, Vice Chair of the Region 5 Area Coordinating Group and mobilizer for OPS-Unified bargaining. He does it all for his two kids, who are awesome.

David Hall (Region 6 OPS Unified Mobilizer)

David Hall is the Vice President of Local 611. Over the past 21 years, David has had the privilege of working for the Ministry of Natural Resources as a Fire Ranger and Logistic Technician, which has provided him with the opportunity to interact with individuals from various regions across the Province.

During his leisure time, David finds himself immersed in the outdoors, indulging in his passion for photography and technology. Connecting with others has always been one of the most rewarding aspects of his career.

Ashlee Elliott (Region 7 OPS Unified Mobilizer)

Ashlee Elliott is a steward in local 710 out of Thunder Bay.  Ashlee has been with the Ontario Public Service with the Ministry of the Attorney General for the last 10 years.

Ashlee has been actively involved in the union for the last 6 years and in that time has had a variety of experiences such as being local treasurer, being a steward, and now sitting as the vice chair of the Region 7 Area Coordinating Group.

Ashlee is passionate about workers rights, and working with OPSEU to help make our workplaces less stressful, have better work-life balance, and to help ensure that the OPS is protected for future workers.

Along the lines of promoting work-life balance, Ashlee enjoys spending time with her husband, pets, friends, playing D&D, and doing a plethora of other nerdy activities.

Emilia Garstka (Region 7 OPS Unified Mobilizer)

Emilia Garstka is a Registration Services Officer for the Land Registry Office in Thunder Bay for the Ministry of Public Service Delivery and Procurement. She has been involved with the union from the early days of her career with the Ontario Public Service as a Steward and is the current First Vice President of Local 736.

Emilia was able to serve one term as the young worker representative for Region 7 on the Provincial Young Workers Committee and this experience has truly shown her the power that workers have to make change and organize collectively when given space to build connections within the union.

This experience has truly motivated her to become involved in the OPS unified bargaining process, to build relationships and form one on one connections with our members that will allow us to strengthen and improve our union for our benefit and for future workers.