We've won a lot by standing together.
Together, we defeated Bill 124. Together, we defended our rights to flexible work. And when the employer disrespected us, we stood up and together, demanded better.
Now, together, we're going to show the Employer that we'll fight for what we deserve: a fair deal that protects Ontario's public services and the professionals who deliver them.
Your OPS Bargaining Team
- Dave Bulmer, President/CEO
- Jason Gartshore, GTA North District
- Jennie Miller, Midtown District
- Adam Nagler, Bay District
- Vickie Nielsen, Northern Ontario District
- Julie Reeder, Eastern Ontario District
Frequently asked questions
What is collective bargaining?
Collective bargaining occurs when a group of people in a workplace band together to increase their negotiating power. There is a greater likelihood of success together than there is apart, so it is also about demonstrating our collective will and resolve.
These negotiations between employees and management lead to a legally binding collective agreement that details many of the terms and conditions of our employment, including wages, working conditions, job security, and more.
This collective agreement also ensures the employer consults with us and that we work collaboratively to seek solutions on matters that affect us. It means our workplaces are governed with transparency and fairness.
When does bargaining start?
The current OPS Collective Agreement runs until March 31, 2025.
The existing terms and conditions of the current collective agreement remain frozen in place until a new collective agreement comes into effect. The new agreement may have retroactive measures.
How will I get updates during bargaining?
Make sure your contact information with AMAPCEO is up-to-date, and that you are subscribed to receive our emails. Visit our Subscribe page if you haven’t opted-in to receive our emails.
Signed members also receive exclusive updates and event invitations. If you haven’t become a signed member of AMAPCEO, you can do so at no additional cost at amapceo.ca/membership.
We will also continually update this webpage with updates as they become available. And the union’s leadership will meet with members either virtually or in-person, as public health regulations permit, to update members on progress.
How are our bargaining goals set?
Every AMAPCEO member will take part in a survey asking them where they desire improvements to the current collective agreement. It is very important that you complete this survey and make sure your voice is heard.
The survey results will be provided to the bargaining team, staff, and union leadership to draft the broad bargaining priorities, which are typically shared with Delegates at the Annual Delegates’ Conference.
These results, further informed by research, additional consultation, and legal advice, will be used to generate more specific bargaining plans. The Board of Directors is ultimately responsible for reviewing and approving this mandate.
Why is it important to support my colleagues and union during bargaining?
We have worked hard to achieve the current terms and conditions of our employment. Supporting your colleagues, the bargaining team, and our union, helps demonstrate our collective strength and our resolve to securing a fair contract. We are stronger together.
Union leadership and local AMAPCEO activists may also ask you to take specific actions to demonstrate your solidarity. This could include displaying a flag on your desk, using a union background during a video call, or attending an event.
These actions serve as proof of member cohesion and support for AMAPCEO. This can speed up the bargaining process and result in improved collective agreements for all members.
More broadly, unions helped build the middle class in Canada. The eight-hour workday, pensions, minimum wages, employment standards, equal pay, health and safety legislation, pregnancy and parental leave, and other provisions were first negotiated by unionized workers and then extended to others.
Since the 1990s, however, unions have been under attack—first in the private sector and now in the public sector. It’s important that we bust unfair myths and build collective power for the benefit of all.
Does collective bargaining lead to a strike?
The priority in our negotiations has always been to achieve a fair collective agreement without any unnecessary use of job action. AMAPCEO has always fought for alternatives to labour disruptions in the event of a bargaining impasse and has never had to go on strike.
However, if the employer creates issues during negotiations, a labour disruption remains an important tool in the union’s toolbox. Labour disruption is a broad term encompassing a spectrum of possibilities—small, such as a local lunch-time rally or a refusal to work overtime, to large, such as a province-wide walkout or strike.
Union-initiated labour disruptions are governed by a legal process that unfolds over several weeks. A union cannot call a strike without first having its members vote in favour of such an action. A positive vote does not guarantee that a job action will take place. It is a clear message to the employer side that AMAPCEO members are serious about achieving certain demands in bargaining.
