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"Everybody wins when workers are paid a decent and fair wage. Everybody wins when a local like this bargains language that will prevent their jobs from being contracted out or privatized." — Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU President
Toronto (31 August 2018) — The members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/NUPGE) working at the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) have ratified a contract that includes significant wage increases, protection from contracting-out, and a number of other improvements.
Workers and the public win with this contract
"This is a great deal for our members, and great news for all the people in the communities they serve," said Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU President
"Everybody wins when workers are paid a decent and fair wage. And everybody wins when a local like this bargains language that will prevent their jobs from being contracted out or privatized," Thomas said.
The roughly 150 members of Local 259 work at the GRCA as planners, assistant superintendents, and environmental officers.
Their new 4-year contract includes wage increases of between 6 and 14 per cent. It also includes language that prevents the employer from contracting-out their work, and improvements to time-off and on-call provisions.
“I’m tremendously proud of these members for standing up for themselves and the work they do protecting the Grand River watershed,” said Eduardo (Eddy) Almeida, OPSEU First Vice-President and Treasurer.
“From each and every one of our union’s 155,000 members: congratulations," Almeida said.