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Ontario Public Service Employees Union - Local 291
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Solidarity Rally - Safe Staffing at Cambridge Ambulance Communications Centre

20/12/2018

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OPSEU members will rally at the Hamilton CACC, located at 282 Fennell Ave. W. on Friday, December 21, from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. to support ACOs and to demand improved working conditions and safe staffing levels at the CACCs.

The staffing shortage at the Cambridge Central Ambulance Communications Centre (CACC) has reached a crisis level, and according to OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas, patients’ lives are at risk.


“Ambulance Communications Officers (ACOs) are the first line of defense in a medical emergency,” said Thomas. “But they need the appropriate tools, resources and staffing to do their jobs saving people’s lives, not some last-ditch band-aid scheme written on the back of a napkin.”


In response to ongoing staffing concerns, Cambridge CACC management announced last Thursday that all staff would be moved to the Hamilton CACC as of Monday, in order to mitigate the issue.


“Moving these staff from Cambridge to Hamilton on such short notice isn’t just disruptive, it’s dangerous,” said Thomas. “It’s the latest move in a long history of stop-gap solutions. But when it comes to saving lives, we need permanent staffing solutions not makeshift mitigation tactics.”


The Cambridge CACC, like many other CACCs across the province, has been plagued by issues of short-staffing and high staff turnover. Many of the staff are working on a contract-basis, with little job protection, despite their exposure to high levels of trauma resulting in PTSD. As short-staffing persists, more strain is being placed on fewer remaining staff.


“These staff are doing the best they can, with far too little,” said Lucy Morton, OPSEU Region 2 Regional Vice-President. “Now, they’re being moved to a location where the proper processes and technology won’t be in place for 6-8 weeks - it’s a logistical nightmare. But when it comes to ambulance dispatch, we can’t afford mistakes; delays put lives at risk.”


“Even though current CACC management has made strong efforts to address our members’ concerns and to improve staffing, government restrictions are what’s really standing in the way,” said Frank Wendling, Chair of OPSEU’s Ministry Employee Relations Committee (MERC) for the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. “The government’s lack of funding and a hiring freeze has caused all efforts to grind to a halt at the worst possible time, despite their promise that emergency services wouldn’t be impacted.”


In a recent Open Letter, Thomas called on Health Minister Christine Elliott to intervene with management at the CACCs, and launch a recruiting drive explaining that these staff are essential frontline staff and do not fall under the Premier’s recently imposed freeze on the Ontario Public Service.


“The CACC has been running like a whack-a-mole; one problem down, and a new one pops up,” said Thomas. “It’s time to get to the root of the problem; it’s time that our government ‘for the people’ step up and hire more permanent, full-time ACOs immediately. The people’s lives depend on it, and OPSEU’s here to fight for it.”

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OPSEU Disability Rights Caucus seeks new members

15/10/2017

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From the OPSEU post:

"The OPSEU Disability Rights Caucus  ("DRC") is inviting OPSEU members with a disability as defined under the Ontario Human Rights Code to apply for a position on the Disability Rights Caucus.
The role of the representative on the Disability Rights Caucus is to raise awareness and understanding of human rights and equity issues as they relate to individuals with disabilities. Representatives will liaise with the respective OPSEU provincial committees to identify barriers that prohibit full participation of persons with disabilities within OPSEU and the broader society.
The Selection Committee will screen the applications and make a recommendation to the Caucus based on the following five considerations:
  •  geographic balance of the seven OPSEU regions
  •  a wide range of disabilities with a balance of visible and non-visible disabilities
  •  mix of community and union activity
  •  gender balance
  •  a desire to network, advocate, educate, and increase equality for individuals with disabilities
Please forward applications to the attention of Marg Smoke at msmoke@opseu.org (with the subject line: "DRC Application") or fax to 416-448-7419 no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, October 20, 2017.
Download the application form DRC Application Form
If you have any difficulty reading the attachment, please contact the Equity Unit at equity@opseu.org."
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Ontario Health Coalition to hold public consultation on hospital reform

2/10/2017

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You’re invited to participate!
The OHC is holding public hearings across the province. All individuals who access or work in health care, or the organizations representing them, are invited to attend and submit oral or written submissions on reforming Ontario’s hospitals in the public interest.
​
*Please note: In order to assist, OPSEU will distribute a template submission, which can be used as a guide. Please keep in mind, however, that the OHC is eager to hear about your local and personal experiences with the health care system and the challenges you and your colleagues face on the front lines when it comes to providing quality patient care. You are the experts on the ground!   
Your input will be used to help create a report, which will be released publicly in the fall. The OHC also plans to use the recommendations from the hearings to measure the political parties’ health care plans leading into next spring’s provincial election.

The OHC wants to hear your ideas about:
  • gaps in services
  • improving access to care
  • funding for Ontario’s hospitals
  • improving quality of care
  • improving public access to information and meaningful public input
  • improving public ownership and democratic control
  • the impacts of privatization in your community
  • re-integrating services into public hospitals
  • ensuring hospitals serve our communities: rural and urban, of diverse age, with cultural sensitivity and respect for our communities’ diversities
  • workplace safety
  • other public interest issues

For more, check out the full article on the OPSEU website.
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OPSEU Region 2 picnic cancelled

8/8/2017

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From Lucy Morton, Region 2 RVP:

Hello All

Please be advised that unfortunately we will not be having our annual Region 2 Picnic at the Rockwood Conservation...
Please note that we, Eddy, Erin and myself are committed to booking the Pavilion to be assured that this will be available in August 2018.
In solidarity
Lucy, Eddy and Erin ​
905-317-9464
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Ontario's gender wage gap has remained virtually unchanged for 30 years

20/4/2017

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From the Toronto Star:

​"...The changes proposed by the Toronto-based Equal Pay Coalition would require employers to report and post hourly wage and pay arrangements, including the breakdown of part-time, contract and temporary agency employees as women increasingly bear the brunt of precarious work.
'Canada and Ontario are no longer on the leading edge on this. Canada’s standing in global ranking has been falling because of the failure to address women’s economic inequality,' said Fay Faraday, co-chair of the Equal Pay Coalition...."

Read more
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RPNs of OPSEU unite!

11/4/2017

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OPSEU members include more than 4000 Registered Practical Nurses - so many that a new division is being developed to promote the great work that RPNs do.

​From the newsletter: 
"The division is dedicated to promoting recognition of the scope, practice, and professional responsibilities of RPNs. We will work to advance demands for bargaining and workload issues that would apply to all RPNs, in all parts of Ontario, and in every sector in which they work.
Give us your feedback! We can build a stronger newsletter only if we hear from you and the issues that matter most to registered practical nurses. We are committed to building a stronger division within OPSEU...
These are a few of the issues we have identified for improvement:
  • Wage improvements based on the recognition of the full scope of work done by RPNs;
  • Workload issues;
  • Health and safety in the workplace;
  • Across the board recognition of the full scope of our work, regardless of sector;
  • Greater participation by RPNs in decisions made by employers that determine at what level we practice within the scope, and
  • More opportunities for professional development."

Check out the first RPN Occupational Division newsletter here: https://opseu.org/news/rpn-report-newsletter-opseu-rpns 


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Support Children's Aid Society Peel workers - on strike for 12 weeks!

8/12/2016

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From the CUPE local 4914 website: 
"Striking workers from the Children’s Aid Society of the Region of Peel (Peel CAS) overwhelmingly rejected the latest “final offer” from their employer due to its failure to address workload and joint job evaluation concerns that would prevent children from falling through the cracks...
The 435 frontline, administrative and support staff of CUPE 4914 have been on strike since September 18. The outstanding issues include caseload language and joint job evaluation that would prevent Peel CAS from piling cases onto workers, causing the quality of care given to the children of Peel to suffer, and the health and safety of both workers and children to be put at risk...
CUPE 4914 has made a formal request to both the employer and the Ministry of Labour to Peel CAS to return to the bargaining table as soon as possible."

We can support CUPE 4914 by sharing this news and joining their picket, to be held today and Friday
 at 6860 Century in Mississauga from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm.

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Sisters in Spirit Vigil For Missing and Lost Indigenous Women and Children

24/10/2016

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​Aboriginal women are 5 (five) times more   likely  to die by violence than other women.

Each year, family members, Aboriginal community members, and concerned citizens gather for a vigil on October 4th to honour the memory of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls. Vigils take place in many communities across Canada as well as internationally. 
​
Ruth shares that attending the vigil in Hamilton during the Region 2 Train the Trainer course was powerful, and served "to bring us together to honour these women and their families and to raise public awareness around this pervasive and devastating  matter."


Lets participate in Molly Gochman’s Red Sand Project #RedSandProject.
As Ruth invited at our recent GMM, we can participate in witnessing and healing by filling a sidewalk crack with red sand.   Think about where we can pour our sand, and email your suggestions for this location to
Ruth.
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Information Picket                   Mississauga LCBO                      October 21

30/9/2016

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The expansion of alcohol sales to grocery stores continues as wine starts appearing on shelves in October. Our union's fight against this privatization is far from over. If you are in the Mississauga area, please plan to join Local 288, representing LCBO employees, at their information picket on: 
 
Date:    Friday, October 21, 2016

Time:    2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Place:   Outside LCBO Store # 619
             5100 Erin Mills Parkway (Erin Mills & Eglinton)
             Mississauga 

Nobody voted for the Ontario Liberals under Kathleen Wynne to privatize the LCBO, but that is exactly what they're doing. Allowing grocery stores to sell beer and wine is undermining the LCBO and its hardworking employees, members of OPSEU. The LCBO belongs to all of us, and its profits pay for the public services we all depend on. We own it!
 
For further information on how you can help out with the picket, please contact: 
   Local 288 president Judy Irving
   j.irvinglocal288@gmail.com
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Rally at Waypoint Centre

10/4/2016

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A message from our brothers and sisters at Local 329 at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care.  There have recently been 2 incidents where 5 of their members have been injured at work.  We can use the discussion forum to organize carpooling for those that are attending.  Let's Stand United L291!!
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