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Toronto (18 Feb. 2021) – The 185 front-line inspectors at the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) have voted overwhelmingly in favour of joining the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/SEFPO/NUPGE) — again.
Workers look to regain voice in workplace
The employees, most of them elevator inspectors, had been OPSEU/SEFPO/NUPGE members until the Harris government divested the authority in the 1990s. But looking to regain a real voice in the workplace and to ensure safety is the organization’s top priority, the inspectors have voted to rejoin the union.
“I always love welcoming new members to our great union, but it’s just as nice to welcome back old friends,” said Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU/SEFPO President. “We’re bigger and stronger than we were back in the 90s, but here’s one thing that hasn’t changed: our absolute commitment to helping members achieve the security and working conditions they need to do their jobs well.”
The new members at TSSA work across the province in the organization’s 4 main divisions: fuels; elevating and amusement devices and ski lifts; boilers and pressure vessels and operating engineers; upholstered and stuffed articles.
“I know that the safety of the public is the number one priority for these new members,” said Eduardo (Eddy) Almeida, OPSEU/SEFPO First Vice-President/Treasurer. “On behalf of the entire Executive Board and our 170,000 members, I want to say that we’ll stand with you shoulder to shoulder to make sure public safety is top priority for your employer too.”