Tag: COVID-19
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OPSEU President calls on Renfrew community living management to obey the government
Toronto – OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas is demanding that management at Community Living Renfrew County South follow provincial government direction and continue to pay workers who are in isolation due to COVID-19. Earlier this week, Thomas called on Children, Community and Social Services Minister Todd Smith to intervene in the layoffs of workers who…
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Pledge to create a kinder world this Autism Awareness Day
April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day and this year the COVID-19 pandemic is creating additional challenges for people with autism and their families. People with autism rely on in-person therapy and services from Ontario agencies that have been closed due to this crisis. The state of emergency has also put a strain on the…
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Invest in colleges now to rebuild Ontario after COVID-19: OPSEU
Toronto – OPSEU says the Ontario government’s recent announcement of $25 million to support Ontario’s public colleges in the wake of the COVID-19 health crisis is a start but does not go far enough. “We’re going through the biggest health crisis in over a century,” said OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas, “The government needs to…
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Letter from OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas to Minister Smith re: layoffs at Renfrew community living agency
OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas sent the following letter on March 31 to Social Service Minister Todd Smith calling for an intervention in the layoffs taking place at Community Living Renfrew County South. The Honourable Todd Smith, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services438 University Ave., 7th FloorToronto, ON M5G 2K8 Dear Minister: I want…
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Equal pay and equity
The COVID-19 crisis has been hard on all of us, but for women, it has made a bad situation even worse. In many ways, women are on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis. For example, they are in the eye of the storm in health care services, personal support and developmental services, child protection,…
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OPSEU calls on government to intervene in layoffs at Renfrew community living agency
TORONTO – OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas is calling for Community and Social Services Minister Todd Smith to intervene in the layoff of workers in Renfrew who are in isolation due to COVID-19. Six members of OPSEU who work at Community Living Renfrew County South were required last week to quarantine or self-isolate. They have…
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Victory for OPSEU member-safety in the fight against COVID-19
After relentless pressure from OPSEU, the Government of Ontario has now confirmed that it will be installing Plexiglass this week at all Service Ontario retail offices and Land Registry offices as an enhanced precaution to help protect employees from this deadly virus. This is another important step in our fight for the safety of every…
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OPSEU to provide financial support for eligible members
Dear friends, Today the OPSEU Executive Board bolstered its efforts to support members who are facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 outbreak. We have doubled our Hardship Fund. Effective immediately, these monies will offer eligible members an additional resource for assistance during the COVID-19 crisis. We know this is a stressful time. We want to lend a hand…
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OPSEU continues to call on the LCBO to be a leader in protecting workers and the public
OPSEU and the Liquor Board Employees Division are working with the LCBO to ensure better protection for workers and the public during the COVID-19 pandemic, says OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas. Our members at the LCBO are proud public service workers and they want to do their part during this crisis, but they shouldn’t be…
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A Message from the President and CEO of OPTrust
Dear Member, We are all doing our part to slow down and contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus. OPTrust has taken a number of steps to protect the health of our team and community as we continue to pay pensions today and preserve pensions for tomorrow. For example, most of our team has been…
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OPSEU President lauds unprecedented political cooperation by Ontario’s leaders
TORONTO – OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas is praising Ontario’s political parties for their unprecedented cooperation in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, the crisis of a generation. Thomas says the Ford government’s plan announced on Wednesday to deal with COVID-19 is a good start. “This is a critical first step in providing support to our…
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New income support legislation passed through Parliament
Dear friends, We are pleased to share with you new measures outlined today by the federal government that will provide financial assistance to Canadians who have experienced job interruptions or losses due to COVID-19. This emergency bill, which includes the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, has passed through Parliament. OPSEU is committed to supporting our members…
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Layoffs at OLG are shameful; privatization has handcuffed relief
Layoff notices issued for Ontario hospitality and gaming workers during the COVID-19 crisis are just another example of greed, and highlight how privatization is eroding government social safety nets aimed at protecting people from financial ruin or worse, says OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas. “All I can do is shake my head,” said Thomas, pointing…