A total of 147 employees of the Canadian Mental Health Association in Timmins have reached a tentative agreement to end a lockout that began last month.
Members of OPSEU Local 631 announced the news on their Facebook page.
“Good news!” read the post.
“OPSEU Local 631, CT Branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association, has just reached a tentative agreement in our fourth week of lockout. We stood firm and didn’t give in! The power of the people is stronger than those in power!”
“When workers stand side by side, they move forward,” OPSEU’s main page on Facebook said.
“The frontline workers of Local 631 have secured a tentative agreement after four weeks of grueling lockout…This is a WIN for northern workers, their customers and every worker across Ontario who has supported them.”
The workers have been locked out since February 13 after failing to reach an agreement. The biggest sticking point was wages.
Locked-out workers have been active, posting videos of themselves dancing to music on the picket line.
In late February, Timmins police charged one of the workers with violating the city’s noise ordinance.
Police said they received a complaint from a citizen about loud noise from the picket line on Second Avenue.
OPSEU said its vice president received the $150 ticket when officials showed up and said the members’ music was too loud. The union also said it would pay the fine on behalf of its member.
There’s no word yet on what’s in the tentative contract or when workers will vote on whether to approve it.
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