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Agreement ratified for 42,000 provincial employees

OPSEU NEWS RELEASE ********************* Provincial employees ratify agreement TORONTO, June 24 - The Ontario Public Service Employees Union's largest bargaining unit today ratified a new a collective agreement with the province that paves the way fo
opseu

OPSEU NEWS RELEASE

********************* Provincial employees ratify agreement

TORONTO, June 24 - The Ontario Public Service Employees Union's largest bargaining unit today ratified a new a collective agreement with the province that paves the way for rebuilding Ontario's long-neglected public services. The 42,000 OPSEU members working in the Ontario Public Service ratified the four-year agreement, expiring December 31 2008, by 91 per cent.

In the corrections category, 83 per cent voted to accept the contract. "This agreement reflects the hard work of chairs Marg Simmons (central team) and Barry Scanlon (corrections team), and their teams; and the active support of thousands of members," said OPSEU President Leah Casselman. "It will allow our members to make a start on rebuilding public services in Ontario," she said. Details of the tentative agreement include: - wage increases totalling 9.75 per cent over four years. Most of the province's 4,500 Correctional Officers will also receive an added step of three per cent to the pay grid - agreement on an enforceable job evaluation and pay equity plan to solve job classification issues - a drug card for all employees who receive benefits under the agreement - job security language that guarantees job training and government-wide bumping rights for surplus employees - extension of Factor 80 early retirement provisions for surplus employees - more than 1,400 casual "unclassified" workers will be rolled into permanent jobs in the public service, with access to benefits - an agreement to reduce the use of unclassified employees over the term of the contract

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David Helwig

About the Author: David Helwig

David Helwig's journalism career spans seven decades beginning in the 1960s. His work has been recognized with national and international awards.
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