Municipal Property Assessment Corporation reaches tentative agreement with union

Situation was 'particularly challenging bargaining climate': Union leader

The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), representing 1,300 of the corporation’s employees, have reached a tentative agreement and avoided a labour disruption.

The agreement is expected to be taken to OPSEU members for a ratification vote over the coming weeks.

The union was in a legal strike position as of 12:01 am on June 17, with issues around benefits and wages still outstanding. MPAC was hopeful a negotiated agreement would be reached, with the assistance of a provincially appointed conciliation officer, before the strike deadline.

"In a particularly challenging bargaining climate, our bargaining team stood firm on its demand for fair value for the work frontline staff do," said OPSEU president Warren (Smokey) Thomas.

"Despite a very difficult context, our members gave their bargaining team a strong strike vote and turned out in droves for the information pickets we held across the province. They sent their employer a loud, clear message that they were not willing to settle for anything less than what they deserved."

While an agreement was reached, "there is still work to do" to improve the relationship between MPAC and its front-line employees, he said.

"There is no MPAC without the work of our members," he said. "We'll keep doing everything we can to make management understand that."

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