AMAPCEO achieves settlement with OPS Employer on Health and Safety dispute

AMAPCEO is pleased to announce a settlement to its lengthy dispute with the Ontario Public Service (OPS) Employer regarding the membership of Joint Health and Safety Committees, and the status of AMAPCEO Health and Safety Representatives.

The dispute was filed in July 2019 after AMAPCEO discovered significant differences between the Employer’s list of Health and Safety Representatives and AMAPCEO’s own list. It was evident that there were issues with the OPS Employer’s processes of collecting accurate and up-to-date information.

The settlement includes:

• an acknowledgement from the Employer that the selection of Health and Safety Representatives is solely the responsibility of bargaining agents;
• a commitment from the Employer to undertake more robust measures to ensure the collection of accurate and up-to-date information regarding Health and Safety Representatives; and
• an agreement by both parties to meet on a regular basis through the creation of a sub-committee of the AMAPCEO Central Employee Relations Committee (ACERC) to discuss any issues related to the collection of information and any discrepancies in that information.

“We’re pleased with the terms of this settlement,” AMAPCEO Vice-President Cynthia Watt said. “It will facilitate more direct, effective communication between the OPS Employer and our Health and Safety Representatives, which has become even more important during the pandemic. It will also better support our Health and Safety Representatives in their efforts to ensure the workplace health and safety of AMAPEO members.”