Employees fighting for pay equality: OPSEU
Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) members who work at Valoris — an agency that provides a variety of youth and adult services in Prescott-Russell, Ont., — voted on March 8 to strike for fair pay and to protect the services they provide.
“The health of our communities depends on us being able to deliver high quality services,” said Carl Brisson, a mental health worker and the chair of OPSEU, Local 426's Valoris bargaining team. “The last thing we want to do is go on strike. But we need to send a very clear message: We will stand up for the services we provide.”
About 350 OPSEU members work at Valoris providing children's aid, mental health counselling, developmental services, and services for victims of domestic violence. The contract expires on March 31, 2018, said the union.
Negotiations broke down on March 5 over a variety of issues including pay equality with similar workers at community services organizations in nearby communities, understaffing, contracting out and long-term disability, according to OPSEU.
The bargaining team has filed for conciliation, said the union.