Government's Wage Constraint Policy.

Bulletin 1.

What is currently happening (As of August 19)

The government invited Union leaders to a meeting on August 9. Smokey Thomas, the President of OPSEU attended the meeting. Smokey pressed the representatives as to what is available in lieu of 0+0 and he gave them a list, pretty much off the top of his head. The meeting was described as frustrating, a waste of time and a sham.

On August 10, the Union held a meeting of Sector leaders and Executive Board Members. Dallas Takeuchi was asked to attend as the MOE MERC chair. At the end of the meeting, it was moved that Smokey Thomas inform the Government that he will no longer proceed with any consultations until he receives direction from an OPSEU All-President's Meeting, which has now been scheduled for September 13.

Local 553 will be having a meeting on September 1, to give an update and answer questions. Also to move any resolutions as to how your Local President should vote on the issues.

Later in September, there will be another meeting to give an update on the meeting, as well as to elect delegates to the OPS Divisional in November.

Bulletin 2, will come out shortly, with a background of the legalities of implementing wage constraint legislation.

Even though our Collective Agreement is in expires December 31, 2012, the Government is looking at 0+0 for the first 2 years of our next Collective Agreement (2013 and 2014).

Just to be clear, it's not just wages, but also benefits, as benefits cost money.

Bulletin 2

The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) struck down the BC Government's law legislating wage constraints against a Union in BC (BC Nurses, I think). The SCC said that the Government should have consulted the Union. This is why Dalton is consulting with OPSEU (and other Unions) and following the SCC decision, in case of a court challenge, if they pass a law and OPSEU challenges it.

The SCC has stated that the right to collective bargaining is a right protected under the Charter.

Furthermore, if OPSEU were to walk away from these consultations, the government can say, we tried and they walked away. Even if the consultations are a sham.

In California, it appears that Arnold passed a law making it illegal for the government to give wage increases. Indirectly legislating wage constraints.

If Dalton passes a law and OPSEU challenges it, then it could take 4-5 years for a SCC decision. The decision may not retroactively include a wage increase, so OPSEU may have a SCC decision that strikes down the law, but nothing else, except spending a lot of money on court costs. Possibly only a moral victory, if we were to win.

What should OPSEU do? Well, that's why there will be a meeting at our workplace to debate this issue and for you to have the opportunity to direct your Local President as how to vote on key issues or at least principles, when he attend the OPSEU All-President's Meeting on September 13.