Ontario correctional services workers protest on Queen St. West on Jan. 20 2015.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
The Ontario government has reached a tentative deal with one of its largest and most vocal unions, which had been without a contract since the end of last year.
Deputy Premier Deb Matthews, who is overseeing labour negotiations for the province, on Tuesday announced a three-year collective agreement with the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. She touted the agreement as "net zero," meaning any pay increases were offset by cuts to benefits or other elements of the contract. A source said OPSEU will receive a modest raise and lump-sum payment, offset by a cut to termination pay.
"I'm thrilled every time we can come to an agreement with our partners," Premier Kathleen Wynne said following an unrelated meeting with Toronto-area mayors. "I believe in the collective-bargaining process, I think it's a very important part of our society."
OPSEU represents 35,500 administrative workers, IT staff, social workers and correctional officers. The deal covers larger issues, such as job security, for all OPSEU members, as well as smaller matters for all but the correctional workers. Correctional workers are still bargaining.
The deal must still be approved by OPSEU members in a vote.
Struggling to wrestle down an $8.5-billion deficit in two years, the governing Liberals are trying to hold the line on labour costs. That made for tough negotiations.
Things got so heated that OPSEU members regularly showed up at Ms. Wynne's press conferences – and, in one case, Question Period – shouting at her to negotiate with them. They also protested outside Liberal events, typically with a giant papier-mâché effigy of the Premier.
OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas said the bargaining was difficult because the government demanded "outrageous" concessions. Among other things, for instance, provincial negotiators wanted workers to wait 12 years before they advanced to the top of the pay grid.
Mr. Thomas declined to disclose any of the details of the agreement, which has not yet been circulated to members.
He would only confirm that it is a net-zero agreement, and that the union is recommending members ratify it.
"It is a net-zero deal, so that means you give a little, get a little," he said.
Mr. Thomas said there was no need for talks to be as difficult as they were. "All of this was absolutely unnecessary. For the government to come in with the kind of concessions they were asking for is just unheard of."
Adrian Morrow