“No Board” Report Issued at OPSEU’s Request in Correctional Bargaining Unit Negotiations

• OPSEU represents about 35,500 Ontario Public Service employees in a broad range of positions which include administrative support, enforcement officers, social workers and IT systems officers.
• The government reached an agreement with OPSEU’s 30,000-member Unified bargaining unit on October 30, 2015.
• The Correctional Bargaining Unit Collective Agreement covers approximately 5,500 employees, employed in provincial jails, correctional facilities, youth centres and probation and parole offices, who work in a wide variety of positions in the Ontario Public Service including correctional officers, youth services officers, youth probation officers, and probation and parole officers.
• The previous collective agreement with OPSEU expired on December 31, 2014.
• The Treasury Board Secretariat is responsible for collective bargaining with all Ontario Public Service bargaining agents.

As part of the collective bargaining process between the government and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) Correctional Bargaining Unit, the Ministry of Labour has issued a “no board” report at the request of OPSEU. Once a “no board” report is issued, there is a 17-day period after which the parties are in a legal strike or lockout position. 

The 17-day period will expire at 12:01 a.m. on January 10, the 17th day following the date on the “no board” letter.

The issuance of the “no board” report does not prevent negotiations from continuing. The people of Ontario expect the parties to work together to reach an agreement that is fair and reasonable, and the government remains available around the clock to continue discussions with OPSEU. In the event of a labour disruption, the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services is prepared to maintain services at correctional institutions and probation and parole offices.

We acknowledge that this round of negotiations has been challenging. However, we remain committed to the collective bargaining process, and to working with OPSEU’s Correctional Bargaining Unit to reach an agreement that is fair and reasonable to both our employees and the public and is consistent with the government’s fiscal plan.

Our government respects and values the hard work of our Correctional Services employees. Correctional Services staff in our communities work hard every day to keep us safe and we acknowledge the difficult challenges they face.  

We will continue to work with our corrections staff as we move forward with our mandate to transform our correctional system to develop effective, timely and lasting improvements that get real results to improve the safety and security of correctional staff, inmates and the public.