An 11-week strike by safety inspectors is finally over after union members accepted a revised agreement.
Workers for the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) — who are represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) — ratified a tentative agreement announced on October 7th. The ratification was confirmed Saturday October 8th.
Overseeing elevators, amusement rides and fuels, more than 170 safety inspectors went on strike July 21 to bargain for a new agreement. That left the TSSA to handle safety inspections with non-union employees. Safety inspectors are responsible for inspections of over 60,000 elevating devices across Ontario, including elevators in apartment buildings and condos, elevators and escalators in malls, offices, construction site hoists, industrial settings, transit and transit stations, schools, hospitals, seniors and long-term care homes, and colleges and universities.
The end of the strike marks the group’s first collective agreement since joining OPSEU and unionizing in early 2021. By voting to accept their new Collective Agreement, these members will now have access to grievance processes they can rely on, giving them more support and a stronger voice in their workplace. More competitive wages will help to improve recruitment and retention.
“The TSSA safety inspectors’ resilience speaks volumes to the importance of their fight for meaningful change,” said OPSEU/SEFPO President JP Hornick. “They stood together throughout the strike, supported one another, harnessed the power of the entire labour movement, and came out even stronger for it. This Collective Agreement is a win for safety inspectors and for public safety in Ontario.”
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