Category: Media
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From Beads to Bravery: An Evening of 2SLGBTQI+ Solidarity and Strength
By Alexandrea Seggewiss, Local 715, inSolidarity Committee member With creativity, and community spirit, the Rainbow Alliance arc-en-ciel (RAA) welcomed guests to an evening of connection and reflection at a unique Convention event that featured both a powerful film and some fun bracelet-making. As guests entered, they were warmly welcomed and invited to make a friendship…
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Empowering Women in Labour: Reflections from OPSEU/SEFPO’s Annual Women’s Breakfast at Convention 2025
By Lorinda Seward, Local 351, Editor inSolidarity On the second day of Convention 2025, amidst the bustling energy of solidarity and activism, OPSEU/SEFPO’s annual Women’s Breakfast once again offered a space to honour and amplify the vital role of women in the labour movement. A cherished tradition, the breakfast brings together union activists from across…
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Updates in the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP)
By Wendy Lee, Local 575, inSolidarity Committee The Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) is one of the strongest defined benefit pension plans in Canada, helping Ontario’s healthcare workers build the foundation for a financially secure retirement since 1960. Serving over 475,000 members and 700 employers, they are committed to providing members with the lifetime…
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inSolidarity’s Convention 2025 photo gallery
Convention 2025 photo gallery Have a pic or three you’d like to add to our gallery? Please email to insolidarity@opseu.org
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Convention can be overwhelming – New Delegate Seminar helps demystify the event
By Lorinda Seward, Local 351, Editor inSolidarity Thousands of OPSEU/SEFPO delegates, alternates, and observers will converge on the Metro Toronto Convention Centre to shape the direction of our union through debate and voting on key policy and constitutional resolutions. Convention 2025 – our union’s highest-ranking authority – is taking place from April 24-27, 2025, in…
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Hospital Professional members talk pensions, bargaining, and campaigning
By Wendy Lee, Local 575, inSolidarity Hospital Professional Division (HPD) Caucus Meeting The afternoon was chaired by Sara Labelle, HPD Division Chair. The meeting started with a presentation by the new President and Chief Executive Officer Annesley Wallace of HOOPP. The other items that were discussed during this caucus meeting are as follows: Bargaining Team…
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Welcome to Convention 2025! The inSolidarity Committee is here to help you make sense of it all
By Lorinda Seward, Local 351, Editor inSolidarity Convention is more than just a gathering – it’s the heart of our union’s democratic process. As the union’s highest-ranking authority, this is where delegates from across the province come together to debate, decide, and shape the direction of our collective future. From constitutional motions to policies that…
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Who Needs an Education Anyway?: How Anti-Intellectualism and Government Apathy Are Gutting Ontario Colleges
By Lorinda Seward, Local 351, Editor inSolidarity Once upon a time, getting a college education was seen as a ticket to stability – a good job, a decent wage, maybe even a house (imagine!). But these days, Ontario’s college system looks more like a sinking ship, and Doug Ford’s government isn’t exactly rushing to hand…
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The OPSEU/SEFPO Statement of Respect and Why It Matters
By Michael Hamilton, Local 376, inSolidarity Committee member At the beginning of any OPSEU/SEFPO function, we begin with the land acknowledgment and then the statement of respect. The September 2025 statement reads: “Whenever OPSEU members gather, we welcome all peoples of the world. We will not accept any unwelcoming words, actions or behaviours against our…
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Labour, student, and post-secondary advocacy leaders jointly call for funding public education as a buffer to U.S. tariff fallout: “Our college system can be the lifeboat.”
A joint release between OPSEU/SEFPO, Canadian Federation of Students – Ontario, Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA), and Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL). Toronto, ON – As Canada braces for the economic fallout of dramatic tariffs announced by Donald Trump, labour, student, and post-secondary advocacy leaders gathered at Queen’s Park on the first day…
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After 20 year battle, part-time and sessional college faculty across Ontario join OPSEU/SEFPO in one of largest organizing drives in Canadian history
Toronto, ON – College faculty union leaders had much to celebrate around the historic table at the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) today. After a long day sorting through thousands of ballots, with 88% of ballot-casters voting in favour the union won the vote count: part-time and sessional faculty at all 24 of Ontario’s public…
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Meet the OPSEU/SEFPO members and staff running in the federal election
By Wendy Lee, Local 575, InSolidarity Federal Elections are upon Canadians again. We need to become familiar with who is going to be spear heading our best interests as OPSEU/SEFPO members. There are several OPSEU/SEFPO members and OPSEU/SEFPO staff running and desire to represent our interests, so InSol is going to “promote from within”. All…
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Gift of life from Corrections Rehab Officer Katherine Hamilton
By Adrien DesRoches, Corporal, Central North Correctional Centre, Local 369 In April of 2023, Central North Correctional Centre (CNCC) Rehab Officer Katherine Hamilton made the brave decision to help save the life of a stranger by volunteering to be a living liver donor. In November 2022, after reading the heartbreaking story of a young child…
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Order, point of privilege, orders of the day, closure – Robert’s Rules info and Zoom drop-ins on Apr 2, 5, 10, 15 and 16
By Wendy Lee, Local 575, InSolidarity OPSEU/SEFPO uses Robert’s Rules of Order at Convention as it is a widely used system for conducting meetings and making decisions in a structured, democratic manner. But for the uninitiated, Robert’s Rules can be confusing and intimidating. Which is why the Provincial Young Workers Committee (PYC) is hosting two…
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Systemic Racism: Getting to the Root of the Issue
By Michael Hamilton, Local 376, inSolidarity When you hear the words systemic racism, what comes to your mind? For many, it’s been an afterthought because they have never had to experience it before. Unfortunately for Black and Racialized people, systemic racism is a pandemic that has been affecting us for generations. Notice how I said…
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Region 1 Leadership Conference: Convention-ready, Set, Go!
By Craig Hadley, Local 5109, inSolidarity Windsor, On, March 17, 2025, – OPSEU/SEFPO Region 1 hosts 2nd bi-annual leadership meeting to organize and educate in preparation for Convention 2025. After the OPSEU/SEFPO Land Acknowledgement and Statement of Respect, the day got off to an inspirational start with Region 1 VP Jennifer Van Zetten, who spoke…
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Donation of blood has always been free. Why charge now?
Wendy Lee, Local 575, inSolidarity Committee On Monday, March 3, 2025, a rally was held at the for-profit plasma Grifols Donation Centre in Whitby between 1-3pm. Various organizations, including Ontario Health Coalition and unions (OPSEU, CUPE, ONA) came together to protest (Dozens rally against paid plasma donation clinic in Whitby, Ont., calling practice unethical |…