Hi,

This week your Local 245 requested the use of college property to engage in a legitimate union activity. The request was made, as is usual, in conformance with our Collective Agreement.

After some delay Sheridan HR replied, “… the college is not prepared to allow the use of College property for this purpose.”

Jay Jackson, your OPSEU Local 245 President was quite surprised by the college’s response saying “This is the first time ever that the employer has denied OPSEU space on college property to hold union activities.”

We received no explanation and dare not speculate as to why this request was denied. I’ll leave it to you, the membership, to draw your own conclusions.

Rest assured the event will be held regardless. Stay tuned.

Frederick Oliver VP Communications OPSEU Local 245

“Let fury have the hour, anger can be power D’you know that you can use it?”

Clampdown – Joe Strummer

In it’s 2008 budget the Ontario Government announced that:

• Under the Reaching Higher Plan, the Ontario government is investing more than $6.2 billion in postsecondary education by 2009-10, improving quality, access and accountability
• Grants for university and college operating costs increased by over 40 per cent between 2003-04 and 2007-08, supporting the hiring of new faculty, increasing student-faculty interaction, and improving student services and libraries

http://ontariobudget.ca/english/bk2.html

That sounds like welcome news for college support staff workers since we are in negotiations with the colleges as I type. You’d think that with the budget announcement the colleges could step up and do right by us by offering their support staff workers a fair and just wage increase. However, as those of you who have been keeping informed will know, the colleges have offed us only 3% a year for 2 years. Fair and just? You can be sure the colleges will put forth a compelling argument drafted by lawyer types with references to other recent labour agreements, the Consumer Price Index and contradictory statements about the government’s financial situation.

I did a little research and came up with some interesting results…

Loyalist College administrators were given wage increases between two and 22 per cent last year.

http://pioneerplus.ejournalism.ca/?q=node/2568

Of 241 persons employed at Ontario colleges with salaries reported to be over $100,000, from 2005 through 2007, 212 had increases in excess of 4%.  175 had increases of more than 10%. 97 had increases of more than 15%. 58 had increases of more than 20%. 32 had increases of more than 25%. There was even 1 who had an increase of more than 50%!

Compiled from Government of Ontario PUBLIC SECTOR SALARY DISCLOSURE http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/english/publications/salarydisclosure/

You can download the list I created using data obtained from the Ontario Government’s public web site. (If you notice any math errors let me know and I will gladly correct them.)

Personally I have no issue with the college executives earning six figure salaries. They deserve a fair and just compensation for their work. However, they manage to get double digit increases and expect me to say a humble thank you for a miserable 3%! Don’t we all work for the same colleges, in the same communities, under the same constraints? The president of the college where I work earns about five times what I do and that’s OK. They earn it. However last year they received a combined increase of about 16%. Hey times are tough and we’re all hurting. But if they are hurting enough to warrant a 16% increase imagine how I feel!

So take some time… Think about it… Are you angry yet?

Turn your anger into power! Reject the offer and give your CAAT bargaining team a strong strike vote!

F. Oliver VP Communications OPSEU Local 245

Just to let you know that any information that comes out of the current bargaining session will be posted on the Mobilzation page at http://opseu245.org/opseu245_mobilization.cfm

Linda Nelson, Mobilization Team, OPSEU Local 245

Why bother… I’m not the union type… I wouldn’t know what to do… I don’t have time… They’re not doing things the way I think they should…

I’ve experienced all of the thoughts above at some time since I found myself a Local 245 member a little over seven years ago. I didn’t know I was joining a union when I accepted my job here and I didn’t think I needed one either. So why did I get involved?

I was introduced to the union because not long after starting my employment a situation developed that needed changing. Without going into the gory details it was with the help of the union and Local 245 members that the issue was resolved. Afterward I was grateful and thought it only right I give back a little support in return. It’s a nice story and likely not uncommon. But truthfully it’s not why I’m involved.

I can’t ask my boss for a raise. Or an increase in benefits. Or increased vacation. If I did I couldn’t expect to get it. Not the way I might in a non-union environment. The fact is that I have chosen to work in an environment bound by a collective agreement and employee/employer negotiation is not done on an individual basis (at least in theory, but that’s another discussion unto itself).

I have only one tool to use in my attempt to receive the value and respect I deserve so I want the strongest tool possible. Since OPSEU is that tool I want the strongest OPSEU possible. I want a strong, active union. And I want a strong active Local 245.

Despite all my objections I know that the best way for me to strengthen my union, my local and my chances of getting fair value and respect from my employer is by getting involved. I still don’t really know what to do but I’m learning. If I don’t like the way things are being done, I tell them. I only put in the time I want, when I can. I’m still not the union type… but someone has to do it.

I’m in it for me, but if we’re all in it for me then the union is in it for us.

Fred Oliver

This is my first installment on what I hope to be an informative blog as your local President.  Your Executive is enthused and ready to go also.

Part Time Campaign:   I hear the part-time college workers organizing campaign is really picking up steam, and will be moving into the next phase very soon.  Currently card signing is coming to a conclusion and efforts are being made to have the Council of Compensation and Appointments provide voluntary recognition.  Also the Union is lobbying the provincial government to bring forth amends to the College’s Collective Bargaining Act in order to right this now legally declared wrong by the Supreme Court of Canada that bars part time workers from forming a union.

Collective Bargaining:  Well, it has begun with the view to renew our current collective agreement which expires August 31st of this year.  You can read the more detailed information on this web site and also you will be seeing the local’s mobilizers on the workplace speaking to you in small groups and individually.  We have done this before and it has proven to be very successful in assisting with the bargaining goals the membership has mandated our bargaining team to achieve.

Knowing your Contract:   I know probably most of you do not carry around your collective agreement all the times, checking and/or confirming if the employer is managing within the rules they have agreed to.  As part of this ongoing blog, I will be writing about certain articles in the agreement that seem to be questioned more than others.  Given the very public nature of a blog, anything I write will be on a without prejudice basis since I would not want the employer producing this blog in a future arbitration.

Day of Mourning:  This April 28, is the National Day of Mourning.  More than twenty years ago the Canadian Labour Congress declared April 28 a National Day of Mourning for workers who have been killed, suffer disease or injury as a result of work. Every year since, unions, labour councils, families and community partners gather by the thousands to ‘mourn for the dead’. What began through the efforts of Canada’s labour movement is now observed in more than 100 countries. This nationally recognized day locally is recognized at the monument in downtown Oakville by the main library at 6pm.  Local 245 annually lays a wreath at the ceremony along with other labour unions.  Following the formal portion of the event, refreshments and food will be served.  See you there!

Jay Jackson