Comments for OPSEU245 Your local, your voice. http://opseu245.org/wordpress Your local, your voice. Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:10:53 +0000 hourly 1 Comment on OPSEU 2010 Convention by April Williams http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=21&cpage=1#comment-24 April Williams Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:10:53 +0000 http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=21#comment-24 I have to say as a "Newbie" to the OPSEU process and experiencing the convention, it was an experience. The representatives from Local 245 along with other OPSEU members closed down University for an hour over lunch on May 6th demanding that the part-timers ballots be cancelled. With signs and loud voices we sent a message that day! In the evening it was great to get to know your fellow Sheridan colleagues over dinner or time in the hospitality rooms. Region 2 definately put on a great show on Wednesday night, and Friday night's comedian night ended off the week on a good note. Much was done with the constution, and much more will need to be done. Debates will continue. Thank you all for voting me to attend as an alternate. I truly appreciate it. I look forward to participating more in the local and going to future educational events. April, Davis Campus I have to say as a “Newbie” to the OPSEU process and experiencing the convention, it was an experience.

The representatives from Local 245 along with other OPSEU members closed down University for an hour over lunch on May 6th demanding that the part-timers ballots be cancelled. With signs and loud voices we sent a message that day!

In the evening it was great to get to know your fellow Sheridan colleagues over dinner or time in the hospitality rooms. Region 2 definately put on a great show on Wednesday night, and Friday night’s comedian night ended off the week on a good note.

Much was done with the constution, and much more will need to be done. Debates will continue.

Thank you all for voting me to attend as an alternate. I truly appreciate it. I look forward to participating more in the local and going to future educational events.
April, Davis Campus

]]> Comment on Are you angry yet? by Bookmarks about Voice http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=8&cpage=1#comment-12 Bookmarks about Voice Wed, 21 Jan 2009 09:00:24 +0000 http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=8#comment-12 [...] - bookmarked by 1 members originally found by knucklesan on 2008-12-23 Are you angry yet? http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=8 - bookmarked by 6 members originally found by SimonDubois on [...] [...] – bookmarked by 1 members originally found by knucklesan on 2008-12-23 Are you angry yet? http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=8 – bookmarked by 6 members originally found by SimonDubois on [...]

]]> Comment on The Tentative Agreement by dwjdwj http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=10&cpage=1#comment-11 dwjdwj Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:07:33 +0000 http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=10#comment-11 If 3% alone makes you feel like one of the least valued members, then I cannot relate to your employment conditions in any way as I have never felt that way. I find the increases to our benefits package more than acceptable, and as a user of these benefits they factor heavily into what I consider my income. And why are you so quick to dimiss the special allowance increase from the discussion. I would imagine it is quite important and symbolic to a great many people. Of course the deal is not perfect. But it more than satisfies me. If 3% alone makes you feel like one of the least valued members, then I cannot relate to your employment conditions in any way as I have never felt that way. I find the increases to our benefits package more than acceptable, and as a user of these benefits they factor heavily into what I consider my income. And why are you so quick to dimiss the special allowance increase from the discussion. I would imagine it is quite important and symbolic to a great many people. Of course the deal is not perfect. But it more than satisfies me.

]]> Comment on The Tentative Agreement by Penguin http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=10&cpage=1#comment-10 Penguin Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:02:16 +0000 http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=10#comment-10 I will respond to your post. A four percent increase was both symbolic and meaningful. It states that we are the least valued compensated group in the college system. If for arguments sake we remove the percentage and special allowance increase from the discussion, what other positive benefits can you find in this tentative settlement? Fixed Term Appointments? That alone should cause you concern if you are farsighted. I will respond to your post. A four percent increase was both symbolic and meaningful. It states that we are the least valued compensated group in the college system. If for arguments sake we remove the percentage and special allowance increase from the discussion, what other positive benefits can you find in this tentative settlement? Fixed Term Appointments? That alone should cause you concern if you are farsighted.

]]> Comment on The Tentative Agreement – 2 views by dwjdwj http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=11&cpage=1#comment-9 dwjdwj Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:28:37 +0000 http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=11#comment-9 As a union member I have nothing but faith in the fact that my bargaining team took many things into consideration before approving the current tentative agreement. Is it perfect? Of course not! Would 4% be better than 3%? Definitely. Am I willing to walk a picket line over it? Absolutley not. If this deal is not worth accepting, then we should have been walking on September 1st. As a union member I have nothing but faith in the fact that my bargaining team took many things into consideration before approving the current tentative agreement. Is it perfect? Of course not! Would 4% be better than 3%? Definitely. Am I willing to walk a picket line over it? Absolutley not. If this deal is not worth accepting, then we should have been walking on September 1st.

]]> Comment on The Tentative Agreement by dwjdwj http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=10&cpage=1#comment-8 dwjdwj Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:20:16 +0000 http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=10#comment-8 The symbolic power of the number 4, while fascinating, does nothing to further the argument. This process is about negotiating; bargaining to get our members the best deal possible in the current financial situation. To ignore all the benefits of this deal, while holding out for a symbolic increase, is shortsighted. The symbolic power of the number 4, while fascinating, does nothing to further the argument. This process is about negotiating; bargaining to get our members the best deal possible in the current financial situation. To ignore all the benefits of this deal, while holding out for a symbolic increase, is shortsighted.

]]> Comment on The Tentative Agreement by buster http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=10&cpage=1#comment-7 buster Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:54:58 +0000 http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=10#comment-7 Penguin, I am inclined to agree with you. 4% is the magic number. I recall the passionate arguments made by the bargaining team reps at our local meeting and the strong arguments laid out in the Bargaining Bulletins they published. The special allowance works out to about .63% in my case and that loses value with each year so ok, thanks, nice signing bonus, but a long way from parity with our peers. The increases in benefits were all in the June 12th offer and at that time the team reps dismissed them as "costing the colleges nothing." All I see that is different from the offer we were asked to reject is the special allowance, the removal of the outside comparison piece and the third year. I have to wonder and I will ask when I get the chance, what changed the minds of the bargaining team. Penguin, I am inclined to agree with you. 4% is the magic number. I recall the passionate arguments made by the bargaining team reps at our local meeting and the strong arguments laid out in the Bargaining Bulletins they published. The special allowance works out to about .63% in my case and that loses value with each year so ok, thanks, nice signing bonus, but a long way from parity with our peers.

The increases in benefits were all in the June 12th offer and at that time the team reps dismissed them as “costing the colleges nothing.” All I see that is different from the offer we were asked to reject is the special allowance, the removal of the outside comparison piece and the third year.

I have to wonder and I will ask when I get the chance, what changed the minds of the bargaining team.

]]> Comment on The Tentative Agreement by Penguin http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=10&cpage=1#comment-6 Penguin Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:26:36 +0000 http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=10#comment-6 I will start the discussion. Let me give you my initial emotional response. I viewed wage increase parity with the faculty as the pivotal negotiating point. A parity increase was the recognition that the staff are valued equally in the eyes of our employer. A 4% increase and we achieved the recognition we deserve, anything less and we failed. I am not doing the creative math to factor in the special allowance for a variety of reasons. In my eyes success lied in achieving a 4% increase universally for all bargaining unit employes. It is the symbolic power of that number and what it represented that was important for me. I will start the discussion. Let me give you my initial emotional response. I viewed wage increase parity with the faculty as the pivotal negotiating point. A parity increase was the recognition that the staff are valued equally in the eyes of our employer. A 4% increase and we achieved the recognition we deserve, anything less and we failed. I am not doing the creative math to factor in the special allowance for a variety of reasons. In my eyes success lied in achieving a 4% increase universally for all bargaining unit employes. It is the symbolic power of that number and what it represented that was important for me.

]]> Comment on A First Time for Everything by foliver http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=9&cpage=1#comment-4 foliver Sun, 24 Aug 2008 14:45:38 +0000 http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=9#comment-4 Steve, Thank you for your comment. Let me respond to you. First let me say that I wrote and sent the communication you refer to and take full responsibility for it. Let me also say that there was no attempt to "spread rumours and falsehoods" as you allege. The point of the email that was sent was to inform the membership of the college's response to our request. The nature of the event was not relevant, the refusal was. I wanted you all to be aware of and discuss that, not be distracted by pending event details. I did state that event details would follow and they did as soon as we could finalize alternate plans. Please also understand that while we do our best to keep our Local 245 members informed and engaged it is not your local's responsibility to do the college's communication work. (I do that from 8;30-5 Mon-Fri) I'm sorry if my point was missed by some and am open to suggestions and assistance on how to improve our communications. I would like to invite you to set your embarrassment aside and get involved. Thanks again for engaging in discussion and please continue to voice your opinion. It really is "Your local, our voice". Frederick Oliver VP Communications OPSEU Local 245 Steve,

Thank you for your comment. Let me respond to you.

First let me say that I wrote and sent the communication you refer to and take full responsibility for it. Let me also say that there was no attempt to “spread rumours and falsehoods” as you allege.

The point of the email that was sent was to inform the membership of the college’s response to our request. The nature of the event was not relevant, the refusal was. I wanted you all to be aware of and discuss that, not be distracted by pending event details. I did state that event details would follow and they did as soon as we could finalize alternate plans.

Please also understand that while we do our best to keep our Local 245 members informed and engaged it is not your local’s responsibility to do the college’s communication work. (I do that from 8;30-5 Mon-Fri)

I’m sorry if my point was missed by some and am open to suggestions and assistance on how to improve our communications. I would like to invite you to set your embarrassment aside and get involved.

Thanks again for engaging in discussion and please continue to voice your opinion. It really is “Your local, our voice”.

Frederick Oliver VP Communications OPSEU Local 245

]]> Comment on A First Time for Everything by srowe http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=9&cpage=1#comment-3 srowe Fri, 22 Aug 2008 22:40:36 +0000 http://opseu245.org/wordpress/?p=9#comment-3 Since you've left it to us, I'd like to share that the main conclusion I draw from your email is that our supposed "leadership" is attempting to spread rumours and falsehoods by releasing only enough information about a situation as to make one side seem unfairly victimized. And this after sending out a communique explicitly asking the membership to ensure they established all the facts about any situation they may hear about before spreading potential misinformation further. This is the exact type of childish behaviour we see so often from Unions that makes them so despised, and makes me embarrassed to be part of. Steve Rowe Since you’ve left it to us, I’d like to share that the main conclusion I draw from your email is that our supposed “leadership” is attempting to spread rumours and falsehoods by releasing only enough information about a situation as to make one side seem unfairly victimized. And this after sending out a communique explicitly asking the membership to ensure they established all the facts about any situation they may hear about before spreading potential misinformation further. This is the exact type of childish behaviour we see so often from Unions that makes them so despised, and makes me embarrassed to be part of.

Steve Rowe

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