Deal brings wage increases, improved health and safety provisions: OPSEU
About 130 OPSEU workers who provide child and youth mental health services at The George Hull Centre for Children and Families in Toronto voted in favour of a contract on March 23 that features three years of wage increases, ending nearly a decade of wage stagnation.
"We're incredibly proud of the work we do providing resources, programming and support to children, teenagers, and families to achieve mental wellness," said Zuzuky Diaz, a community engagement worker and the chair of Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), Local 539's bargaining committee. "We know our work has value and we set out to bargain a contract that recognizes that value with fair wage increases."
The three-year agreement takes effect on April 1. In addition to the annual wage increases of one per cent, the new agreement also includes three annual payments (two per cent in the first year and 1.5 per cent in each of the final two years), strengthened health and safety provisions, increases to parental and bereavement leave and improvements to the notice the employer must give OPSEU Local 539 about funding increases, new funding, changes to the benefits plan and weekend scheduling, said the union.
