New President
First, I hope everyone is healthy and staying safe as we return to teaching this fall. My name is Kevin Griffin, and I am the OPSEU Local 354 president. I am new to the position, but have worked at Durham College since 2003.
I was elected to this position in the Spring GMM after Pat Mongeon stepped down. I would like to thank Pat for all her hard work representing members and am very happy that she continues to provide support to members as a Steward in the School of Health and Community Services.
New Chief Steward
Hello everyone, my name is Charlene Di Danieli, and I am your Chief Steward for our local 354. I am a faculty member in the School of Justice and Emergency Services and have been since 2007 where I began as a part time instructor. We have many stewards at local 354 representing many schools, and we encourage you to reach out and contact us if you have any questions. We are here to support you and if you are interested in becoming a steward- please contact us! Our email addresses are on our local website and we look forward to supporting members in our role as stewards. We encourage you to stay updated through our website- stay safe and stay well.
Our web page is a great resource for information on several items important to members. There you can also provide or update your email address as necessary. It is imperative in a bargaining year that we have updated contact information for all members.
You may also be interested in the following links related to the mandatory vaccination policy:
https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90h19
I understand there is some concern and confusion around legal and enforcement issues related to the campus vaccination policy but it is important to note that the above linked release from the Ontario Human Rights Commission contains the following statement:
“Requiring proof of vaccination to ensure fitness to safely perform work, or protect
people receiving services or living in congregate housing, may be permissible under the
code if the requirement is made in good faith and is reasonably necessary for reasons
related to health and safety,”
(Ontario Human Rights Commission media release last updated July 27, 2021)
CAAT-A Bargaining
We will continue to post updates from the bargaining team to the webpage as we receive them. You can read the latest updates by clicking on the Bargaining Updates icon on the homepage or by going directly here: https://opseu354.ca/bargaining-updates/
If you would like to message the bargaining team directly, please use the following email – bargainingteam2021@gmail.com
The following video links explain the bargaining process.
If you would like to listen to a podcast related to the bargaining process
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ontario-college-podcast/id1582000924
Union Membership Sign-up
OPSEU now accepts online membership applications. It is important to complete and submit your union application so that your Local has accurate membership numbers and can best support you when needed. Also, it is imperative that all partial load members complete and submit an application for each semester taught. Please use this link to complete your membership application New Submission (opseu.org)
In Solidarity,
Your Local 354