OPSEU prepares
for strike at
Participation Lodge
OWEN SOUND, Ont. — The Ontario
Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU)
Local 235 is preparing for a possible strike
after talks broke down with the Participa-
tion Lodge.
This strike would be the second labour
action in three years for the 55 lodge work-
ers at the Owen Sound-based workplace.
OPSEU requested a "no board" report
after the union failed to reach a collec-
tive agreement with the employer after a
meeting with the parties and an appointed
conciliator from the Ministry of Labour on
Aug. 19.
According to the union,
members re-
jected the
employer's
latest offer
by a margin of 97 per cent.
The rejected offer included language that
would remove an "in lieu" payment of 13
per cent for part-time and casual workers.
The payment was a percentage of workers'
hourly rate provided in lieu of benefits, in-
cluding dental and health benefits. OPSEU
said the average loss to workers would be
about $2.64 per hour.
The offer also included sick days being
exchanged for a short-term sickness plan.
The union estimated the switch would
cost workers $6 per hour in wages.
The bargaining team has been autho-
rized to call a strike if necessary. Should
the no board report be issued, the work-
ers will be in a legal strike position at 12:01
a.m. on Sept. 25.
OECTA reaches
tentative
agreement
TORONTO — The Ontario English
Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA)
reached a tentative agreement with repre-
sentatives of the Ontario Catholic School
Trustees' Association and the provincial
government.
Work-to-rule job action was immedi-
ately suspended following the deal. OEC-
TA represents 50,000 elementary and sec-
ondary school teachers in Ontario. Prior
to reaching the tentative agreement, only
one school — Bishop Belleau in Moosonee
— had commenced work-to rule sanction.
The union has been in a legal strike posi-
tion since Aug. 17.
"We appreciate the government's efforts
and those of the Catholic school trustees
in reaching this tentative agreement," said
Ann Hawkins, OECTA president.
"We worked hard to address the con-
cerns of our members and believe this
agreement will protect them, as well as the
quality of education in our schools."
Details of the settlement are confiden-
tial, pending ratification by OECTA mem-
bers.
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