Agreement reached, correctional services strike averted

JOINT NEWS RELEASE

DEB MATTHEWS, DEPUTY PREMIER AND
PRESIDENT OF THE TREASURY BOARD

YASIR NAQVI, MINISTER OF COMMUNITY
SAFETY AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICES

**************************
Agreement reached with OPSEU Correctional Bargaining Unit

The following statement was issued today by Deb Matthews, Deputy Premier and President of the Treasury Board, and Yasir Naqvi, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services:

We are pleased that Ontario has reached a collective agreement with the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), with respect to the Correctional Bargaining Unit.

This final agreement is the result of much hard work at the bargaining table by both sides, with the assistance of mediator, Gerry Lee.

The outcome is consistent with the fiscal plan as outlined in the 2015 Budget.

This agreement supports the government's ongoing efforts to eliminate the deficit while protecting the valued public services Ontario families rely on.

The agreement refers outstanding monetary issues to expedited mediation-arbitration.

It also recognizes the essential work of our Correctional Bargaining Unit employees by providing a stand-alone collective agreement for future rounds of collective bargaining. 

Interest arbitration will also be provided going forward as a dispute resolution mechanism rather than the right to strike for the Correctional Bargaining Unit.

Our government respects and values the critical services performed by 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 the correctional system to develop effective and lasting improvements to enhance rehabilitation and reintegration supports as we work to break the cycle of re-offending and improve the safety and security of correctional staff, inmates and the public.

We look forward to‎ returning to normal operations and moving ahead on that transformation together.

**************************