OPS Bargaining Minority Report

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On September 22nd the Central and Unified Bargaining Teams took a vote on the offer

that is now before you to vote on.

We voted in dissent and are recommending that you VOTE NO on both contracts.

Central Concessions Even though there are some improvements in

language in the Central agreement the impacts of the larger concessions causes too much harm to support.

We believe that this contract will harm the sick and vulnerable and new workers the most. This supports Wynne’s race to the bottom mentality .

Now is the time to protect all workers in the OPS

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Central Concessions Termination pay is eliminated after Dec. 31, 2016

and accumulated pay will be frozen at 2016 dollars, lowering the value of it over time. In monetary terms this can add up to thousands of dollars. For an OAD a loss of only six week termination accumulation would cost $5,674.58.

For WSIB recipients, during the first 65 days you will only get a maximum of your current net pay on the day you went off.

Appendix 38 was renewed with no changes allowing the continued use of I&IT consultants instead of hiring more full time workers.

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Central Concessions Members on LTIP will have to retire at earliest unreduced

pension or 30 years of service (whichever is later) or pay the approximate 9.4% pension contribution themselves if staying on LTIP.

Further the introduction of a Mandatory Rehabilitation plan shifts the responsibility to an insurance carrier that will recommend your rehabilitation even if contrary to your doctor's orders.

This will also reduce protections on your private medical information as everything could go to the government or insurance carrier.

This reverses long fought protections in your agreement and will be an additional nightmare to have to live with.

Although an expedited dispute resolution was established, you may still be without pay or benefits while waiting for a decision..

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Unified Concessions Even though there are some improvements in language in the

Unified agreement the impact of the larger concessions causes too much harm to support

The employer wanted a 5% reduction and 12 step wage grid. The result was a two year freeze on merit progression in the

2nd and 3rd years and a 0%, 1.4% lump sum in 2016 and a 1.4% ATB for 2017.

Though the wage increase appears to be a gain it comes at the cost of the newest workers and those who are in career transition.

By freezing progression a starting SO4 will lose $5,282.25, an OAD8 will lose $2,321.18 and a WFW2 would lose $3,447.86 even after factoring the lump sum and raise. This is just cash loss, pensionable earnings are reduced even further since lump sums are not pensionable. This is all money that is lost forever.

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Unified Concessions Though members at the top of their grids may be

safe for now, keep in mind that the people most harmed by these concessions will be deciding your future contracts and benefits. If we allow the employer to sell them out now, what incentive will they have to protect our pension and benefits later.

Bottom line, if you are at any place in the grid but the top you suffer. If you are planning a change in your career, you suffer. If you are converted to full time or just started your career, you really suffer.

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Recommendation The Employer has attempted to bury us in concessions in order to

ensure that they get to steal some portion of your wages and benefits.

The employer has the blueprint for the next round in late 2017 and

you can be sure that they will continue to steal your money, like changing the wage grid to 10 or 12 steps, lower starting pay, stealing your banked termination pay, tiered drug formulary, etc. They expect us to keep on giving, giving and giving.

Now is the time to stand up to protect ALL workers in the OPS... even those who have not yet joined the public service. Those workers will be our future, and the future of the services we all rely on.

Please VOTE NO on both the Central and Unified agreements.

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Minority Report This minority report is prepared and

approved by Dylan Lineger and Glenna Caldwell

______________ _________________ Dylan Lineger Glenna Caldwell

Signed on September 22nd, 2015

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