OPSSU, the staff union, returns to the table with OPSEU

TORONTO, Aug. 2, 2016 /CNW/ - Ontario Public Service Staff Union (OPSSU) and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) return to the bargaining table with a conciliator on Wednesday, August 3, 2016.  If a deal is not reached, OPSEU staff could be on strike or locked out as early as the end of August.

OPSSU voted by a majority of 68% to reject a tentative agreement and authorize strike action if necessary. OPSSU has not voted down an agreement in 20 years.

Newly appointed OPSSU President, Pati Habermann, says she is optimistic that the two parties will reach an agreement promptly. "Our members gave the bargaining team a strong mandate to return to the table. We expect that the employer will come prepared to bargain a fair deal."

The current collective agreement expired on June 30, 2016.

OPSSU represents permanent, part-time, contract/temporary and on-call workers at OPSEU's head office in Toronto and at 19 regional OPSEU offices across Ontario. Staff provide a wide range of services to more than 130,000 OPSEU members.

SOURCE Ontario Public Service Staff Union (OPSSU)

please contact: Pati Habermann, OPSSU President: [email protected]; Emily Visser, OPSSU 1st Vice-President: [email protected], 416-854-8598 (cell); www.opssu.ca