The Canadian Press
TORONTO–Ontario is offering public servants a four-year contract extension with 7.5-percent raises, which would avoid possibly contentious bargaining before the next provincial election.
The roughly 35,500 public-sector workers and correctional staff represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union are set to vote on ratification June 20-22.
The Liberal government also successfully offered two-year extensions to teachers and education workers that came with four-percent raises and more than $275 million in additional funding.
OPSEU president Warren (Smokey) Thomas said he suspects the extension offer to his members is related to the June, 2018 election, noting his union hasn’t been shy about challenging the government in the past.
But, he added, the offer contains a number of positive changes with no demands of concessions for members. And no matter the motivation, he’s looking for the best deal for the workers.
Premier Kathleen Wynne said for many years now, the government only has been able to offer public-sector workers small increases, but now the budget is balanced.
