Tag: COVID-19
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OPSEU/SEFPO shines a light on the ‘forgotten front-line heroes in our schools’
In an open letter to Premier Doug Ford and Education Minister Stephen Lecce, OPSEU/SEFPO President Warren (Smokey) Thomas calls Education Workers “the forgotten front-line heroes in our public school system.” “They say teachers are the heart of a school. Education Workers are the very soul,” Thomas writes. “With professionalism, passion, and patience, they serve as…
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‘We’re still not being seen as frontline workers,’ Most Simcoe County paramedics not vaccinated
In a recent interview with CTV Barrie, Cory Schepers, paramedic with Simcoe County paramedics and President of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 303, discussed the widespread frustration that paramedics are feeling over not being prioritized in stage one of Ontario’s vaccine rollout. Ontario’s paramedics are on the frontlines of the fight against the pandemic, treating patients and transporting…
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OPSEU/SEFPO calls on Ontario legislature to support essential workers by passing Bill 239
OPSEU/SEFPO is calling on the Ontario legislature to show its commitment to essential workers by moving quickly to pass Bill 239, Stay Home If You Are Sick Act, 2020. The bill, which includes paid infectious disease leave, would grant automatic paid sick time to all workers and significantly reduce community transmission of COVID-19. Bill 239…
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OPSEU/SEFPO applauds government and LCBO for reopening Mondays
Toronto – OPSEU/SEFPO President Warren (Smokey) Thomas is commending Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy and LCBO management for listening to the union’s repeated calls to reopen LCBO stores on Mondays. “This is just the right thing to do,” said Thomas. “It means workers and customers will be safer, and it means the government will get more…
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Rolling with the (pandemic) punches means listening to members
We’ve experienced many changes this year and COVID-19 has forced us all to rethink how we do most things. But if there’s one thing that’ll never change at OPSEU/SEFPO it’s our sense of duty to every member of our union family. We’re here to help and that’s why I’m so pleased to announce the brand…
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Our jobs are vital, but remember those who’ve lost their jobs
Friends, As we head into the Family Day weekend, please spare a thought for all of our friends, neighbours and their families who have lost so much during this pandemic. More than 6,000 families are grieving the loss of loved ones. Sadly, that includes the family of Connie Cerdan, an OPSEU/SEFPO Local 597 member who…
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The time to protect and uphold human rights is now
OPSEU/SEFPO President Warren (Smokey) Thomas is calling on the Ford Government to strengthen the overstretched Ontario Human Rights Tribunal. The Tribunal is flooded with thousands of applications. However, it does not have the resources to review and deal with the complaints in a timely manner. One pressing need is a significant increase in the number…
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Thomas: Time to put confrontation aside as we emerge from the pandemic
The following Op-Ed by OPSEU/SEFPO President Warren (Smokey) Thomas was published today in the Toronto Sun. Thomas: Time to put confrontation aside as we emerge from the pandemic “Come with open minds and open hearts because nobody has the market cornered on good ideas,” says Warren One thing I’ve learned from a lifetime in the…
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OPSEU/SEFPO renews demand that LCBOs reopen on Mondays
In yet another letter to the Ford government, OPSEU/SEFPO President Warren (Smokey) Thomas has renewed the union’s longstanding demand that LCBO stores re-open on Mondays. “When the Premier first announced in March that LCBO outlets would be closed to the public to allow staff to undertake enhanced cleaning, OPSEU/SEFPO members stood behind the decision in…
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OPSEU/SEFPO: To keep our schools safe, Educational Support Workers must be consulted
Toronto – OPSEU/SEFPO President Warren (Smokey) Thomas says consulting front-line education workers on how to reopen schools safely this month is the best way to reduce the spread of COVID and save lives. “We want to see our kids back to school, but we must do everything we can to keep our students and education…
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Working from home? Tell us your opinions
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) – of which OPSEU/SEFPO is a component — is conducting an online survey for members working from home. You are invited to anonymously share your experiences with, and opinions on, working from home during the pandemic, as well as what types of options you hope to…