Category: Grievances

• OPS Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) memorandum of settlement

  View the decision GSB# 2021-3633; 2021-4288 OPSEU# 2022-0999-0005; 2022-0999-0004 Memorandum of Settlement Between: The Crown in Right of Ontario as represented by the Treasury Board Secretariat (“the Employer”) and The Ontario Public Employees Service Union (“the Union” or “OPSEU”) Whereas as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Employer implemented The Safe Workplace Policy, which…

  March 14, 2023

  Grievances, Health and Safety

  COVID-19, Grievance Arbitration Awards

• Mandatory OPS Rapid Antigen Tests ruled “work” by Grievance Settlement Board (GSB)

  View the decision View the memorandum of settlement here On October 26, 2022, the Grievance Settlement Board (GSB) issued a decision related to the mandatory completion and submission of COVID-19 “Rapid Antigen Tests” by employees on their own time, before attending the workplace (please see attached the decision in GSB #2021- 3633 and 2021-4288). This…

  March 14, 2023

  Grievances, Health and Safety

  COVID-19, Grievance Arbitration Awards

• OPS Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) grievance decision

  PDF version Crown Employees Grievance Settlement Board Suite 600 Bureau 180 Dundas St. West 180, rue Toronto, Ontario M5G 1Z8 Toront Tel. (416) 326-1388 GSB# 2021-3633; 2021-4288 UNION# 2022-0999-0005; 2022-0999-0004 IN THE MATTER OF AN ARBITRATION Under THE CROWN EMPLOYEES COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ACT Before THE GRIEVANCE SETTLEMENT BOARD BETWEEN Ontario Public Service Employees Union, Union…

  March 14, 2023

  Grievances, Health and Safety

  COVID-19, Grievance Arbitration Awards

• OPSEU/SEFPO in the News: #OurSafetyMatters rally for fired CLASS workers in Alliston

  More than 150 community members, OPSEU/SEFPO members, labour activists and allies gathered outside Community Living Association for South Simcoe’s (CLASS) head office in Alliston, Ontario, on March 7 to protest the termination of three union leaders from OPSEU/SEFPO Local 332 who were fired for raising health and safety issues in the workplace. The rally received…

  Andy Pedersen

  March 10, 2023

  Bargaining, Campaigns, Events, Grievances, Media

  OPSEU in the News

• Community rallies to support local union leaders who were fired for raising Health and Safety concerns

  Over 50 people rallied today in Alliston, Ontario to send a message to Community Living Association for South Simcoe (CLASS) Executive Director, Andrew Walker, to protect the safety of Developmental Service workers at CLASS and reverse his unfair firing of three workers who raised Health and Safety issues. Participants included workers, community members, and allies…

  Andy Pedersen

  February 10, 2023

  Bargaining, Campaigns, Grievances

  Solidarity

• Alliston Rally to support local union leaders fired for raising Health & Safety concerns

  ALLISTON, ON – Workers, community members, and allies will hold a public rally to protest the recent firing of three Developmental Service workers by the Community Living Association for South Simcoe (CLASS). The three workers had their positions terminated by CLASS management after raising concerns about the health and safety of workers at the organization.…

  Andy Pedersen

  February 10, 2023

  Campaigns, Grievances

  Solidarity

• OPSEU/SEFPO Calls for Immediate Action to Protect Workers at Community Living Association for South Simcoe 

  ALLISTON ON – The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/SEFPO) is calling for the employer at Community Living Association for South Simcoe (CLASS) to take immediate action in the wake of numerous incidents of workplace violence in the past year.  CLASS staff, who are members of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 332, have faced an increase in physical…

  Andy Pedersen

  January 23, 2023

  Bargaining, Campaigns, Grievances, Health and Safety, Media

  Collective Agreement, Health and safety, Media release

• Mohawk College job reclassification and wage cuts will hurt nursing education and students: OPSEU/SEFPO

  HAMILTON – An announcement by Mohawk College to change nursing instructors’ job classifications, and cut their wages, will have a negative impact on the quality of education and training provided to nursing students, says the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/SEFPO). Currently, students receive immediate feedback from faculty who provide hands-on, bedside education. The new…

  Andy Pedersen

  January 19, 2023

  Bargaining, Campaigns, Grievances, Media

  Media release

• Photos: OPSEU/SEFPO Local 467 Correctional Officers stand together against bullying by bosses

  Photos from the information rally outside the Quinte Detention Centre on Monday, November 22.  Members of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 467 standing strong together to send a message to bosses that union-busting and punishment for union activity must end!  

  Andy Pedersen

  November 21, 2022

  Campaigns, Grievances

• Frequently Asked Questions about mandatory vaccinations

  With the fourth wave of the COVID-19 crisis upon us, many employers in Ontario have been developing workplace policies calling for mandatory vaccines and testing. The Ford government has also announced a vaccine passport will be brought in this month. As members continue to navigate these challenging times and, in many cases, plan their own return…

  September 2, 2021

  Grievances, Health and Safety

  COVID-19

• OPSEU/SEFPO wins big on pregnancy/parental leave

  OPSEU/SEFPO has won an important battle around vacation and pregnancy/parental leave. An arbitrator has ruled that colleges cannot force faculty employees to take vacation during leaves. The grievance arose when a college professor wanted to take pregnancy leave. During her leave, she would be paid by Employment Insurance, which was topped up by the college’s…

  June 18, 2021

  Grievances

  Grievance Arbitration Awards

• OPSEU/SEFPO welcomes arbitrator’s ruling on LTIP

  OPSEU/SEFPO is hailing Arbitrator Nimal Dissanayake’s ruling that four articles in the OPS Unified collective agreement defended by the Employer violate human rights legislation. The ruling concerned two requirements regarding employees receiving, or considering, long-term insurance protection (LTIP). “This is just another example of what a strong union can do for working people,” said OPSEU/SEFPO…

  March 16, 2021

  Grievances

  Grievance Arbitration Awards

• President Thomas to College Council: Stop the stonewalling, start the healing

  A statement from OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas on Canadore College: OPSEU has reviewed the prepared statements released Monday, February 24 by the College Employer Council. We are disappointed that the College appears intent to stonewall requests to disclose the investigation report it obtained following nearly a year-long investigation into allegations of harassment, discrimination and…

  February 26, 2020

  Bargaining, Campaigns, Grievances, Health and Safety, Media

  Media release

• Ontario Superior Court of Justice rules in favour of OPSEU

  OPSEU has won a victory against the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) on behalf of members who moved out of the Ministry of Finance to OPAC/MPAC in 1998. In 2016, OPSEU filed a grievance when MPAC refused to provide a special compensation entitlement on termination laid out in the collective agreement. Arbitrator Robert D. Howe…

  January 23, 2020

  Bargaining, Campaigns, Grievances

  Grievance Arbitration Awards

• OPSEU to launch Charter challenge on Bill 124

  Doug Ford rammed through Bill 124 last year. This legislation amounts to unacceptable interference with our collective bargaining rights enshrined in the constitution. OPSEU will not allow it to stand unchallenged. Bill 124 is a violation of section 2(d) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, undermining our rights to free collective bargaining. By…

  Andy Pedersen

  January 9, 2020

  Campaigns, Grievances

  Legal decisions

• Arbitrator rules in OPSEU’s favour against Waypoint

  Penetanguishene – An arbitrator has ruled in favour of OPSEU on the union’s allegation of an unfair labour practice against Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care. In his decision, dated June 12, 2019, Arbitrator Robert W. Kitchen ruled that Waypoint had indeed broken the law by violating section 70 of the Ontario Labour Relations Act,…

  June 14, 2019

  Bargaining, Campaigns, Grievances, Media

  Fighting Privatization, Media release, Say Safe

• Peterborough Regional Health Centre to freeze wages for clerical staff: OPSEU

  Global TV is reporting on the wage freeze the Peterborough Regional Health Centre is trying to impose on the women who do clerical work at the hospital. “We’re worried for our membership. This could negatively impact our members, their families and friends in the community,” said Dani Steenburgh, president of OPSEU Local 345. OPSEU President…

  November 27, 2018

  Bargaining, Campaigns, Grievances, Media

  OPSEU in the News

• Grievances Alleging that the Employer’s Method of Implementing the Salary Progression as of January 1, 2018 is Incorrect (Update)

  As you are aware, OPSEU filed a central Ontario Public Service (OPS) policy grievance on August 24, 2017 alleging that the manner in which the Employer would be implementing salary progressions as of January 1, 2018 (when the “pay freeze” was removed) was improper; the Correctional bargaining unit filed a similar grievance on February 12,…

  August 29, 2018

  Bargaining, Campaigns, Grievances

• Boards of Education and Cultural Institutions newsletter- Spring into action!

  The Sector 3 Boards of Education and Cultural Institutions executive met in Toronto on February 12-13, in the middle of a deep-freeze warning. The third divisional meeting of the executive proved to be productive, working toward the goals set out by you, the members.  The executive would like to thank Paula Tavares, outgoing sector Chair,…

  March 7, 2018

  Grievances, Pensions and Benefits

  Benefits, Grievance Arbitration Awards, Newsletter

• OPSEU files charter challenge to defend right to strike

  Toronto – The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) filed a charter challenge today regarding the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Labour Dispute Resolution Act, also known as Bill 178. The union maintains this Act, which forced an end to the college faculty strike in November 2017, violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and…

  Andy Pedersen

  January 23, 2018

  Grievances, Media

  Legal decisions, Media release