Union has 68 per cent strike mandate
The Ontario Public Service Staff Union (OPSSU) and Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) returned to the bargaining table today with a conciliator.
If a deal is not reached, OPSEU staff could be on strike or locked out as early as the end of August.
OPSSU voted 68 per cent to reject a tentative agreement and authorize strike action if necessary. OPSSU has not voted down an agreement in 20 years.
"Our members gave the bargaining team a strong mandate to return to the table. We expect that the employer will come prepared to bargain a fair deal," said OPSSU president Pati Habermann.
The current collective agreement expired June 30, 2016.
OPSSU represents workers at OPSEU's head office in Toronto and at 19 regional offices across Ontario. Staff provide services to more than 130,000 members.
