CTO ISSUE…

I have not written anything for fourteen days, that being on April 04, 2009. In that entry I gave my opinion of what I saw developing and where I thought we should be going. I wrote:

“From the information I have, each local is setting up General Membership meetings. I believe these meetings can be used to empower all of us as a united group to discussed strategies for change. I prefer to see us move forward united and with strength. We should turn this situation into a positive one. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down. ~ Mary Pickford

“If we choose to rescind our notification of withdrawing from the CWW agreement at this time we should all do it as one collective. We have shown our resolve. We have forced the employer back to the table to negotiate. We have shown we will fight hard for our CWW agreement. We wanted an action for CTO and are still on high alert. We have a lot more fight left in us.We can use this as an opportunity to move forward. We can all hold our heads up knowing how difficult this is and that we need to remain united”

Since that time the employer has met with OPSEU and after what sounds like posturing on both sides, the employer decided to walk away from the meeting with no desire to discuss and resolve the CTO issue. CTO is a negotiated benefit and this dispute will need a negotiated settlement.

We have not achieved our gaol of impacting the employer on how important this issue is to us collectively. Waiting for something to happen at the GSB will take too long. We must show the employer that we continue to have the resolve to influence a positive outcome for both sides.

I do understand the employer’s need to save money during this economic time. The various layers of bureaucracy have all been given their mandate to cut costs. We understand.

The number of Correctional Officers has remained stagnate for decades, with our workplaces falling into disrepair. When the too few facilities were built by the Ministry they cut corners to save costs on design, security and the number of Correctional Officers. (Maybe that’s why the pods are not square?) During this same time the numbers of police officers, judges, and crown attorneys have all increased, which resulted in an increased number of remanded inmates in the system. The irony being additional beds were never added to the system despite the new buildings.

The added workload has never been addressed with additional resources or modified procedures, so that we may continue work in healthy and safe workplaces. As we know there are many problems within Corrections. As Smokey has stated:

“We remain willing and ready to work with the employer to solve these problems. In the meantime, our members are refusing to take any more chances with their jobs…and their lives. I will always support my members who are following the rules – even if the system breaks down because of it."

There is a reason Corrections in Ontario is one of the few provinces that hasn’t had a major disturbance in the last five years. The members have gone above and beyond the call of duty on a daily basis. In the past we have taken the short cuts, strived to make things work when we know if we did things by the book, the resulting impact would have negative outcomes. Whether that be getting inmates out to court on time, working in over crowded ranges without proper staffing levels, or getting the bare essential duties completed just to be able to placate the inmate population.

This coming week OPSEU will be having its annual convention. This opportunity for the Corrections Division to Caucus together again is very timely and does not happen very often. The employer knows we will be taking full advantage of this. We will be organized, we will move forward together, and we will remain determined to resolve this issue.

Like the trains that run past the windows at my post like clock work, the time now has come that we can no longer ensure that the “trains run on time” in Corrections. Knowing that the sacrifices we make are at our expense. The time has past where we can turn a blind eye to all the short cuts we take on a daily basis. Our job is to make sure that we all get home to our families safely. It is the employer’s job to make sure all the resources are available for the system to operate and run on time.

Smokey hit the nail right on the head…without the memberships buy-in, the system will break down.

Stay safe, In Solidarity,

Dan Sidsworth

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Don’t punish us for following the rules

April 16, 2009

I have spoken a lot recently about problems in our correctional system. While there are many issues across every sector of our union, corrections keeps rearing its head because, quite frankly, it appears the employer wants the system to self-destruct.

Why do I say that? Actions by the employer over the past few months have defied any logical explanation. We have called repeatedly for the employer to address the overcrowding and deteriorating working conditions in our jails. Those calls have been largely ignored. We just finished a very contentious round of bargaining, and before the dust settles, the employer arbitrarily backs out of a decades-old agreement on compensating time owing for working overtime.

For years, correctional officers in our facilities have performed above and beyond the call of duty to make sure that their portion of the criminal justice system worked. One of their many responsibilities is to ensure that inmates are processed to go to court on a daily basis. But because of the overcrowding in our facilities, which worsens every year, correctional officers know what any rookie with two weeks on the job knows: If you follow the rules, the job will never get done.

So what happens? Some rules get ignored. Corners get cut. But all the inmates get out to court on time, and the judges have no complaints.

But now our members have had enough. Enough of having overcrowding in the jails ignored. Enough of the employer turning a blind eye to bad working conditions and spread of infectious diseases. Enough of cutting corners (and putting their safety at risk) so that the job will get done. Especially when all the employer seems to be interested in is destroying labour peace.
So now, our members ARE following the employer’s rules. And guess what? There are delays in the courts. And judges are getting angry.

Perhaps the Minister or these angry judges can answer some questions for our officers. Those questions are: What rules do you want us to break to get inmates out to court on time? What safety precautions do you want us to ignore? What security rules do you want us to breach? And lastly, what assurances will you give us that we won’t be hurt or disciplined if we do break those rules? Until then, I suggest that the judges talk directly to the Ministry and ask them why the system isn’t working. Don’t punish the workers for following the employer’s rules.

We remain willing and ready to work with the employer to solve these problems. In the meantime, our members are refusing to take any more chances with their jobs…and their lives. I will always support my members who are following the rules – even if the system breaks down because of it.

In solidarity,
Warren (Smokey) Thomas
President

My Take of the CTO

I have been following what has been transpiring and here is an update on what we have accomplished so far.

• We have gotten the attention of MGS who made this decision.
• Our policy grievance will have a stage two hearing this coming Tuesday.
• The heads of Corporate OPSEU and the Ministry are meeting this coming Week.
• The MERC will soon table CTO at the first meeting scheduled.
  
  From the information I have, each local is setting up General Membership meetings. I believe these meetings can be used to empower all of us as a united group to discussed strategies for change. I prefer to see us move forward united and with strength. We should turn this situation into a positive one. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down. ~ Mary Pickford
  
  If we choose to rescind our notification of withdrawing from the CWW agreement at this time we should all do it as one collective. We have shown our resolve. We have forced the employer back to the table to negotiate. We have shown we will fight hard for our CWW agreement. We wanted an action for CTO and are still on high alert. We have a lot more fight left in us.
  
  We can use this as an opportunity to move forward. We can all hold our heads up knowing how difficult this is and that we need to remain united.
  
  In Solidarity,
  Dan S.

Retro and Salary Increases

The employer has notified the Union it will be proceeding with the payment of retroactive salary revisions and adjustments pursuant to the ratification of the 2009 – 2012 OPSUE Collective Agreement. The implementation schedule for these revisions is as follows:

May 14, 2009(Unified Bargaining Unit and Correctional Bargaining Unit)
· Across-the-board salary revisions and retroactive adjustments
· Retroactive payments of special adjustments

June 25, 2009 (Unified Bargaining Unit)
· Retroactive payment of general notes and allowances

Congratulations

Congratulations to the members of the Corrections division that were elected on the weekend to the Executive Board. Good luck and do us proud!

We have been busy answering a lot of questions about the latest lock talk. This course of action was not taken lightly by all concerned. I feel we needed to send a clear message to the employer that the proper way of doing business is through the Local Executive Committees and the MERC’s.

The tone and language used in the latest Lock Talk is strong for a reason. The Corrections Bargaining Unit has not been shown any respect. After nine month’s the Deputy Minister still hasn’t even met with the members of the MERC. That sends a clear message in itself. For the record the badge thing…we fought hard for that at the MERC level to get them for years…and the “Retirement Memorabilia” again brought up at the MERC table...our idea…I guess it sounds better when it’s your idea.

I don’t care what happened during bargaining, I wasn't there and it’s over. We do not need four years of being notified of changes to long standing policies and memo’s telling us of new practices without our meaningful input and participation. What is going to be next?

We are now back to normal relations and we have a proper way of doing business. I feel if we do not respect each others roles and positions we hold, then the last two years of building a stronger working relationship was just a waste of time.
The more things change the more they stay the same…

In Solidarity,

Dan Sidsworth

Welcome Back

Now that we are out of bargaining and back to MERC and LERC business I will be starting up the Blog again. I want to thank everyone who passed along their condolences after my father passed away. I have been busy on the home front and working in the local.

The Regional elections are this coming weekend with convention soon to follow. I am looking forward to reconnecting with everyone and starting to ramp up the business of the division. The MERC team met and caucused with each other for the first time this year on Monday at the OPSEU Milton membership centre. We discussed the various sub-committees and went over the issues together. The new collective agreement has definitely generated a lot of more work for the committee.

The first issue we will be dealing with is the Compensating Time. The employer has sent a very clear message to the membership and the MERC in how this was done. NO prior notification and No discussion. They have set the tone in which they want to do business with us. If this is how they want to conduct business with the membership and the elected representatives we will also change the way we do business.

The Corrections Division is known for its very difficult and challenging labour relations on a good day. With the removal of Compensating time, it is time remind the employer that we still have a very unified and strong division that can effect change. We want to be treated fairly and with respect. It is now time to remind the employer that the resolve of this division is without comparison. I firmly believe with all of us acting as one we can achieve anything.

In Solidarity,

Dan Sidsworth