Office Operations:
Our 503 Office has returned to staff being in the office on a rotational basis. Staff are available to provide services to members seamlessly and can be reached by calling our general office number at 613-230-2456 or you can email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]). If you require a Shop Steward for a representation meeting please contact our mainline and Heather will be able to assist.
Bargaining Updates:
Ottawa Public Library Collective Agreement:
The Union and the Employer are currently working to secure additional dates in early 2022 to continue negotiations.
City of Ottawa Part-time Recreation & Culture:
The Union and the Employer continue negotiations and have additional dates scheduled for mid-January 2022.
Sandfield Place Long Term Care:
An Arbitration date has been scheduled for May 2022.
Forest Hill Long Term Care:
An Arbitration date has been scheduled for March 2022.
Champlain Ontario Health HCCSS (formally Champlain LHINS):
The bargaining survey that will inform the Bargaining Team of the members priorities for the Local table has been completed and the Bargaining Team will be pulled together early in the New Year to review the results and start to develop proposals. We do not yet have confirmed dates from the Employer for the Local Table.
Ottawa Community Housing:
The Union has served the notice to bargain to the Employer for the Collective Agreement expiring December 31st 2021. A Bargaining Team will be convened in the coming weeks and our intentions are to commence bargaining in February 2022 with the Employer.
Staying Connected:
Each month the Local provides a Membership Update that is posted on the CUPE 503 Website at www.cupe503.com, our Facebook Page and is sent out to all of the personal emails we have on file. In order to best stay connected your can email your PERSONAL email address to Heather at [email protected] and provide your Full name, Employer and Department.
In addition to updates, for bargaining we break down our email lists by Collective Agreements to be able to send out notices and links for the bargaining surveys, meeting invitations for bargaining processes and key dates when it comes to ratification processes. Email is the fastest way for us to get information to our members in the bargaining process and encourage members to sign-up given how many rounds we currently have ongoing.
With the challenge of in-person meetings due to Public Health restrictions as well as the introduction of Vaccine Passports the Local is exploring having an in-person meeting early in 2022. We are currently exploring venues, keeping in mind a central location and parking availability. We are very aware that we are not on the other side of the pandemic and that all public health measures need to be in place so we are striving to move forward with this. In the interim the Local has been hosting Telephone Town Halls and the participation has been growing. The Town Halls are also advertised on our website, our Facebook page and by email. We expect that even if we are able to book an in-person meeting we will be offering Telephone Town Halls as some members are still not comfortable with attending indoor events with larger numbers. Stay Tuned for Updates.
Have a Safe and Happy Holiday Season
On behalf of your Executive and the Staff of CUPE 503 we wish each of you and your families a safe and Happy Holiday season.