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  • Job Opportunity – Regional Secretary, North Bay R.O. – 24.036

    Job Opportunity – Regional Secretary, North Bay R.O. – 24.036

    Title: Regional Secretary (57-06)
    Location: North Bay Regional Office, Local Services and Member Organizing Division, 150 First Avenue W, Suite 101, 2nd Floor, North Bay, ON, P1B 3B9
    Reporting to: Supervisor, Regions 6 & 7
    Search Type: Open to all OPSEU/SEFPO members
    Salary: $1,602.00 to $1,803.00 per week (Range 7 – Support)
    Working Conditions: As provided in the OPSSU/OPSEU/SEFPO Collective Agreement

    Principal Duties:

    Provides administrative, secretarial and clerical support services to a Regional Office:

    • Responds to enquiries
    • Liaises with staff in other areas of the organization, locals and with outside contacts to facilitate work of the office
    • Receives, takes messages and directs incoming calls and transmits to proper individual
    • Takes minutes or recordings of meetings
    • Maintains and updates records from filing systems and/or databases
    • Determines needs and orders supplies
    • Trains and assigns work to other support staff in the office as required
    • Compiles summary reports from information and internal databases
    • Reconciles office budget (Accountable Warrants)
    • Tracks, codes and processes invoices and members expenses
    • Tracks grievance files as required
    • Monitors and recommends possible updates to procedure manuals
    • Types reports, agreements, composes letters and acknowledgements
    • Proofreads and corrects prepared materials for correct grammar, format, completeness and content
    • Plans and coordinates regional meetings and member educationals
    • Negotiates with hotels for meeting conference rooms
    • Organizes materials for distribution
    • May make travel arrangements and accommodations for staff
    • Sets up and organizes office systems
    • Performs other related duties as assigned

    Qualifications:

    • One year Community College Diploma and five years of related experience (or an equivalent combination of education and experience)
    • Knowledge of general principles regarding office management
    • Knowledge of OPSEU/SEFPO organization, structure and policies
    • Understanding of and commitment to labour movement and social democratic philosophy
    • Understanding of and commitment to the principles of anti-racism, equity, diversity and inclusion
    • Requires intermediate PC skills and knowledge of relevant software packages
    • Requires numeracy skills
    • Requires tact and diplomacy skills

    OPSEU/SEFPO supports employment equity. Racialized workers, women, Indigenous workers, LGBTQ2S+ workers and workers with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For the purpose of statistical data collection, applicants are strongly encouraged to voluntarily self-identify. OPSEU/SEFPO’s diverse workplace also supports Francophone workers and young workers.

    A total of 60% or greater must be achieved in the competition process to obtain the position.

    Please advise should you require any accommodation to participate in this competition.

    Expression of Interest – 2-step process:

    1. Submit your resume with cover letter in Word or PDF to competitions@opseu.org quoting “24.036 – Regional Secretary (57-06), North Bay R.O.” by 5:00 pm (Eastern Time) on October 16, 2024;
    2. Complete OPSEU/SEFPO Job Applicant Survey – Please click the link below: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=ntqy3vmHp0WKvIeSS54XAAT1z0wLjGJCkPtXiPb5NK9UM00zM0hBU1JSSk85Q0FJT09OWVlUWkZSTy4u

    To be considered in the job competition, it’s essential to complete both steps of the two-step submission process. Failure to do so may result in disqualification from consideration.

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  • Job Opportunity – Grievance Officer – 24.035

    Job Opportunity – Grievance Officer – 24.035

    Title: Grievance Officer (77-10)
    Location: Arbitrations Unit, Contract Enforcement Division, OPSEU/SEFPO Head Office, 100 Lesmill Rd, Toronto, ON M3B 3P8
    Reporting to: Supervisor, Arbitrations Unit
    Search Type: Open to all OPSEU/SEFPO members
    Salary: $1,994.00 to $2,215.00 per week (Range 4 – Pro-Tech)
    Working Conditions: As provided in the OPSSU/OPSEU/SEFPO Collective Agreement

    Principal Duties:

    Represents OPSEU/SEFPO and its members as a professional litigator by preparing and presenting grievance arbitrations before administrative tribunals:

    • Litigation of grievances in arbitrations before Boards and Arbitrators
    • Examines witnesses, in chief and in cross-examinations
    • Prepares evidence, researches and applies case law, and presents arguments on behalf of grievors
    • Meets with LEC’s, grievors and management representatives with a view to settling grievances
    • Negotiates grievance settlements, and drafts settlement documents
    • Provides advice and representation in the enforcement of settlements
    • Prepares written submissions for Boards and Arbitrators as required
    • Guides and instructs outside counsel
    • Responds to inquiries regarding collective agreement interpretation
    • Provides advice to OPSEU/SEFPO staff and members concerning grievances, including legal principles and case law, strategy, process and settlements as well as the merits of grievances
    • Co-ordinates and administrates grievances in the area of responsibility
    • Performs other related duties as assigned

    Qualifications:

    • Undergraduate degree and five years of related work experience with demonstrated advocacy skills (or equivalent combination of education and experience)
    • Knowledge of labour law, collective agreement language, grievance/arbitration procedures and practices
    • Research and analytical skills to interpret and apply relevant collective agreements, legislation, and case law
    • Knowledge of OPSEU/SEFPO organization, structure and policies
    • Understanding of and commitment to labour movement and social democratic philosophy
    • Understanding of and commitment to the principles of anti-racism, equity, diversity and inclusion
    • Requires intermediate PC skills and knowledge of relevant software packages
    • Requires tact and diplomacy skills

    OPSEU/SEFPO supports employment equity. Racialized workers, women, Indigenous workers, LGBTQ2S+ workers and workers with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For the purpose of statistical data collection, applicants are strongly encouraged to voluntarily self-identify. OPSEU/SEFPO’s diverse workplace also supports Francophone workers and young workers.

    A total of 60% or greater must be achieved in the competition process to obtain the position.

    Please advise should you require any accommodation to participate in this competition.

    Expression of Interest – 2-step process:

    1. Submit your resume with cover letter in Word or PDF to competitions@opseu.org quoting “24.035 – Grievance Officer (77-10), Arbitrations Unit” by 5:00 pm (Eastern Time) on October 16, 2024;
    2. Complete OPSEU/SEFPO Job Applicant Survey – Please click the link below: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=ntqy3vmHp0WKvIeSS54XAAT1z0wLjGJCkPtXiPb5NK9UN1hIN1RET0hXSTZIMVlaNTlaQ0IwUE5ZRy4u

    To be considered in the job competition, it’s essential to complete both steps of the two-step submission process. Failure to do so may result in disqualification from consideration.

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  • Job Opportunity – Grievance Officer – 24.035

    Job Opportunity – Grievance Officer – 24.035

    Title: Grievance Officer (77-10)
    Location: Arbitrations Unit, Contract Enforcement Division, OPSEU/SEFPO Head Office, 100 Lesmill Rd, Toronto, ON M3B 3P8
    Reporting to: Supervisor, Arbitrations Unit
    Search Type: Open to all OPSEU/SEFPO members
    Salary: $1,994.00 to $2,215.00 per week (Range 4 – Pro-Tech)
    Working Conditions: As provided in the OPSSU/OPSEU/SEFPO Collective Agreement

    Principal Duties:

    Represents OPSEU/SEFPO and its members as a professional litigator by preparing and presenting grievance arbitrations before administrative tribunals:

    • Litigation of grievances in arbitrations before Boards and Arbitrators
    • Examines witnesses, in chief and in cross-examinations
    • Prepares evidence, researches and applies case law, and presents arguments on behalf of grievors
    • Meets with LEC’s, grievors and management representatives with a view to settling grievances
    • Negotiates grievance settlements, and drafts settlement documents
    • Provides advice and representation in the enforcement of settlements
    • Prepares written submissions for Boards and Arbitrators as required
    • Guides and instructs outside counsel
    • Responds to inquiries regarding collective agreement interpretation
    • Provides advice to OPSEU/SEFPO staff and members concerning grievances, including legal principles and case law, strategy, process and settlements as well as the merits of grievances
    • Co-ordinates and administrates grievances in the area of responsibility
    • Performs other related duties as assigned

    Qualifications:

    • Undergraduate degree and five years of related work experience with demonstrated advocacy skills (or equivalent combination of education and experience)
    • Knowledge of labour law, collective agreement language, grievance/arbitration procedures and practices
    • Research and analytical skills to interpret and apply relevant collective agreements, legislation, and case law
    • Knowledge of OPSEU/SEFPO organization, structure and policies
    • Understanding of and commitment to labour movement and social democratic philosophy
    • Understanding of and commitment to the principles of anti-racism, equity, diversity and inclusion
    • Requires intermediate PC skills and knowledge of relevant software packages
    • Requires tact and diplomacy skills

    OPSEU/SEFPO supports employment equity. Racialized workers, women, Indigenous workers, LGBTQ2S+ workers and workers with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For the purpose of statistical data collection, applicants are strongly encouraged to voluntarily self-identify. OPSEU/SEFPO’s diverse workplace also supports Francophone workers and young workers.

    A total of 60% or greater must be achieved in the competition process to obtain the position.

    Please advise should you require any accommodation to participate in this competition.

    Expression of Interest – 2-step process:

    1. Submit your resume with cover letter in Word or PDF to competitions@opseu.org quoting “24.035 – Grievance Officer (77-10), Arbitrations Unit” by 5:00 pm (Eastern Time) on October 16, 2024;
    2. Complete OPSEU/SEFPO Job Applicant Survey – Please click the link below: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=ntqy3vmHp0WKvIeSS54XAAT1z0wLjGJCkPtXiPb5NK9UN1hIN1RET0hXSTZIMVlaNTlaQ0IwUE5ZRy4u

    To be considered in the job competition, it’s essential to complete both steps of the two-step submission process. Failure to do so may result in disqualification from consideration.

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  • College Faculty Bargaining 2024 – Concessions from CEC

    College Faculty Bargaining 2024 – Concessions from CEC

    Workload concessions – EN / FR

    Vacation and PD concessions – EN / FR

    Two-tiering trades – EN / FR

    Partial load Concessions – EN / FR

    New staffing concessions – EN / FR

    Concerns about “Packaging” and Concessions – EN / FR

    Concerns with the Pace and Content of Bargaining – EN / FR

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  • College Faculty Bargaining 2024 – Remarks at the table

    College Faculty Bargaining 2024 – Remarks at the table

    Concerns with CEC’s Lack of Engagement in Bargaining – EN / FR

    Faculty Concerns about “Packaging” and Concessions – EN / FR

    Faculty Concerns with Pace and Content of Bargaining – EN / FR

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  • National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: Each of us are treaty people

    National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: Each of us are treaty people

    September 30th marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to commemorate and reflect on the history and legacy of Canada’s residential school systems and enduring colonial violence against Indigenous communities. Most importantly, it is a time to re-commit to action.

    Survivors of historical traumas and families impacted by loss walk among us – as union members, as colleagues, and as neighbours. We have a long way to go to achieve justice and reconciliation, but we must walk this path together – and the labour movement has an active role to play. Resistance to Canada’s genocidal policies of assimilation cannot be shouldered by Indigenous communities alone.

    September 30th is also known as Orange Shirt Day – calling upon the public to wear orange in the spirit of reconciliation and commitment to the truth that every child matters – is an important aspect of the reconciliation process established by and called for by Indigenous peoples and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. It is also a time to reckon with the ways Indigenous history underpins the present for all of us, as treaty people, and what material commitments we can each take to uphold and advance Indigenous sovereignty.

    From the criminalization and displacement of land defenders fighting for the exercise of Indigenous sovereignty on their ancestral lands, to the ongoing recovery of hundreds of unmarked mass graves on the grounds of former residential school sites, to the ongoing search for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit (MMIWG2S) loved ones – it is clear that there is not only “history” when it comes to colonial violence. This is still a reality today.

    Free Grassy – Labour Shows Up for the Annual River Run

    Just last week, OPSEU/SEFPO members took part in the annual Grassy Narrows River Run, an effort between Grassy Narrows youth and its community and the broader public to draw attention to the struggle for mercury justice. Due to industrial discharge and waste dumping from the paper mill upstream in the 1960s-1970s, the waters of Wabigoon River by Grassy Narrows have led to mercury poisoning for generations of the Indigenous stewards of that land.

    OPSEU/SEFPO stands behind the demands of the Grassy Narrows people and will continue to do so – until Grassy Narrows is free, and mercury justice is achieved for every community member.

    Solidarity is Verb – Water Summit 2024 and the Call to Act

    This weekend, from September 27-29, the OPSEU/SEFPO Indigenous Circle will bring together Indigenous leaders – including Chief Todd Cornelius from the Oneida Nation of the Thames and Chief Rudy Turtle from Grassy Narrows – alongside representatives from Water First and OPSEU/SEFPO members for the 2024 Water Summit. The purpose of the Water Summit is to bring awareness, advocacy, and education on the water crisis in Ontario, specifically in how it continues to advance colonial violence in its impact on Indigenous communities.

    This year’s summit is partnered with the Oneida Nation of the Thames. According to the Government of Canada, Oneida has been under a boil water advisory since 2019 which has affected 546 homes and 22 community buildings. Attendees will visit Oneida territories, building relationships while learning how trade unionists can work together with the Oneida Nation and Indigenous communities across our province to create change.

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  • College Faculty Strike Vote 2024: Frequently Asked Questions

    College Faculty Strike Vote 2024: Frequently Asked Questions

    College Faculty Strike Vote 2024: October 15-17

    Starting Tuesday, October 15th at noon through to Thursday, October 17th at 3:00 p.m., College Faculty will be taking a province-wide strike vote. The vote will be held online and by phone.

    Vote YES for student and faculty futures, vote YES for quality education!

    Why are we taking a strike vote?

    We came to the table ready to negotiate a fair contract. Yet the CEC and the Colleges have shown that they are not ready to bargain, continuing to table concessions which would decrease assigned time for evaluation and feedback, create employment instability, and divide our membership.  Precarity is increasing system-wide – three-quarters of teachers, counsellors, and librarians working in Ontario colleges are on short-term contracts with little to no benefits or job security and no redress for workload concerns.

    Concessions tabled by the CEC and the Colleges include:

    • Introducing new layoff provisions, increasing job instability;
    • Extending the academic year to 12 months for everyone, posing risks to our vacation blocks, 11th month overtime provisions, and non-teaching periods (11.08);
    • Two-tiering workload protections, targeting faculty already facing inequitable workload pressures – including members in academic upgrading and trades;
    • Reducing teaching time (e.g. asynchronous course teaching contact hours) with serious implications for workload and Partial-Load faculty seniority and status;
    • Introducing a new probationary period for Partial-Load faculty – upwards of 2 years – creating new barriers to job security;
    • Removing five (5) consecutive professional development (PD) days and further restricting, reducing, directing and controlling our access to PD.

    That’s why we need every College Faculty member to turn out the vote, to show that we are unified behind the demand for a fair contract that takes faculty and students into the future.

    We train Ontario’s future in the communities where we live and we work. We value students’ education, and we care about our Colleges – that’s why we’re fighting a better College system for faculty and students alike.

    Our proposals invest in hands-on, job-ready education. The graduates we train have an integral role in Ontario’s economy – they deserve nothing less than quality education.

    Faculty working conditions are student learning conditions: yet our Workload language has gone largely unchanged for nearly 40 years! Faculty currently have a ceiling of 5 minutes and 24 seconds per student, per week for evaluation – as true today as it was in 1985. Data from the Workload Task Force report indicates that only a quarter of faculty are even allotted that time – most have less, and overall, faculty have nearly an hour less weekly for evaluation than 10 years ago. Five minutes is not enough – not for students, and not for us.

    Does this mean we’re going on strike?

    A successful strike vote doesn’t mean that we are automatically going on strike. It does show the College Employer Council (CEC) and the Colleges that we’re ready and willing to strike if we need to!

    Why should I vote YES?

    Vote YES to win! A high-participation, strong YES vote will support the bargaining team at the table with the full strength of the membership behind them – more than 15,000 College Faculty members. A strong strike mandate is a powerful tool to fight back concessions and advance members’ proposals at the bargaining table.

    That’s why, on October 15-17, we need everyone to vote YES for a strong strike mandate.

    All voting will be by secret ballot and take place online or by phone. The Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) will email your unique voter information. Check your spam folder if you don’t see it, and contact the OLRB Help Desk if you do not receive your voting credentials (see details below.)

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Q: When will the strike vote take place?
    A: The vote will take place from 12:00 p.m. (noon) on October 15 through to 3:00 p.m. on October 17, 2024. Members can vote anytime during that period.

    Q: How can I vote?
    A: The vote will take place online or by phone through the Simply Voting electronic voting platform. You’ll receive instructions via email on how to cast your ballot and your unique elector ID number and PIN from the OLRB. (Don’t forget to check your spam folder.)

    Q: Who is eligible to vote?
    A: All full-time and partial-load professors and instructors and all full-time librarians and counsellors are eligible to vote and should receive a communication directly from the OLRB with their PIN and voting instructions.

    This includes:

    • members actively employed at the college;
    • members on recall or who have a grievance outstanding;
    • members on approved leave, as enshrined in the collective agreement or in law (disability leave, pregnancy/parental leave).

    Q: I am a College Faculty member, how do I verify that I will be able to cast a ballot in the strike vote?
    A: OPSEU/SEFPO has been working with the College Faculty Local Presidents at each college to ensure that each member eligible to cast a ballot is on the voter list.

    Q: What should I do if I am eligible to vote and don’t receive my voting credentials?
    A: If you do not receive an email with your voting credentials, you can contact the OLRB Voting Help Desk by telephone at 416-326-7432 (English), 416-326-0313 (French). When you contact them, indicate that you are calling about the strike vote in OLRB case number 1526-24-VO. They can assist you in being added to the voters list.

    Q: Will anyone know how I voted?
    A: No! The vote is confidential, and conducted entirely by secret ballot. You will not be personally associated with the vote that you cast.

    Q: Will I be subject to disciplined or dismissed for how I vote?
    A: Also no! The vote is entirely by secret ballot and you will not be personally associated with the vote that you cast.

    Q: Why does my bargaining team need a strong “yes” vote (otherwise known as a strike mandate)?
    A: All labour action requires a strike mandate vote, as is set out in the Colleges Collective Bargaining Act (CCBA). Strike action can range from a work-to-rule to a full withdrawal of our collective labour.

    A strong strike vote doesn’t mean that we are automatically going on strike. It shows that we’re ready and willing to strike if we need to. A high-participation, strong YES vote sends the bargaining team back to the table with the full strength of the membership behind them.

    This show of unity gives us more leverage at the bargaining table to achieve a fair contract – as well as helping us fight off concessions, advance our proposals, and respond to potential employer threats, such as making unilateral changes to the collective agreement.

    Under the CCBA, both parties are required to provide five (5) days notice before commencing a labour action (including a lockout or strike.)

    Q: What will the strike ballot say?
    A: The strike vote ballot will give each eligible voter the option, in French and English, to choose either:

    YES – I authorize the bargaining team to call a strike, if necessary

    NO – I do not authorize the bargaining team to call a strike, if necessary

    Vote YES to give us the power to win!

    Q: Does the bargaining team recommend that I vote to authorize the team to call a strike?
    A: Yes, the team unanimously recommends that all members vote yes to authorize the team to call a strike and build bargaining power with a strong strike mandate.

    Q: What involvement do OPSEU/SEFPO and the CEC have in the strike vote?
    A: OPSEU/SEFPO requested that the vote be held. On September 18, the Bargaining Team filed for conciliation and a strike mandate vote in response to what appeared to be the CEC and the Colleges’ intentional use of delay in negotiations.

    The CEC provided a list of voters obtained from the Colleges to OPSEU/SEFPO for validation. The list was then provided to the OLRB. The OLRB alone conducts the vote and OPSEU/SEFPO and the CEC have no involvement in that process.

    Q: How will the outcome of the strike vote be determined?
    A: In order to accept or reject a vote in favour of a strike or other labour action, such as work-to-rule, OPSEU/SEFPO must obtain 50% plus 1 vote support from among the ballots cast in the strike vote. The majority of votes cast will determine the outcome. But a stronger strike vote means more power at the bargaining table!

    Q: If I have a problem casting my ballot, whom would I call for help?
    A: You can contact the OLRB Voting Help Desk by telephone at 416-326-7432 (English), 416-326-0313 (French). When you contact them, you can indicate that you are calling about the strike vote in OLRB case number 1526-24-VO. They can assist you with any problems casting your ballot.

    Help Desk Hours:

    October 15 – 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
    October 16 – 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
    October 17 – 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

    Q: If I work at multiple colleges and I get multiple PINs, can I vote multiple times?
    A: No, you are only allowed to vote once as a member of the bargaining unit. The OLRB will find your vote with the email address you used and will count that one vote as official. If you vote multiples times using multiple PINs, that will be considered a spoiled ballot and will not be counted.

    Q: When will the results of the vote be released?
    A: OPSEU/SEFPO will send an email to all College Faculty members once strike vote results are ready. Strike votes will be made public at that time and posted on the OPSEU/SEFPO website, as well.

    Q: How will I know if a strike, or other labour action, will be taking place?
    A: Members will be kept informed through local and provincial communications in the event that a strike action is called. Frequent updates will be provided through email, text, in-person visits, and town halls to keep members informed about the specific type of strike action that will be taken and how members should proceed. Members are encouraged to update their information and reach out to Local leadership if they are experiencing difficult receiving emails from OPSEU/SEFPO.

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  • Vote “Yes” for Student and Faculty Futures, Oct 15-17: Bargaining Update

    Vote “Yes” for Student and Faculty Futures, Oct 15-17: Bargaining Update

    Bargaining Bulletin 9

    Yesterday, College Faculty and their Locals organized events all across Ontario to promote awareness of bargaining, faculty proposals, and the importance of the upcoming strike vote mandate. You responded to the call for solidarity – now, we are asking  to come together once more. 

    A high-participation, strong YES vote will support the bargaining team at the table with the full strength of the membership behind them. A strong strike mandate is a powerful tool to fight back concessions and advance members’ proposals at the bargaining table.. 

    On October 15-17, vote YES in a province-wide strike vote (details and FAQ forthcoming).

    Faculty are invested in a quality College system for students

    We train Ontario’s future in the communities we live and serve. We value students’ education, and we care about our Colleges – that’s why we’re fighting for a quality system. Change starts at the bargaining table. Our proposals invest in hands-on, job-ready education. The graduates we train have an integral role in Ontario’s economy. They deserve nothing less.

    We know that our working conditions are intimately tied to quality education and student learning conditions. Any parent or student knows that this goes beyond just what happens in the classroom – it includes professional development, adequate time for preparation and evaluation, supporting students outside the classroom, including student needs (e.g. accommodations and language proficiency), curriculum review, and more.

    Our proposals give more dedicated time to students, increasing their quality of education and combating the turn to a for-profit, corporate education model that views teachers, librarians, and counselors as widgets and learning as transactional.

    The Colleges may shift the blame on international student constraints to prop up their proposals – which fail to even meet recommendations of the Workload Task Force Report – but their arguments must be weighed against the current context: a period of historic profits for the Colleges. The accumulated surplus of $1 billion this year alone across the College system, on top of the recent $1.3 billion provincial investment, tells a different financial story. These funds should be readily invested in quality education.

    There’s money for more managers, yet three quarters of faculty are on 14-week contracts with little to no benefits or job security. Students deserve quality education that comes with a stable workforce.

    Our proposals are focused on quality education, not just the CEC’s narrow conception of teaching, and will provide students with the quality training they deserve – benefiting future employers and the Ontario as a whole. Our proposals give faculty a little more time for student feedback and support, more opportunity to stay up to date in their field of expertise, and better ability to support students regardless of how courses are delivered.

    Bargaining Recap: Vote “yes” to fight concessions and advance proposals

    Yesterday, we received counter-proposals from the CEC and the Colleges on our Workload (U1), Partial-Load (U2), Monetary (U8), and Article 8 (U15) proposals. Four days out from our contract expiry, the employer’s proposals are a step backward – rife with concessions.

    The employer’s monetary offer is substantially less money over twice the contract length. It would lock us into sub-par contract terms for four years. If we want to keep pace with the rising cost of living, our wage increase shouldn’t be less than an annual rent hike. 

    The employer also continues to table unacceptable concessions, tabling proposals which:

    1. Drastically reduce evaluation and feedback time for computer/LMS-supported grading for the majority of faculty (M12);
    2. Remove the teaching contact hour assigned to asynchronous delivery, leaving with faculty with only a fraction of an hour to prepare materials, evaluate and provide feedback to students, and meet one-on-one with students (M12);
    3. Create more employment instability with broader layoff provisions and more restrictions on full-time hiring (M1);
    4. Reassign Professor work to management, encroaching on bargaining unit work (M8);
    5. Introduce a two-tiered approach to workload protections which divides our membership, sidelining faculty already facing inequitable workload pressures by increasing work assigned to them (M12);
    6. Eliminate five consecutive professional development days, an important way for faculty to deepen quality of education (M2);
    7. Extend the length of the academic year, encroaching on collective agreement protections (M2);

    Read our complete remarks at the table, including a full list of the employer’s concessions.

    Despite the Workload Task Force Report indicating that workload has increased globally for faculty, the employer’s proposals decrease the assigned time for most of us to teach.

    Moreover, the CEC and the Colleges continue to sideline Partial-Load Faculty. Despite the report’s findings that partial-load members are doing work without contract coverage, the employer has refused our proposal of a Partial-load Assignment Calculator (PLAC) to record partial-load workloads.

    We do not bargain backwards – in other words, we do not accept concessions because our rights are not ours to give away. Gains in previous years were fought for by members that came before us and they belong to members who will come after us. Our job is to look to the future and bargain members’ demands, secure improved wages and working conditions, and reduce precarity system-wide.

    A strong “yes” vote – or strike mandate – is an invaluable tool to push off concessions and advance members’ proposals. It clearly tells the CEC and the Colleges that faculty are behind their bargaining team.

    Student and faculty futures are intertwined. Talk to your colleagues and make sure that from October 15-17, we all turn out to vote “yes” for quality education and a better College system

    In solidarity,

    Your CAAT-A Bargaining Team:

    Ravi Ramkissoonsingh, L242, Chair (he/him)
    Michelle Arbour, L125, Vice-Chair (she/her)
    Chad Croteau, L110 (he/him)
    Bob Delaney, L237 (he/him)
    Martin Lee, L415 (he/him)
    Sean Lougheed, L657 (he/him)
    Rebecca Ward, L732 (she/her)

    Stay Informed, Stay Engaged, Get Involved

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  • Worker Safety Engagement Tour – Kingston

    Worker Safety Engagement Tour – Kingston

    Printable PDF

    A team of our very own expert OPSEU/SEFPO staff from the areas of:

    • Health and Safety
    • WSIB (Worker Safety and Insurance Board)
    • Pension and Insured Benefits

    Will be in your area to allow OPSEU/SEFPO members from every sector and Regional Staff to drop-in, meet and greet other members, ask questions of the visiting staff, check out resources, gather information and more.

    These staff members will be set-up in your Regional Office on:

    • Ottawa Regional Office: Oct. 17, 1 pm – 8 pm
    • Kingston Regional Office, Oct. 18, from 1 pm – 8 pm

    Members from all sectors will be encouraged to come out to meet, greet and ask any questions, like:

    • How to fire up your Local Joint Health and Safety Committee?
    • How does the right to refuse unsafe work operate?
    • Why should you care about pensions?
    • How to help members when a benefits, LTD claim or WSIB claim is denied?

    The OPSEU/SEFPO Worker Safety Unit is proud to bring a boost of energy, information and resources to OPSEU/SEFPO members where they work and live.

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  • Worker Safety Engagement Tour – Ottawa

    Worker Safety Engagement Tour – Ottawa

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    A team of our very own expert OPSEU/SEFPO staff from the areas of:

    • Health and Safety
    • WSIB (Worker Safety and Insurance Board)
    • Pension and Insured Benefits

    Will be in your area to allow OPSEU/SEFPO members from every sector and Regional Staff to drop-in, meet and greet other members, ask questions of the visiting staff, check out resources, gather information and more.

    These staff members will be set-up in your Regional Office on:

    • Ottawa Regional Office: Oct. 17, 1 pm – 8 pm
    • Kingston Regional Office, Oct. 18, from 1 pm – 8 pm

    Members from all sectors will be encouraged to come out to meet, greet and ask any questions, like:

    • How to fire up your Local Joint Health and Safety Committee?
    • How does the right to refuse unsafe work operate?
    • Why should you care about pensions?
    • How to help members when a benefits, LTD claim or WSIB claim is denied?

    The OPSEU/SEFPO Worker Safety Unit is proud to bring a boost of energy, information and resources to OPSEU/SEFPO members where they work and live.

     

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  • Workers at CMHA Thames Valley rally to protect lifesaving mental health and addictions services

    Workers at CMHA Thames Valley rally to protect lifesaving mental health and addictions services

    As the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Thames Valley held their annual “year in review” community meeting today, the members of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 133, who work at the agency, rallied outside with community members to advocate for the funding needed to stop eliminating positions, protect lifesaving services and provide affordable housing.

    This past year, CMHA Thames Valley has eliminated more than 80 positions while the organization struggles with growing waitlists and an overwhelmed intake process. Some programs have also been eliminated. These service changes have significantly impacted access to lifesaving mental health and addictions care. Frontline workers are warning that these cuts are leaving the community vulnerable and putting overworked staff at greater risk.

    “We save lives every day, but we’re very concerned about those in need of support and the worsening homelessness crisis,” said Tischa Forster, Local President of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 133. “In a time when we need more resources, investment and expansion in services to meet the needs of our communities, we have faced reductions to frontline positions – this cannot continue. Lives are at risk.”

    Workers are also raising the alarm about chronic underfunding from the province and calling on Premier Doug Ford, Health Minister Sylvia Jones and Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Michael Tibollo, to step in to address the ongoing mental health and addictions crisis in Elgin, Oxford, London-Middlesex and Huron counties – and across Ontario.

    “Mental health, addictions and social services have been chronically underfunded for years,” said Forster. “There are so many people needing supports and assistance who aren’t getting the help they need. At a time when we need 100 more employees to expand 24/7 crisis support, counselling, housing support, peer supports and lifesaving care across our four counties, we have faced reductions and losses of almost 100 positions while trying to support the increasing needs in our communities. Ontario can, and must, do better for our most vulnerable.”

    “The province must make mental health a priority and reverse the deep cuts that have caused a crisis in mental health and addictions services across Ontario,” said Ed Arvelin, Chair of OPSEU/SEFPO’s Mental Health and Addictions Division. “Our members are passionate about the work they do, saving lives. But we see the same cuts and homelessness crisis happening across the province because of a system that has been grossly underfunded for years. Premier Ford, it’s time to address the funding shortfall in order to stop the cuts and protect lifesaving mental health and addictions services at CMHA Thames Valley.

    “Our communities deserve high-quality services, and workers deserve better, safer working conditions,” added Arvelin. “The Ford government must address the crisis in mental health, addictions and affordable housing services and increase funding for Ontario’s mental health agencies now!”

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  • Community stands with health care workers in fight for fair pay and worker wellbeing at Anishnawbe Health Toronto

    Community stands with health care workers in fight for fair pay and worker wellbeing at Anishnawbe Health Toronto

    Community healthcare workers at Anishnawbe Health Toronto (AHT) were joined by elders and members of the Indigenous community today for an information picket to raise awareness about their need for a fair first contract.

    AHT workers – members of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 5115 — have come together to call for contract improvements that honour their work, including fair pay, a pension to retire with dignity, and improved worker wellbeing. They have been seeking their first contract for more than a year, without any movement on their core issues.

    Amidst a provincial landscape where medical infrastructure is overwhelmed – particularly in Toronto – AHT provides vital culturally-affirming primary and mental health care to Indigenous communities in the GTA. Colonization and and systemic discrimination within mainstream healthcare settings have led to poorer health outcomes and premature death for Indigenous peoples. The workers at Anishnawbe Health Toronto are committed to supporting the health, wellbeing and reclamation of the communities they serve.

    “Anishnawbe Health Toronto is often praised for its one-of-a-kind services supporting the under-served Indigenous community in Toronto – but this exceptional care comes from the dedicated workers who provide it,” said OPSEU/SEFPO President JP Hornick. “It’s time for the executive leadership to show these workers the respect they deserve and come to the table to bargain a fair first deal immediately.”

    At Wednesday’s rally, frontline AHT workers invited community members to participate in their online action by emailing AHT’s Board President Marian Jacko and executive board members. AHT workers care deeply about this community-based work and have made it clear that a timely agreement is a top priority to tackle ongoing recruitment and retention issues and reduce ongoing gaps in service – a cost born on the backs of the communities served.

    Workers are warning that if a fair deal cannot be reached, AHT’s Board risks jeopardizing patient care.

    “Investing in exceptional care means investing in the workers who deliver it,” added Hornick. “By improving working conditions, the executive leadership can protect the high-quality of care and support that AHT provides, and for many years to come.”

    AHT workers will continue to raise their voices and concerns until a far deal is reached.

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