CUPE uses ratification vote to campaign 'at all costs': OPSEU President Thomas
KINGSTON, ON, May 14, 2018 /CNW/ - With voting still underway across Ontario, CUPE/OCHU released the Kingston results of their province-wide contract ratification vote, at a press conference this morning. At the sparsely attended press conference, OCHU President Michael Hurley – accompanied by CUPE local 1974 President Mike Rodrigues - left out one important detail; if the current deal is voted down provincially, the tentative contract will not come into effect.
"This is a pretty brazen move, considering the province-wide vote isn't even done, and absolutely nothing is set in stone," said OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas. "From what I can tell, they're putting the cart before the horse, crossing their fingers and hoping it'll help them win this week's Kingston hospital merger vote.
"OPSEU believes that no one should be disenfranchised and that every vote counts," Thomas said. "We would never release the results of a vote until all our members had a chance to cast a ballot - that's the basis of democracy."
CUPE recently partnered with Unifor and SEIU at the bargaining table, in an effort to achieve gains likely not possible bargaining on their own. Members across the province have been voting on the tentative deal, in what's called a ratification vote.
Meanwhile, CUPE local 1974 in Kingston is in the middle of a merger campaign, vying against OPSEU to become the sole representative union for RPNs, PCAs, facilities, office and clerical staff at Kingston Health Sciences Centre.
"To announce the local results as if contract ratification is a done-deal is not only premature, it's highly questionable," said Thomas. "Before hundreds of CUPE members in other locals have even finished voting, they're essentially declaring a victory here in Kingston. No matter what the numbers are, this is misleading and completely unfair to the rest of their locals and members across the province in OCHU.
"This is campaigning at all costs," said Thomas. "Just because you can do something, doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. This move shows a real lack of vision and understanding, and it's just bad media relations."
Interestingly, OCHU Vice President and former CUPE local 1974 President Louis Rodrigues was not in attendance. This is perhaps not surprising after his debacle at a Windsor press conference last year, which was hotly criticized for being riddled with inaccuracies and mistruths.
"Ontario's health care system is undoubtedly complex," Thomas said in response. "That's why it's so important for workers to have a health care union that understands the issues, and knows the facts; one that is a respected voice in the corridors of power. For Kingston's health care workers, OPSEU is absolutely that voice, and now is the chance for change for more than a thousand workers."
SOURCE Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU)
Warren (Smokey) Thomas, 613-329-1931
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