Tag: COVID-19
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Thomas urges members to skip ‘irresponsible’ CSN events
Would you risk catching COVID for a free burger? I don’t think so – which is why I’m confident most OPSEU members will steer clear of the irresponsible barbecues being held by CSN, the Quebec union that’s trying to raid our Corrections members. The raiding is bad enough during this pandemic; trying to exploit FXTs…
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Thomas in The Sun: Ontario’s schools can operate safely despite COVID-19
In a Toronto Sun Opinion Editorial, OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas discusses the importance of employers and unions working together to ensure that Ontario’s schools operate safely this September. He calls on Premier Ford and Minister Lecce to consult with all players in the education sector on the reopening plan. “Delaying the start of the…
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It’s time to prepare for the road ahead
First of all, I’m hoping all of you in our OPSEU family are able to take some well-deserved time off to relax and enjoy the long days and warm temperatures with your family and friends. This may be the eye of the storm in what has been an unprecedented year so far, unlike anything…
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During COVID-19 and beyond: we are proud to give our members the recognition they deserve
At OPSEU, we are aware of the essential and life-saving work you, our Broader Public Sector (BPS) members, are performing during the pandemic each and every day. Your efforts are making a such difference in lifting spirits and protecting the wellbeing of Ontarians during this incredibly stressful and unprecedented time. OPSEU is behind you all…
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OPSEU President: Bill 195 is a needless infringement on workers’ democratic rights
Statement on Bill 195 from OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas: Throughout the pandemic, Ontario’s front-line workers have stepped up. But Bill 195 threatens to interfere with OUR constitutionally guaranteed collective bargaining rights. Workers understand that this pandemic has changed the way we have to live and the way we have to work. We understand the…
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Thomas requests PPE info, assurance from Health Minister
OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas has asked the Ford government for information about its current stock of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), along with assurances that it will have enough to protect workers during a second wave of COVID-19. “Ontario mustn’t be caught again with an inadequate supply of PPE,” wrote Thomas in a letter to…
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OPSEU: CMA study proves it’s time to get profit out of long-term care
Toronto – OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas says new research by the Canadian Medical Association showing that long-term care residents have been nearly twice as likely to get sick and die in private facilities is yet another piece of growing evidence that the province must eliminate privatization from the industry. “We don’t need any more…
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OPSEU: crack down on private outlets selling in the early morning, and reopen LCBOs on Mondays
Toronto – OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas is asking the government to crack down on private stores illegally selling alcohol as early as 7 am, and to push the LCBO to immediately restart its responsible sales on Mondays. “We’ve got the receipts showing that private convenience and grocery stores have been selling to people very…
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Thomas in The Sun: We’re all safer when everybody has the safety of a home
In a Toronto Sun op-ed, OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas is urgently calling on municipal and provincial governments to find homes for everybody suffering homelessness. “Study after study has shown that it’s much less expensive to provide affordable housing for a person than it is to house them in a shelter. And during this pandemic,…
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‘Good jobs, not gig jobs’: OPSEU statement on Colleges Ontario report
OPSEU’s college faculty and support members have grave concerns around the white paper The Future of Ontario’s Workers, commissioned by Colleges Ontario, which represents the employers of Ontario’s 24 public colleges. Advertised as a roadmap to adapting to changes in work and the economy, it makes 17 recommendations based on the mistaken assumption that the…
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Thank you to OPSEU’s Hospital Professionals Division members
To all members of OPSEU’s Hospital Professionals Division, Over the past several months it’s been extraordinary to witness your unparalleled professionalism, courage, and activism during this pandemic. Apart from taking on the battles in your joint health and safety committees regarding PPE, redeployment, proper contact tracing and positive case reporting, etc.; it’s been the fight for…
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Educational support workers in Peel say Yes to OPSEU
Toronto – In an historic vote, more than 3,700 school workers in Mississauga and Brampton have said a resounding “Yes” to OPSEU, with 86 per cent in support of joining the most powerful public sector union in the province. The turnout for the vote was phenomenal, with 84 per cent of ERFP members participating in the vote. “This is…
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OPSEU stands with vulnerable migrant workers
One of the great tragedies of the COVID-19 pandemic is how it has spread through migrant workers who have come to Ontario to do temporary, seasonal jobs on farms and in greenhouses. Approximately 20,000 migrant workers come to Ontario each year, mainly from Mexico, Guatemala and the Caribbean. The spread is severe enough that parts…
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OPSEU provides expert and first-person opinion on fixing crisis in long term care
OPSEU has presented Premier Doug Ford with key and vital recommendations from the front lines on how to fix the crisis in long term care, including hiring more inspectors and taking for-profit operators out of the picture. OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas went to front-line long-term care home inspectors who are OPSEU members to get…