In the aftermath of a gruelling wildfire season in Ontario, 94 OPSEU/SEFPO members working in Aviation and Forest Fire and Emergency Services have negotiated substantial wage increases after years of fighting for the future of Ontario’s wildfire response.
“This outcome serves as a reminder to our employer that when OPS members fight, we fight to win,” said Amanda Usher, Chair of the OPS Unified Bargaining Team. “The fight for better wages across OPS Unified is far from over – this result is just the beginning.”
This win for workers did not come easily. During negotiations through a special cases committee, the government tried to shortchange workers at the expense of Ontario’s safety. For many years, they ignored the potential consequences of a growing recruitment and retention crisis in the sector, and at the height of fire season in the summer, tabled an offer that failed to take the risk and severity of fire season – or the brave workers who fight these fires – seriously.
The governments’ inadequate proposal only strengthened workers – who came together to almost unanimously reject insufficient increases in June of this year. Throughout this process, workers have stood firm in their calls for this government to adequately invest in Ontario’s wildland fire-fighting efforts through increased wages that will attract the qualified professionals we need to keep Ontario communities safe.
It is because of this commitment and resolve that these wage increases have been achieved. These workers have shown the power of solidarity in action and achieved a huge win for the public service.
“This victory belongs to every worker who refused to back down, every worker who refused to believe a government that told them there was no money,” said JP Hornick, president of OPSEU/SEFPO. “Your efforts built an irrefutable case and forced this government to understand the important role your jobs play in public safety in our province – and that is something OPSEU/SEFPO will always fight for”