Ontario safety inspectors end 11-week strike, accept collective agreement

An 11-week strike by safety inspectors is officially over after union members accepted a revised agreement, officials say.

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 Friday.

The ratification was confirmed Saturday evening.

The 170 provincial safety inspectors took strike action on July 21 after failed bargaining talks. They are responsible for inspecting a wide range of institutions and infrastructure — from boilers to gas stations and residential buildings.

The end of the strike marks the group’s first collective agreement since joining OPSEU and unionizing in early 2021.

“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.”

According to OPSEU/SEFPO, the tentative agreement — which has now been ratified — was reached “in the early hours” of Friday.

— with files from Global News’ Hannah Jackson

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