Well it’s been a busy summer all around. I will be getting back in the grove having taken some time off for the arrival two additional packages on the home front. The count keeps going up, even at home!
The next few months will be very busy with Bargaining starting in November; The Corrections NUGPE conference in Ottawa with the Peace Officers Memorial; The Regional Labour Relations Forums will be rolled out this fall.
Over the summer the biggest issue at the MERC table was the Y.O. Disentanglement project. This is the removal of the Y.O. units from the adult institutions and involved both MERC chairs from Y.O. and Adult. The goal is to minimize the impact on all staff and the protection of jobs first. The locals impacted are Kenora, HWDC, OCDC, TBCC, as well as all of the youth facilities. The last briefing of impacted members will take place this week in Kenora.
The biggest news right now is the OPS bargaining unit changes. The changes will have significant impact on the OPS as well as the reconfiguration of the Corrections Division to a Correctional Facilities Division. The two MERC teams that make up the Corrections Bargaining unit and the Bargaining team were not consulted or informed of these negotiations and we know little of what is on the table. The Executive Board members will be briefed first this Wednesday, followed by the Bargaining teams on Thursday. The two corrections division MERC chairs will be briefed on the impact on our corrections bargaining unit and we will then communicate with the division. We have many questions as to how this will impact the members and the bargaining team. Stay tuned.
In Solidarity
Dan Sidsworth
