Nelson takes some questions from the crowd at the Ashgrove!
Earlier today we had OPSEU staff rep Nelson Ross Laguna come and give an update on a new provincial approach to bargaining called a Provincial Discussion Table, (or PDT). We had a great turn out at the Ashgrove, so thank you to all who showed up.
In case you didn't make it out here's some info you should know...
we will still go ahead and bargain for our "local" issues...things like scheduling, lateral transfers, job security, etc...
the PDT will discuss issues like...a common expiry date for our collective agreements, (meaning provincially all our collective agreements will expire at the same time...so we always have the power of numbers at the bargaining table).
Health and safety issues...workplace violence, WSIB and ensuring that staff support levels are adequate.
Funding formula adjustments and transparency...basically this means that we'll know exactly what's on the table at bargaining time.
Labour force strategy...this included pension and benefits, wages, job security, professional development, changing qualifications and dealing with regulatory colleges.
What this all essentially means is that there will be a standard set across the board in our sector...it means that if someone in say Thunder Bay gets paid $23, you'll be paid the same, (because we're all doing the same job)...since we're nowhere near the "top" as far as our wages go, we really can only stand to benefit from the PDT. The other big items are pensions and benefits...there would be standards set in those areas as well.
Word is that they are hoping to have the PDT together by the end of March...which means that soon afterwards the real work can begin.
This is an exciting time in our sector!
We're fortunate at our workplace to have an executive director who is on board with all of this, and is actively involved in seeing this happen...that being said there are still no guarantees, but we will definately know more by months end.
Our own bargaining will resume sometime after March...no dates are currently set.
In Solidarity
local 473
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