OPSEU Members, Public Services & Municipal Elections

With the election of Doug Ford government last June, his promise to cut $billions in funding for the public services and his attack on local democracy in Toronto, it’s now clear that Ontario’s October 22 municipal elections will be critical in defending public services, stopping privatization and building a provincewide movement against cutbacks and austerity.

That’s why OPSEU Region 5 is working with our labour and community allies to get the word out to our members about this election, the key issues… and the need to elect as many strong, progressive mayors, city councillors and school board trustees as possible.

In the City of Toronto, OPSEU has been working with the Toronto & York Region Labour Council over the past several months to develop a list of endorsed candidates. Labour Council delegates voted earlier this month to endorse Jennifer Keesmaat for Mayor.

And with the imposition of the 25 Ward City Council by the Ford government, a list of proposed city council and school board endorsements will be put to a final vote at a special labour council delegates meeting tonight.

In the meantime, Region 5 is launching a major effort to reach out to members in every local in the region to:

• Highlight the key the issues for working people and our communities
• Encourage every eligible member to vote – and consider supporting our endorsed candidates as the best choice for protecting public services, good jobs and strong communities
• Mobilize members to help with our election phone bank, join our upcoming labour canvasses, to volunteer with endorsed candidates’ campaigns, or make a financial donation.

Plug Yourself In: 4 Ways You Can Get Involved

Here are four ways you and your local can help make the difference:

1) JOIN US MONDAY for a Region 5 Political Action Committee (PAC) Meeting and Phone Bank Kick Off & Training

Date: Monday, October 1
Time:
6:00-7:00 p.m. – PAC Meeting & Phone Bank Training
7:00-8:30 p.m. – Phone Banking
Place: OPSEU Toronto Regional Office, 31 Wellesley St. East. Boardrooms A & C

The PAC meeting will include a briefing on Labour Council’s endorsed candidates, and a discussion of our election mobilizing strategy and how to plug in as many OPSEU members as possible and ensure our votes have an impact in this election. Next, we’ll do a quick training session for phone bank volunteers. Then we’ll start calling OPSEU members in key ridings where our votes can help make the difference! And YOU’RE INVITED!

WANT TO JOIN US? Great! Please RSVP by email to opseuregion5ebms@gmail.com.

2) VOLUNTEER with the OPSEU R5 Phone Bank

Once again, Region 5 will be running one of our successful election phone banks to contact members in key wards in the city of Toronto, talk to them about the issues and the candidates, and encourage them to get out and vote. Given the history of low turnouts in municipal elections, mobilizing OPSEU voters can make a real difference on Election Day!

WANT TO HELP? Join us at the PAC Meeting & Phone Bank Training (see above), or send us an email at opseuregion5ebms@gmail.com and let us know which of the following dates you can join us.

The phone bank will be up and running every weekday evening from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at OPSEU’s offices at 31 Wellesley St East, starting on Monday, Oct. 1 through to Election Day on Oct 22. We’ll also be making calls on Saturdays and Sundays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Phone bank volunteers are the key – If you can help staff the phone bank – or want to organize a group from your local to come as a team – please:

• Join us at the PAC Meeting & Phone Bank Training on Monday (see above), or
• Send an email to your Region 5 EBMs at: opseuregion5ebms@gmail.com and give us your name, local number, personal email address and cell/phone number and the dates and times you can help. One of our phone bank coordinators will get back to you to confirm the details.

3) SIGN UP to Hear about Upcoming Labour and Community Canvasses and Events – or to Volunteer Directly with One of Our Endorsed Candidate’s Campaigns

Just send us an email to opseuregion5ebms@gmail.com and we’ll add you to the list to hear about upcoming canvasses and events to support labour-endorsed candidates. Want to sign up to help a progressive candidate in your area? Great, just let us know your ward or address and we’ll hook you up.

Join the Labour Canvass – Saturday Sept 29

Joe Mihevc – Toronto St. Paul’s – Canvass with Peggy Nash

• When: Saturday, September 29th, 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
• Where: 661 St. Clair Avenue West, Toronto, ON, M6C 1A7
  (East of Christie and St. Clair)

Join, Like & Share the Event on Facebook

4) GET THE WORD OUT in Your Local

As we gear up for the fightback against Ford’s austerity agenda and the municipal elections, it’s a great idea for locals to be organizing meetings to keep your members informed and start organizing for the campaigns ahead.

To arrange for a presentation for your members, just send us an email at opseuregion5ebms@gmail.com.

PLEASE SHARE THIS MESSAGE with members and activists in your local who may be interested in getting involved

In the meantime, over the next few days, we will circulate Labour Council’s list of endorsed candidates, which you can post and share with your members.

Join hundreds of OPSEU activists and more than 20,000 of our labour &
community allies at the biggest, loudest & proudest annual labour
event in Canada.

Help send Doug Ford a clear message: OPSEU is Mobilizing for Justice!

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
8:00 A.M.
UNIVERSITY AVE.
East side of University, south of Dundas St.
& the St. Patrick subway station

BRING YOUR FAMILY, KIDS & FRIENDS
Invite your OPSEU sisters, brothers & comrades!

VO

LUNTEERS NEEDED! Want to help? Great! Send us an e-mail at opseuregion5ebms@gmail.com.

OPSEU T-SHIRTS AND FREE ADMISSION
to the CNE for all OPSEU members marching with us.
(*See note below)

PRIZES FOR THE OPSEU LOCALS
with the best turn-out. Spread the word!

SNACKS AND DRINKS
for marchers along the route. Important: Bring your own water & sunscreen.

RIDES AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WITH MOBILITY NEEDS.
Note: Space is limited. E-mail us early to reserve your seat!

IMPORTANT: OPSEU and the Toronto & York Region Labour Council fully support the members of IATSE Local 58 who are locked out at Exhibition Place. We urge all OPSEU members to respect the IATSE picket lines, to NOT attend the CNE during the lockout, and to join IATSE on their lines. If the lockout is not resolved by Labour Day, the parade will be rerouted to support the IATSE picket lines. Stay tuned for updates before Sept. 3. Either way, please plan to join us at Labour Day to send Doug Ford and John Tory a powerful message that OPSEU stands for justice – and workers’ solidarity!

CHOIR-CHOIR-CHOIR

The song chosen  by CAMH is “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey

(download the lyrics and practice tonight)

The song we are singing will go LIVE on YOU Tube—and of course the CAMH website.

There is a bus travelling from Russell Street at 3:30 to bring people over to Queen Street

Come on out—make history and SING your heart out!

Cheers,

Nancy

OPSEU has entered a new era with last week’s election of a Conservative government and the road ahead brings new dangers.

That’s why taking care of first things first must be job one at OPSEU.

In the days since the election, I’ve taken a lot of phone calls from people who are worried about their jobs, about their community, and about their future.

While there is no point in panicking it is time to regroup.

Tory times are always tough times and we must stay strong and united.

We’ve had to stare down hostile governments before and we’ll do it again.

Last year when you re-elected me as your President, I campaigned under the banner of “now more than ever.”

I was thinking about a Patrick Brown led Tory government at the time. But in the blink of an eye this year the moderate Davis- light Tories were replaced by hard-right Doug Ford and his band of political refugees from Stephen Harper’s government.

Ironically, we now have a situation in Toronto and Queen’s Park where the mayor is an unsuccessful Tory candidate for premier, John Tory; and the Premier is an unsuccessful candidate for Toronto mayor, Ford.

Could it be any stranger?

One thing that you can count on is my determination to take the Conservatives on.

I’m not looking for a fight, but I’m going to make sure we’re ready for one.

We must be laser focused on public services, our communities, and our work.

Although Ford said during the election that no one will lose their job, he has left wiggle room for those folks occupying the same job with a different employer.

We just have to look at his support for the outsourcing of Toronto garbage when he was on city council and just last week he talked about putting everything out for bid.

We all know what that can mean. Privatization, reorganizing, and new rounds of collective bargaining.

Fortunately, last year thousands of OPSEU members voted themselves some security when they accepted four year contract extensions.

It’s true the Tories have a legislative hammer to try to force changes through, but that will be in the public arena where they might get a black eye.

Now is not the time to panic, it’s time to unite like never before.

We’ll be watching the financial audit Doug Ford has ordered.  Usually new governments use audits as a tool to justify doing things that weren’t talked about during an election campaign.

We may see a wage and hiring freeze as some of the pundits have predicted.

The Tories may give us their worst while they’re early in their mandate or they may pull their punches to avoid undermining their federal cousins who face reelection next year.

As the old saying goes, a week is a lifetime in politics and we’re probably in for many lifetimes of chaos at Queen’s Park as competing interests battle for the ear of our new government.

Friends, change can be scary, but I’m not scared and you shouldn’t be either.

We will prevail and in four years OPSEU will be bigger and stronger than ever.

That I promise you.

Now more than ever.

In solidarity,

Warren (Smokey) Thomas,
President of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union

Join our General Membership Meeting this week — Wednesday, June 6, 2018!

This is an election meeting for all positions within the executive as well as steward elections

WHERE:              University of Toronto Faculty Club, 41 Willcocks Street

(Near University of Toronto – One block North of 33 Russell Street

TIME:                   5:30 TO 8:00

Light dinner-door prizes.

Hope to see you at the meeting!

Nancy

Questions or concerns about the provincial election on June 7?  Curious to hear more about OPSEU’s election platform, Vote Better? Want to have your say?

Join OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas and Region 5 RVP Myles Magner for an important telephone town hall meeting:

When: Thursday, May 31, 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Who: OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas and Region 5 RVP Myles Magner
How: OPSEU will call your home number (if we have it on file), or you can call in by dialing 1-877-229-8493 – ID number 112847.

To confirm OPSEU has your home number, call 1-800-268-7376.

Please see below for information on how you can help build Region 5’s campaign to mobilize OPSEU votes for Public Services in the Provincial Election, and other upcoming events.

Help Mobilize OPSEU Votes for Public Services

1. Volunteer with the OPSEU Region 5 Election Phone Bank
2. Help Get the Word Out in Your Local

Upcoming Conferences and Educationals

1. OPSEU Young Workers Conference – Aug 10-12
   (Application deadline: May 31)
2. Labour Council Indigenous & Workers of Colour Conference – June 16-17
3. OFL 2018 Summer School (July 8-13) & Women’s School (July 15-20)
   (Application deadline for one of three Region 5 scholarships: May 31)

Help Moblize OPSEU Votes for Public Services, Good Jobs & Strong Communities…

Every OPSEU member has a lot on the line in the June 7 Ontario Provincial Election – from stopping privatization and defending quality public services, to standing up for good jobs, worker’s rights and strong, supportive communities.

And with poll’s showing the Liberals fading in third place, NDP support surging on a strong progressive platform, and the Tories calling for massive cuts to public services, OPSEU votes can make a real difference on Election Day.

So, OPSEU is reaching out to as many members as possible between now and June 7 to talk about the issues and encourage members to vote for progressive candidates who will speak up for public services, good jobs, and workers’ rights.

Here’s how YOU can help!

1) Volunteer with the Region 5 Election Phone Bank

The phone bank will be up through to election day at the OPSEU Toronto Regional Office at 31 Wellesley St. E, 2nd Floor. (Just east of Yonge, across from the Wellesley Subway.)

Please see the list of phone bank dates and times below. To volunteer, send an email to opseuregion5ebms@gmail.com, or contact one of our 3 Region 5 Election Mobilizers:
> Farhad Rahaman (farhadlocal526@gmail.com, 416-574-9513)
> Kim Nasello (kim.local5111@gmail.com, 647-542-5111)
> Marjorie Nelson (msnelsonm@gmail.com, 647-207-4558).

Be sure to include the dates you can come as well as your name, OPSEU local number, personal (non-work) email address and cell number.

PHONE BANK DATES & TIMES
Tues, 22-May, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
Wed 23-May, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
Thurs, 24-May, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
Fri, 25-May, N/A
Sat, 26-May, 2:00 – 7:00 pm
Sun, 27-May, 2:00 – 7:00 pm

Mon, 28-May, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
Tues, 29-May, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
Wed 30-May, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
Thurs, 31-May, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
Fri, 01-Jun, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
Sat, 02-Jun, 2:00 – 7:00 pm
Sun, 03-Jun, 2:00 – 7:00 pm

Mon, 04-Jun, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
Tues, 05-Jun, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
Wed 06-Jun, 5:30 – 8:30 pm

*Light dinner, drinks & TTC fare provided.

2) Help Get the Word Out in YOUR Local

To reach every member, we need YOU and your local leadership to get help the word out in YOUR LOCAL.

That is why OPSEU Region 5 is asking every local to hold a special pre-election GMM or information meeting between now and Election Day on June 7 – and to invite one of our OPSEU election mobilizers, a We Own It mobilizer and/or one of your Region 5 EBMs. The goal? To kick-start a discussion with your members about the issues and what we have at stake as public sector workers – and to encourage your members to vote for candidates who will stand up for public services, good jobs and workers rights.

To arrange for a speaker to come to your local – or get printed copies of OPSEU’s Vote Better Election Platform and fact sheets, contact one of our Region 5 Election Mobilizers:
> Farhad Rahaman (farhadlocal526@gmail.com, 416-574-9513)
> Kim Nasello (kim.local5111@gmail.com, 647-542-5111),
> Marjorie Nelson (msnelsonm@gmail.com, 647-207-4558)..
——————————————————-

Upcoming Conferences & Educationals…

1)  OPSEU Young Workers Conference – Aug. 10-12
(Application deadline: May 31)

The Provincial Young Workers Committee (PYC) invites OPSEU young workers, 35 and under, to submit their application for the 2018 Young Workers Conference which will take place from August 10-12 in downtown Toronto.  In addition to welcoming previous conference participants, the PYC would like to extend a special invitation to those who have not attended in the past.

This year’s event, “Back to Basics: Your Young Worker Survival Guide” will provide participants with an understanding of your basic rights and entitlements under the law and in your collective agreements. The conference will continue to reinforce the need for young workers to take an active role in shaping your futures and your union.

When:      Friday, Aug 10 – Sunday, Aug 12 
Where:   Chelsea Hotel, 33 Gerrard St, Toronto
IMPORTANT: Application Deadline is May 31
Click here for more information or to submit your application.

** Not a Young Worker yourself? Please forward this information to a Young Worker in Your Local!

2) Labour Council Indigenous & Workers of Colour (IWOC) Conference – June 16-17

This year, Labour Council’s annual IWOC Conference is entitled “Decolonizing Corridors of Power, Privilege & Politics”. This year’s conference will feature:

• Keynote speech by Jagmeet Singh (Leader of Federal NDP),
• Panel discussion on “#MeToo – an Indigenous & racialized perspective” with Victoria Shen (ACTRA-Toronto), Maggie Cywink (Provincial Advisor on Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women) and Andria Babbington (Unite Here Local 75)
• Workshops choices: We are the Union; Municipal Elections from a Racialized & Indigenous Perspective; Building Allyship; Addressing Systemic Racism in the Labour Movement; Indigenous Peoples – realities & struggles.

When:      Saturday, June 16, 9 am – 5 pm (sign-in, 8 am)
Where:     IBEW Local 353, 1377 Lawrence Ave East, Toronto
Registration:  Deadline, June 5
> Download the IWOC Registration Form & Submit to Labour Council
> Fees for OPSEU Region 5 members covered by Region 5
> Be sure to list OPSEU and your Local # on your registration form

3) CLC 2018 Summer School (July 8-13) & Women’s School (July 15-20)

This July the Canadian Labour Congress is again hosting its week-long Ontario Regional CLC Summer School and CLC Women’s School. These intensive, week-long training/education opportunities are organized by the Canadian Labour Congress and will take place at the NAV Centre in Cornwall.

For more information on the courses and workshops offered:

1. Ontario Region Summer School – July 8 to July 13
2. Ontario Women’s Summer School– July 15 to July 20

Region 5 Scholarships (Application Deadline, May 31)
Your Region 5 Executive Board Members and Education Committee are inviting new and seasoned OPSEU activists apply to for one of three (3) full scholarships to attend either the Ontario  Summer School or Women’s School.

For selected OPSEU applicants, Region 5 will reimburse the $1045 early-bird registration fee, as well as the member’s lost wages and travel expenses, following successful completion of the course.

(The registration fee includes shared accommodation and cafeteria meals.) Important: OPSEU Region 5 will NOT cover cancellation fees.

To apply for one of the three Region 5 scholarships, please send a email to opseuregion5ebms@gmail.com and include ALL of the following information:

• Your name, OPSEU local #, personal email address, cell #, and the name of your employer
• A list of all elected/appointed OPSEU positions you hold
• Details of your experience as an OPSEU, labour and/or community activist
• Which course (Summer School or Women’s School) and workshop(s) you are interested in taking, and how you plan to use this training in your OPSEU activism
• Whether you identify as a member of one of the following groups: Indigenous worker, Woman worker, Racialized worker, Worker with a disability, Young worker, Francophone worker, LGBTTIAQQ2S worker).

IMPORTANT: Be sure to provide ALL of the information requested above. Application Deadline is May 31, 2018.

Got questions? Want to volunteer or get more involved?
Just send an email to opseuregion5ebms@gmail.com or contact one of your Region 5 Executive Board Members
Myles Magner (RVP): mylesmagner@gmail.com
Julius Arscott (EBM): arscottj@hotmail.com
Kingsley Kwok (EBM elect):  kingsley.kwok.opseu@gmail.com

Do you want to me on our mailing list? Send an email to opseuregion5ebms@gmail.com or subscribe here.

On May 15, I had the pleasure of attending the Ontario Workplace Health Coalition’s Annual Joan Burton Day of Learning, and listening to a dynamic lawyer, Lauren Bernardi, who not only spoke passionately about this topic but models the behavior in her own law firm!

Yes, Lauren believes employers must go further than simply looking at legal definitions and saying nothing happened…. She encourages using mental harm as part of the assessment in any workplace investigation.  Was an employee mentally harmed as a result of particular interactions, either with a manager or a co-worker?

Fundamentally, this is about how we are treated in the workplace. We cannot just survive. We need to thrive!

What is a Psychologically Safe Workplace?

A place where reasonable precautions must be taken to:

• Protect mental health
• Prevent mental injury (harm)

10 Causes of mental injury:

1. Expecting too much from people without considering the consequences
2. Not allowing discretion over how work is done without a valid business reason
3. Refusing to acknowledge contributions from an individual
4. Favourtism in distributing rewards or work
5. Failure to provide timely feedback or corrections
6. Not sufficient participation in decision making
7. Withholding information from employees or groups of employees
8. Ignoring basic fairness and due process
9. Failure to identify and correct mentally abusive situations
10. Failure to meet the duty to accommodate mental illness/injury

Mental injury is about more than harassment. Although, in many instances, a claim of harassment in the workplace cannot be substantiated, we all know and have become aware that there is an impact on employees — and we need to recognize that impact.

If I feel unsafe physically in my workplace, then the impact is I feel unsafe psychologically as well.

Lauren spoke at length about what she sees as flaws in employer systems, and particularly in hiring practices. Managers who take a hands-off approach or a dictatorial approach, or who are passive and unsupportive in the workplace will have a negative impact on dealing with or not dealing with situations. This often leaves the worker feeling vulnerable, humiliated, and hurt. She encourages employers to look for emotional intelligence when hiring for managerial roles.

She went on to say that managers who are found to have violated process within an organization — including harassment, intimidation, or bullying — should not receive a bonus at the end of the year as this sends the message that the employer condones bad behavior on the part of management.

Bill 148 which came into effect January 1, 2018, places a higher onus on the employer to investigate any and all adverse incidents that come to their attention.

There is no longer an obligation to put an issue in writing, and further, there is no requirement for an employee to put the complaint on an employer’s “special form”.

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) now recognizes mental stress claims as well, under Bill 148. The following are a few examples of claims for WSIB;

• Events which clearly cause humiliation
• Abusive/threatening interpersonal conduct
• Lack of managerial support
• Workload issues

To qualify for benefits under WSIB, a person must be diagnosed by a healthcare practitioner based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

Lastly, Lauren indicated — and this is something the Union knows too well — that fixing the issue is sometimes more difficult moving forward.

She offered these last pieces of advice:

• Breathe
• We are humans with varying thresholds and boundaries
• We are operating in imperfect systems
• We will experience conflict – it is healthy
• Document ongoing mental stress

As many of you are aware, CAMH has introduced free psychological services to all CAMH employees—finally.  This has been a service the Union has been advocating for many years— and it is extremely successful.  This service is completely confidential.

Please feel free to contact CBT Associates if you feel you are feeling the effects of burnout, compassion fatigue, have feelings of sadness, are irritable, angry, or overwhelmed. Perhaps you struggle with substance use, grief or loss, a disrupted sleep pattern, irregular eating habits, or problems with your personal and professional relationships.

The opportunity is there for you to make changes—please use this resource.

Finally, doing nothing, not reporting, and not speaking up is only going to make the situation worse.  You send the message you are OK with the manner in which you are being treated, and the manager will not alter their bad behavior if they are not sent a strong message.

Sadly, the Union is aware of a number of intimidating managers who use the power and privilege they have been given to treat employees in a mean, aggressive manner. We hope they stop and allow employees to work in an environment which allows us all to thrive.

Nancy

Join fellow OPSEU Local 500 members for a lovely dinner and a very important meeting agenda:

• ELECTIONS for Local 500 executive committee positions (president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer), and all steward positons
• Psychological services: CBT Associates
• Health & Safety
• Nurses’ Education
• Other business

Where: Faculty Club, University of Toronto, 41 WILLCOCKS ST., (behind the Russell St. site)
When: 5:30 pm to 8 pm

*Win door prizes!

PLEASE ATTEND! Quorum is necessary to ensure a successful meeting.