Defend Public Healthcare

As expected, the McGuinty government has made a long series of concession demands at the OPSEU "OPS" negotiations, where OPSEU is bargaining on behalf of 36,000 provincial civil servants. Here is what OPSEU saw from the government on the first day: A two-year agreement. A two-year pay freeze. Creation of a new step on the wage grid 3 per cent lower than the lowest step. Reduce sick time payments after six days from 75 per cent to 66 and two-thirds per cent. Implement two unpaid days for more than six continuous absences. Ability to top up sick leave only to 75 per cent and only with vacation credits. Change benefits to a maximum annual dollar limit for all services instead of service specific caps. Increased use of temporary employees and consultants. Gutting Job Security (Article 20 and Appendix 40) Increase full-time conversion unclassified employees from 18 months to 24 months. Elimination of termination pay under Reasonable Efforts Elimina...

In the midst of the first two weeks of consultations over the Ontario government's proposed compensation freeze, members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union have begun a strike for a first contract at Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM).  After voting 97% in favour of strike action, picket lines went up at the school’s two main campuses in  at Laurentian University in Sudbury and at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay.  About 150 clerical, administrative and technical staff are involved.  Outstanding issues include hours of work, overtime, sick leave, family leave, and wages. The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA), which has not reported any progress at its discussions with government on the compensation freeze, wrote to the School in solidarity with the strikers.  OCUFA   noted : Employee compensation is not the cause of the current challenges, and we do not accept that restraint on the part of your ...

OPSEU (the Ontario Public Service Employees Union) is planning an August 19th protest near Ottawa:  Tell Premier Dalton McGuinty: Wage cuts, corporate tax cuts and under-funding public services hurts Ontario!      The protest will take place at a Liberal fundraiser at (where else) a golf club . The protest starts at 6 am .  Donations will be accepted for the Champions for Children Foundation of the Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa. OPSEU has also announced that their very recent Youth Employment Services settlement includes a signing bonus of $250 for every employee, a 2% raise in the second year of the agreement and improvements in health and welfare, including $300 for eye care. Sounds like some good work. For more on the OPSEU protest see here .