Questions and answers about the union certification vote for part-time support staff and work-study students at Ryerson University

March 2010

OPSEU has filed with the Ontario Labour Relations Board to ask for a certification vote for all part-time support staff and work-study students. This Q&A is designed to answer questions about the union certification vote.

What is the Ontario Labour Relations Board?

The Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) is an agency of the Ontario government. It oversees most of the collective bargaining that takes place in Ontario.

Why is there going to be a vote?

For the past few months, part-time support staff and work-study students have been signing union cards expressing interest in joining OPSEU. On March 1, 2010, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) presented these cards to the OLRB. The OLRB has now ordered a vote to determine if a majority of the employees want OPSEU to represent them.

Who can vote?

The representation vote is a vote of part-time support staff and work-study students at Ryerson University. It does not include any full-time support staff, research assistants, employees working for RSU or CESAR or any currently-unionized employees.

If you are part-time support staff or a work-study student, and you think you may be eligible to vote, you should vote. The Labour Relations Board will settle disputes over eligibility after the vote is complete.

Will the employer know that I signed a union card?

By law, the employer is allowed to know how many cards are signed, but NOT who signed the cards. That information is held in strict confidence by the union.

Will the employer or the union know how I vote?

No. The employer and the union will know the voting results, but not how any individual voted.

How will the vote be conducted?

The vote will take place Monday, March 8. Labour Relations Officers of the Ontario Labour Relations Board will supervise the vote and the ballot boxes.

How do I know where to vote?

Once the official notice is received from the Ontario Labour Relations Board, notices will be posted at Ryerson University and on the web at www.ryersonworkers.org. By law, Ryerson must post notices of the vote in the workplace. The vote will take place on site at Ryerson.

What if my name is not on the voters’ list?

If you are not on the list, your name will be added. Your vote will then be set aside, or “segregated” until your eligibility is determined. Once your name is verified, your vote is then added to the count. 

How does that work?

When you vote, the Labour Relations Officer will place your ballot in an unmarked envelope, seal the envelope, and place it in a second envelope. Your name, job, and place of work will be written on the second envelope, which will then be dropped in the appropriate ballot box.

When the vote is complete, the employer and the union will meet to examine each envelope and decide, at the Labour Relations Board, whether the individual who voted is eligible to vote. If he or she is not eligible to vote, his or her vote will be set aside and not counted. If he or she is eligible to vote, his or her envelope will go into the “to-be-counted” pile. Once all the eligible voters have been determined, the Labour Relations Board will open up the outer envelopes and remove the unmarked envelopes. These unmarked envelopes – mixed together – are then opened and the vote is counted.

It is against the law for either the employer or the union to touch any ballot or attempt in any way to find out how any individual voted.

What percentage of votes does the union need to be certified as the bargaining agent?

The union must win the support of a majority of eligible voters who vote, i.e., 50 per cent plus one of those voting.

When will the votes be counted?

The Labour Relations Board will decide when the ballot boxes will be opened, and when the votes will be counted.

What is OPSEU?

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union represents about 125,000 Ontarians working for more than 500 employers across the public sector. OPSEU is a leading union in the Ontario Public Service, health care, colleges and school boards, social services, property assessment, at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, and in many other fields. The union employs over 300 staff with expertise in collective bargaining, grievance-handling, benefits, pensions, education, communications, research, and member services. OPSEU serves members through its head office and through regional offices and membership centres in every corner of Ontario.

What experience does OPSEU have representing university staff?

OPSEU already represents full-time support staff at Ryerson, and has since 1984. Part-time support staff and work-study students would join their colleagues in OPSEU Local 596. Part-time support staff and work study students would have their own bargaining unit and their own collective agreement.

What is a bargaining unit?

The term “bargaining unit” refers to the group of workers who bargain together to achieve a common collective agreement.

If OPSEU becomes the bargaining agent for part-time support staff and work-study students, when do we start paying union dues?

You do not pay union dues until you have your first collective agreement in place.

How much are OPSEU’s union dues?

OPSEU union dues are fixed at a rate of 1.375 per cent of gross pay. This money pays for collective bargaining expenses, grievance-handling, union education programs, operating expenses for union locals, and all other union services to members. Union dues are also 100 per cent tax deductible.

What is a collective agreement?

A collective agreement is a legally-binding contract that sets out the wages and working conditions for a specified group of workers (“the bargaining unit”). It is negotiated between the workers’ union and the workers’ employer.

If OPSEU becomes the bargaining agent for part-time support staff and work-study students, what happens next?

OPSEU’s goal will be to begin collective bargaining with the university as soon as possible. In order to do this, the union will work with part-time support staff members and work-study students to create a process to democratically elect a bargaining team to represent members of the bargaining unit.

Who can vote in bargaining team elections?

Any union member in the bargaining unit can run for election and vote in bargaining team elections.

If OPSEU becomes the bargaining agent for part-time support staff and work-study students, what will happen to my wages, benefits, job security, and so on?

Once a union files an application for a certification vote and a vote is held, it is illegal for any employer to change the wages and working conditions of any worker in the bargaining unit until a collective agreement is negotiated.

With OPSEU as your bargaining agent, your wages and working conditions will be negotiated between the union and the university. Under Ontario law, the employer must negotiate in good faith.

Who decides if a collective agreement is acceptable to the workers in the bargaining unit?

The workers do. All collective agreements must be approved by a majority vote of the employees in the bargaining unit.

Who decides if workers go on strike?

Strikes are extremely rare, but when they do happen it is ONLY with the authorization of the workers in the bargaining unit. Under Ontario law, every worker in the bargaining unit is eligible to vote for or against strike action.

What happens if there are disputes about the interpretation of the collective agreement?

Under Ontario law, every collective agreement must contain a legally-binding mechanism for settling disputes.

Will Work Study students lose their jobs if they are represented by a union?

The Ontario Work Study Plan is a financial assistance program run by the Ontario government. The government pays 75 per cent of the wages of working students, and the university pays 25 per cent. There is no reason to think that either the government or Ryerson would eliminate the program just because students and other part-time university workers were unionized. The Ontario Work Study Program is a province-wide program.  If cuts are made at Ryerson, they would have to happen at other universities and colleges in Ontario.

Unions give their members a voice so they can bargain to protect jobs. It is employers who eliminate them.

Why does OPSEU want to represent students?

The union believes that all workers – students and non-students – should have access to the advantages collective bargaining provides.

Why should I vote YES to having OPSEU as my bargaining agent?

With OPSEU as your bargaining agent, you have a voice in the workplace. By joining together with your co-workers, you have a way to build your negotiating power to improve your wages and working conditions. Plus you’ll have the full support of an experienced, professional organization that is directly accountable to you.

Workers vote to unionize for one main reason – to give themselves a powerful tool to improve their lives, both on and off the job. By working together and speaking with one voice as part of a strong, democratic union, part-timers will have a say in their own future – a future that needs good jobs for all of us.

I’m in my last year at Ryerson. Why should I vote for a union?

The goal of unionizing is to empower workers and improve their working lives. Your vote will create a lasting legacy for those who follow you, and have a lasting, positive affect on the workers of the future. It is your chance to make a real difference.

Where can I get more information?

Go to www.ryersonworkers.org for all the latest information on the vote, contact anyone on in the “Contact Us” section Or drop by the OPSEU Local 596 office at POD-247A.

Breaking Down the U-Word: Union

 

 

What is an organizing drive?

An organizing drive is a union campaign to show that a group of workers wants a particular union to represent them in collective bargaining with their employer.

What is the goal of the OPSEU organizing drive?

The goal of the organizing drive is a) to demonstrate that part-time workers and work-study students want OPSEU as their bargaining agent; and b) to engage in collective bargaining with Ryerson University to improve the wages and working conditions of part-time workers and work-study students.

How does an organizing drive work?

The union asks workers to show their support by signing a union membership card. When the union has collected enough signed cards (at least 40 per cent of the members affected), the union submits an application for certification to the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB). The OLRB will then order a secret ballot vote among all the employees in the bargaining unit at the university. The union is certified if more than 50 per cent of the employees voting vote in favour of the union.

Who is eligible to join the union?

The OPSEU organizing drive is aimed at support staff who are regularly employed for not more than 24 hours a week, including work-study students (this does not include part-time workers who are already represented by another bargaining agent).

Will anyone find out if I have signed a union membership card?

No. By law, the employer cannot find out who has signed a union card. That information must be held in strict confidence by the union. The employer is allowed to know overall how many cards have been signed, but not which employees signed them.

 

After I sign a union card, when do I get a collective agreement and representation in the workplace?

Signing a union card is the first step on the road to a collective agreement. When enough workers have signed union cards, and the workers vote for the union as their bargaining agent, negotiations with the employer can begin. The collective agreement comes into force only after it has been negotiated and the workers ratify it (vote in favour of it).

Once the union is recognized as your bargaining agent, the union is your representative in contract negotiations with the employer. The union also becomes your representative in the workplace and can then help with various workplace issues.

Who bargains our collective agreement?

Members elect their own representatives from among themselves to bargain their contract, with the assistance of an experienced OPSEU negotiator. Members in the local decide what issues go to the bargaining table, and decide whether or not to vote in favour of a contract.

After I sign a card, when do I start paying union dues?

You start paying union dues once your collective agreement has been negotiated and is ratified. You don’t pay any dues until then.

How much are union dues?

OPSEU union dues are fixed at a rate of 1.375 per cent of gross pay. This money pays for collective bargaining expenses, grievance-handling, union education programs, operating expenses for union locals, and all other union services to members. Union dues are 100 per cent tax-deductable.

Does OPSEU offer any educational opportunities for its members?

OPSEU offers a wide array of educational sessions for members. From basic steward training, health and safety, leadership development bullying and harassment in the workplace to creating a local newsletter, OPSEU members can get the tools and skills they need to become effective advocates in the workplace. And all of this training is completely free.

Can Ryerson University part-timers and work-study students be disciplined or lose their jobs by participating in an organizing drive?

The right to join a union and bargain collectively is a protected right under the Ontario Labour Relations Act. Any discipline or firing as a result of union activity is a violation of the law.

The Ontario Work Study Plan is a financial assistance program run by the Ontario government. The government pays 75 per cent of the wages of working students, and the university pays 25 per cent. There is no reason to think that either the government or the university would eliminate the program just because work-study students and other part-time Ryerson University workers were unionized.

If part-timers unionize, will tuition fees have to be increased to fund contract improvements for them?

There is no direct link between tuition fees and university wages. By joining OPSEU, part-timers and work-study students will have a stronger voice and an important tool – collective bargaining – to argue for increased university funding.

Why does OPSEU want to represent students?

The union believes that all workers – students and non-students – should have access to the advantages collective bargaining provides. At Ryerson University, all part-time support staff and work-study students would be in the same bargaining unit.

Will I lose any benefits or perks I currently receive if I join a union?

Under the Ontario Labour Relations Act, any group of workers that join a union automatically have their wages, working conditions and benefits “frozen” in place until a new collective agreement is negotiated. OPSEU always uses your current entitlements as a starting point for negotiations, and negotiates to make improvements on them.

Where can I find more information about signing an OPSEU union card?

OPSEU organizers are on the job at Ryerson University talking to part-timers and work-study students. To get in touch with your local organizing committee, see the contacts below or visit www.ryersonworkers.org

For more information, please contact:

OPSEU Local 596 -416-979-5351

Riley Dawe, Local 596 -416-577-4630

Kella Loschiavo, Local 596 – 416-735-6662

Connie Huziak, Organizing Rep. – 416-788-9245

Kiera Chion, Organizing Rep. – 416-526-0330

Candy Lindsay – 416-254-9042

Len Hupet, Organizing Rep. – 416-420-9261

Mike Bisaillon, Organizing Rep. – 416-458-8108

OPSEU Resource Centre: 1-800-268-7376

Or drop by the OPSEU Local 596 office at POD-247A