It was very close heading into election day, but I went to bed last night, relieved that we were not going to have a Conservative Government taking over in Ontario, with Hudak at the wheel. And… he is resigning as party leader!

(He will still be an MPP for his riding)

Thank you to those that got out to vote because every vote counts.

Happy Friday 🙂

Less people turned up at the advanced polls than the previous provincial election.

We can only hope that this means more people will be coming out on June 12 – Election Day.

Do your part and have your voice heard – get out and vote for a labour friendly party and ask a friend, family member or neighbour to come along.

This election is crucial and could set the stage for the upcoming Federal Election.

THIS IS FROM THE

Twenty-First Annual Report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada

BY WAYNE WOUTERS, Clerk of the Privy Council 

Modernizing Our Disability and Sick Leave Management System to Respond to the Needs of All Employees

We are also committed to improving the wellness of federal employees. Our current approach to managing disability and sick leave is out of step with leading practices, as employees must wait 13 weeks to become eligible for long-term disability, or exhaust all of their banked sick leave, whichever is longer. This can cause problems for those with serious illnesses, as many public servants do not have enough sick leave credits and could face financial hardship before becoming eligible for long-term disability. And even for those who do have enough sick leave, the current system does not offer adequate case management and return-to-work support. We can do better.

We are changing this, and are committed to working with bargaining agents to develop and implement a disability and sick leave management system that is modern, comprehensive, and responsive to the needs of all employees. A short-term disability plan will provide employees with access to active case management including wellness, prevention and rehabilitation services, and seamlessly connect sick leave with long-term disability benefits. This would provide fair and comprehensive sickness and disability coverage for all federal employees and help them return to work when they are able to do so

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Our sick leave is still in our Collective Agreement and the employer has no right to make such statements.

Don’t accept that this is already a done deal!!!!

PSAC has sent this to their legal team for review, as per Robyn Benson.

If you missed the telephone town hall re: Provincial Election….

Greetings Sisters and Brothers,

June 12, 2014 is election day and PSAC members across Ontario will have a say in who their next provincial government will be. This will be an especially important election given the Progressive Conservative (PC) Party platform and its proposed drastic changes to our province.

 Ontario workers and their families need to be aware of the PC platform, the so called “Million Jobs Plan”, and the actions Tim Hudak, leader of the PC Party is promising, which include:

·         Slashing 100,000 good public sector jobs in 2 years

·         Increasing classroom size by 2-3 students

·         Increase the ratio for full-day kindergarten to one teacher for every 20 students, from the current ratio of two teachers per 26 students

·         Freeze the Ontario child benefit at $1,200.

·         Eliminate the $1,500 Healthy Homes Renovation Tax Credit.

·         Ending a 30% tuition grant for post-secondary students

·         Lowering corporate taxes even further to 8% from the current 11.5%

·         Eliminating the Local Health Integration Networks

Ontario already spends the least per capita on public services than any other province or territory in Canada. Tim Hudak’s plan of cuts across the board will leave our communities even further behind.

Please listen to our province-wide telephone town-hall recording to find out more about the election here: http://youtu.be/NjLUro3couY

We Are All Affected by the austerity agenda, so on June 12 please vote for public services!

In Solidarity,

Sharon DeSousa,

PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President – Ontario

The Ontario Provincial Election has been called for June 12, 2014 and the stakes have never been higher.
Please join us for a special province-wide telephone town-hall this Monday, May 26, 2014 at 7pm to discuss the election.
The Progressive Conservative (PC) Party, led by Tim Hudak, has made its platform clear with their unbelievable Million Jobs Plan.
The plan begins with a devastating slashing of the public service, with 100,000 workers being laid-off in 2 years!
PSAC members have seen first-hand the devastation slashing the public sector has; with nearly 30,000 members affected through Harper’s austerity program. Imagine the damage Hudak’s plan would cause.
On Sunday May 25th you will receive a notification call . If you do not receive a call, please call in directly on May 26 at 7pm using the toll free number 1-877-519-6647 and using the pin: 674464#
Join us in this important discussion, which will impact every community in this province.
In Solidarity,
Sharon DeSousa,
PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President – Ontario

2 sessions – only 1 hr of your time

3:30 and 4:45

@Museum London

421 Ridout St. N London

PLEASE ATTEND IF POSSIBLE !

Greetings Sisters and Brothers,

The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) will award two scholarships worth $2,000 each to a member or the child of a member of a local union affiliated to the OFL, which includes all PSAC members.

Eligible scholarship recipients must be entering, in September 2014, the first year of a full-time course of study (leading to a diploma or certificate) at a public Ontario community college or the first year of an undergraduate program (leading to a degree) at a publicly-funded Ontario university.

Scholarships are only available to candidates who have no prior post-secondary studies. The criteria for selection of the scholarship winners are the following:

1.         A brief résumé outlining non-academic interests and activities, such as community or political involvement as well as goals for the future.

2.         Evidence of understanding of the role and significance of the Canadian labour movement.

In order to satisfy point (2) above, applicants will be required to submit an essay of not more than 1,000 words.  This year’s topic is:

“Our generation is widely expected to be the first in years to face a lower standard of living than our parents.  Young people are also experiencing high levels of unemployment and underemployment.  In this context, what advice would you give to the labour movement for engaging youth and young workers?”

The application form and information can be viewed online here: http://ofl.ca/index.php/deadline-ofls-labour-post-secondary-scholarships-june-6-2014/

The winners will be announced in July 2014. 

Greetings,
Sisters and Brothers, people should not live in fear or be tormented for who they love or how they express themselves. Our Union and the entire Labour movement has fought for decades to extend equality protections for our members and every person in society.
Pride offers a safe space to express gender and sexual diversity for members of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans (GLBT) communities. It also acts as a political statement, which allows allies to join their GLBT Brothers and Sisters and take a stand against discrimination and oppression.
The GLBT umbrella continues to grow in inclusiveness of the range of diversity of gender and sexual identities. The expansion of inclusion is one of the reasons Toronto will host World Pride this year. As the first city in North America to host World Pride, members are encouraged to attend this global event that is expected to draw over 3 million people.
Ontario will also see a number of Pride celebrations happening in communities across the province. For a full listing see the attached PDF. 
In Solidarity,
Karen Church,
Ontario Council GLBT Representative
And
Sharon DeSousa,
PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President Ontario

World Pride Toronto
June 20 – 29
www.pridetoronto.com

Pride London
July 19 – 27
www.pridelondon.ca

Greetings Sisters and Brothers,
You are invited to attend an information meeting in your area as follows, for an update on this round of collective bargaining with Treasury Board.

May 14, 2014 – Museum London, 421 Ridout St. North, LONDON, Ontario

Session #1 – 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.

Session #2 – 4:45 – 5:45 p.m.  

PSAC and your bargaining team are determined to achieve a fair contract; one that protects our hard fought gains, including our sick leave benefits. 
These meetings will also serve to mobilize our members in defending our rights and provide more information on the bargaining process itself.
Please visit http://ontario.psac.com/bargaining/treasury-board-membership-meetings for the schedule of meetings across Ontario. Meetings are beginning at the end of April and continuing into May.
In Solidarity,
Sharon DeSousa,
PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President Ontario