An important meeting is on the horizon.  The 2-year term for our current executive is nearly up.  To allow for transition time, we're holding the elections for these positions at our next GMM.  As you know, the executive positions are: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Chief Steward, and Communications Officer.  To stand for one of these positions, you must be a steward. And GOOD NEWS!!!  We'll have an open call for stewards prior to the elections so you can stand and volunteer to be a steward. 

In addition to these executive positions, we will also be electing our Sargent-At-Arms and Trustees for the next two years.  Anyone can stand for these positions (except that Trustees cannot hold any other office in the Local).

​Then once those positions are filled we will move on to the bargaining team.

Role of a Bargaining Team Member
Our Collective Agreement is up again this coming March 31, 2019 and so it is time to select our Bargaining Team. The team consists of 5 members and we also elect 2 alternates in the event a member of the team is unable to remain throughout the entire process.
Role as a Bargaining team member:

• Do your homework (on member demands, knowing current collective agreement, on factors affecting the bargaining)  
• Keep yourself healthy and balanced during times of high stress and inactivity in bargaining  
  
  
• ​Maintain confidentiality
• Keep current on trends affecting bargaining
• Actively listen to views different from your own; participate in constructive debate to build consensus.
• Help address conflicts that arise.
• Help prepare proposals, evaluate offers, discuss concerns, identify realistic priorities
• Maintain communication with members about meeting schedules and general progress (not specifics)

A training is provided to the bargaining team, and all are welcome to stand for election to this crucial role.

We know your schedules are full and attending meetings can be difficult. 
If you want to stand for one of these positions but can't attend the September 19th meeting, you can use the nomination form.  Also, if you know someone who would be excellent in one of these positions and they can't attend, you can also use the nomination form.  Both the person being nominated, and the person doing the nomination have to sign the form and it needs to be at the meeting before it starts at 6pm for the nomination to be included.  Once the form is complete and signed, you can email it to info@opseulocal291.com and we'll ensure your nomination is put to the floor. 

Every vote truly matters.  And your voice is important and needs to be heard.  Diversity of opinions, ideas, and perspectives makes the leadership of the Local stronger and better.  And that diversity is critical to effectively representing the entire membership at the bargaining table.  We need you - to engage, to challenge, and above all to participate. 
​
​See you at 6pm on Wednesday September 19th.

Another successful, engaging, and spirited GMM!

Thank you to all who came out, participated in the elections, and engaged in wonderful discourse on the issues of the Local.  And a special thank you to members who agreed to stand for positions.  It's crucial to the work of the Local to have volunteers willing to participate and I thank each and every one of you.  In particular, I'd like to welcome Teresa Wehrle as a new steward!

I'm sure you're curious to learn about the outcome of the elections.  I am absolutely thrilled to announce that Stephanie Jenkins-Moss is now the Local's Vice-President.  In her role as Chief Steward, Stephanie has been very involved in the workings of the Local, grievances, and meetings with management.  I am delighted to have Stephanie as a partner in holding management accountable to the Collective Agreement.  

Stephanie's new role leaves the Chief Steward position vacant.  Here's a list of the roles and responsibilities of the position.  Which steward do you think would be great at this job?  Talk to them and encourage them to run at the next GMM.  

One of our two trustees, Nadine Vertes is resigning as trustee as of March 31st.  Nadine, thank you for your service to the Local.  The audit of the Local's financials is fundamental to fiscal responsibility and I thank you for stepping up and completing this.  I'm also happy to announce that Cheryl Van Every joins Julie Bergwerff as our second trustee.  Thanks Cheryl!

Our Pay Equity team was in need of a new member and an alternate, as Luis Quinteros resigned from the committee last year (making the alternate a full member of the team) and Eileen Kilbride left the organization at the end of 2017.  Keehan Koorn was elected as the newest member of the PE team and Susan Kilpatrick as the alternate.  On behalf of the team (Shannon Tobin, Ruth Linnen and myself), I offer a warm welcome to you both.  I think the membership has chosen very wisely and look forward to the perspective, experience and wisdom you bring.

If you're still curious about convention, you can read about it on OPSEU's website here.  With the number of signed members we currently have, Local 291 sends two delegates to convention and can send an alternate for each delegate.  According to OPSEU's constitution, the Local President is an Automatic Delegate, leaving the second delegate to be elected (as well as two alternates).  Kristin Tokarsky was elected as the Local's second delegate, and Stephanie Jenkins-Moss and Piri Roberti as first and second alternate respectively.  It's going to be a great few days participating in the governance of the union.

Communications Officer, Keehan Koorn announced that a survey about accommodations in the workplace will soon be sent to your personal email.  The LEC is looking to gather information about how many of our members have asked for accommodations and have been accommodated, or refused.  This survey will be confidential and no information provided in the survey will be acted upon; this is simply information gathering from a numbers perspective.  
Accommodations in the workplace are based on the grounds of the Human Rights Code and the employer has a duty to accommodate up to undue hardship.  Accommodation must be fully explored, and the union should be a part of those meetings as the employer and the union have a joint duty to make sure that workplaces are free of discrimination and harassment.  I would encourage every member that requires any kind of accommodation at work to contact a steward for support and information to ensure your rights are honoured.
We appreciate you taking the time to complete and submit the survey and ask that you encourage others to do the same.  The more we know, the better we can support and represent our entire membership.

I neglected in my president's report to discuss two important OPSEU conferences that are occurring this year and so want to mention them now. 
The first is the Indigenous Conference.  Being held in Little Current June 22-24, the theme of the conference is "Cultural Reclamation and Restoration: Weaving Culture Back Into our Blanket".  Applications are due April 6th; further information and the application form can be found in this document:

The second conference coming up is the Young Workers' Conference.  Held in Toronto August 10-12, the theme will be "Back to Basics: Your Young Worker Guide".  In OPSEU, young workers are those 35 and younger.  Keep on eye on the webpage for more information, and on your inbox for the application forms to be sent out likely in April.

​In closing, I want to repeat yet again how grateful the bargaining team is for all of your support, your cards, your messages and emails, your blue-wearing and bracelet-wearing.  With your vocal support, we continue to represent your demands at the table.  Our next dates are March 5th, 6th, and 8th and we can't wait to see all the pictures and tweets of you showing your solidarity as we Stand Together for One Another!  It is an honour and a privilege to represent you and I thank you.

In solidarity,
Julie Chambo,
President, Local 291

Dear Sisters and Brothers and Comrades,

This message is to provide you with an update on the most recent events influencing the development of a pay equity plan for CMHA WW and OPSEU Local 291.

The joint job evaluation committee, [Union and Employer representatives], has completed evaluating each male and female job class job information questionnaire. This is where our well-intended efforts have ended in a dispute.

When there are disputes between the parties, either party may file a formal complaint through the Pay Equity Commission. The complaint would include a claim that there has been a violation of the Pay Equity Act.

A Review Officer from the Pay Equity Commission would then be assigned to investigate the dispute between the parties, and determine if there are violations of the Act.

CMHA WW has filed an application with the Pay Equity Commission of Ontario, Review Services, and a review officer has been assigned.

A review officer will respond to the applicant (CMHA WW) and advise the representative Union, in this case OPSEU [when the employees are members of a Union] that an application has been filed. OPSEU is now known as the “respondents” to the application.

As with all pay equity litigation, OPSEU assigns outside legal counsel to respond to review services, and the employer. We have been advised by OPSEU head office that we are in good hands and look forward to working with the staff assigned and moving forward to complete a pay equity plan for Local 291.

Next steps…

• Legal counsel is working hard to prepare a response to the employer’s application to review services. This is done in the form of a “legal brief”, or “submission”.
• OPSEU Local 291 pay equity committee, along with OPSEU Staff, will review the legal brief for accuracy
• Legal counsel will file the Union’s response to the review officer and follow-up as necessary. All timelines are dictated by the review officer.

We will continue updates as we move forward. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact a member of your pay equity committee.

In solidarity,
Julie Chambo- President, Ruth Linnen and Shannon Tobin

Hello Fellow Workers,

Thank you again and always for all of your support as we continue the bargaining process to negotiate our second collective agreement.  There’s been some wonderful shows of BLUE, and the bargaining team has been touched by the cards and emails of support that you’ve sent.  

Since our last bulletin, we’ve met with the employer October 19th and 20th, December 13th, and January 8th and 9th.  We’ve made good strides with  the non-monetary demands throughout this time and continue forward with the process. Last week we met with the employer and we exchanged our initial monetary proposals.  We’re meeting with them again today and tomorrow (January 15th and 16th) to continue negotiating your monetary demands.

Thank you for continuing to wear your bracelets daily and your blue on bargaining days.  Keep sending us pictures, and rallying your fellow members to wear their bracelet and wear blue.

Stand Together for One Another!!!

In solidarity,

J. Beckett, Julie Chambo, Kristin Tokarsky, Merrilynn Downey, Stephanie Jenkins-Moss

​

******
Update 8 Dec 2017:
In our continued efforts to represent you at the pay equity table, we have had to take the unfortunate step of filing to the Ontario Labour Relations Board an application regarding Union’s duty of fair representation.  This application is a complaint that we as Local 291 have not been properly represented by our Union, OPSEU.
In our circumstance, it was our understanding from our OPSEU pay equity reps at our last meeting on August 30th that they would be filing, on our behalf, an application to the Pay Equity Commission to address the issues that remain barriers to us in reaching an agreement with the employer regarding pay equity. Since our application was never submitted, we file this complaint of Duty of Fair Representation to uphold our rights as union members to submit an application to the Commission.
******
​
Pay equity successes at other Locals

• CMHA Cochrane-Timiskaming -- fought for 23 years for the employer to be pay equity compliant -- employer forced to pay workers approximately 1.6 Million in retroactive pay -- first payment of $1,164,333 made September 30th 2017, remaining adjustments will be made in equal installments May 2018 and May 2019​
• CMHA Oxford -- negotiated directly with employer after application to PE Commission was filed — one classification to go up $4.12/hour until the pay gap is closed — 3 jumps made immediately totalling $1.20 and then 40 cents/hour every Jan 1st until the gap is closed.

What is the Pay Equity Commission?   

• The Pay Equity Commission (PEC) is composed of two separate and distinct bodies: the Pay Equity Office (PEO) and the Pay Equity Hearings Tribunal (PEHT)
• The Pay Equity Office is responsible for enforcing the Pay Equity Act.  The PEO investigates, attempts to settle, and resolves pay equity complaints and objections to pay equity plans by Order or Notice of Decision.  The PEO also provides programs and services to help people understand and comply with the Pay Equity Act
• The Pay Equity Hearings Tribunal is responsible for adjudicating disputes that arise under the Pay Equity Act.  The Pay Equity Hearings Tribunal has exclusive jurisdiction to determine all questions of fact or law that arise in any matter before it.  The decisions of the Tribunal are final and conclusive for all purposes.

What is the process of going to the Commission?

• The employer has filed an application and a Review Officer has been appointed
• The Review Officer is neutral, represents neither the union nor management
• The Review Officer will investigate and will either provide such assistance as may be necessary to help the parties arrive at a plan; or may order on all the remaining issues and provide a completed plan to the parties

Why are we going to the Commission?

• The Joint Pay Equity Steering Committee was unable to reach consensus
• Your pay equity team continues to hold firm on the careful and deliberate consideration given to rating the jobs within the bargaining unit

What we hope to accomplish

• While some pay equity adjustments are substantial, there are many options available to an organization with regards to making the payout more manageable.  Therefore we remain focused on achieving a fair and equitable plan regardless of the financial outcome
• We will present our facts to the Review Officer and hope to get back to negotiating, or arrive at, a pay equity plan that properly recognizes all our jobs

What can you do?

• If you are concerned that a pay equity plan has not yet been achieved at CMHA WW, and you want your voice heard to support addressing wage inequity based on gender, you have the right to call the Pay Equity Office or to file an individual application which will send a message to the Commission
• To call Pay Equity Office: 1-800-387-8813
• The application you file can be found by clicking on http://www.forms.ssb.gov.on.ca/mbs/ssb/forms/ssbforms.nsf/GetFileAttach/016-0208E~3/$File/TXT_0208E.htm

Do you want to learn more about:

• ​Bullying and psychological harassment in the workplace
• Duty to accommodate (level 2)
• Health and Safety (level 2)
• Social media for union activists
• Steward training (level 1)
• Indigenous peoples cultural training
• Basic grievance handling (Francais)

​Come to Mississauga Nov 18-19 for a weekend of building your knowledge and capacity to support your coworkers and stand up for your rights!  You can find more detailed description and the application form below.  If you have questions or want help with the application, email info@opseulocal291.com. 

(UPDATE Oct 11 - Info Nights have been CANCELLED)
​The local is hosting two events so members can be up to date around the Pay Equity process.  Check out the posters below for the events.  There will be one in Fergus and one in Kitchener - attend whichever one is most convenient for you.  Refreshments and food provided.  RSVP with the location you'll be attending by sending an email to Ruth Linnen at rlinnen@wightman.ca.