The OFL Communications Department carries labour’s messages to Federation members and the general public. Media relations, web site updates, speeches, and campaign publicity are among its ongoing responsibilities. The department produces a monthly newsletter called FOCUS.
The OFL Education Department helps develop and present a workers’ viewpoint on public education. It lobbies governments, liaises with teacher federations, works with school boards, parent associations and apprenticeship and training issues. It also organizes conferences on education and training for the labour movement, runs a speakers’ bureau that provides trade union speakers to schools and publicly promotes labour’s vision of good education and training. It helps develop educational materials on public policy issues and acts as the liaison between the Federation and the arts community. The education director also staffs the OFL’s Workers Under 30 Committee. The Committee promotes organizing and deals with workplace issues that young workers face on the job.
The Education Department works with the Workers Under 30 Committee and the CLC to operate the very successful youth action project SolidarityWORKS! One of the aims of the project is to have young participants continue their activism and involvement in the movement after completing the program.
The department’s main focus is to address human rights issues, anti-racism and equity initiatives provincially, federally and internationally from a labour and community perspective. It monitors and responds to actions and outcomes from the Ontario Human Rights Commission and the Human Rights Tribunal. It provides assistance to workers of colour and aboriginal peoples experiencing racism and sexism in the workplace. By working collectively with community groups and unions, the department acts as a resource to affiliates and community groups in an advisory capacity around equity issues such as employment equity . It develops and circulates generic educational materials and resources on human rights and related workplace issues.
The department monitors the activities of the provincial government and keeps affiliates up-to-date on legislation being introduced at Queen’s Park that is of particular interest to workers and unions through its newsletter Focus on Queen's Park.
On the political action front, the director represents the OFL on the executive of the Ontario NDP and is a member of the federal council of the New Democratic Party of Canada.
As staff to the Political Education Committee, the director organizes election and campaign skills training schools and workshops throughout the year and across the province.
The department provides assistance and expertise to unions affiliated to the OFL on legislative and workplace issues involving health and safety. It offers conferences to provide political and technical education on issues that affect workers. The department makes representations to and lobbies the Ontario government for adequate legislation and enforcement. It coordinates the OFL’s response to occupational health and safety issues as they arise. The Director also handles the Federation's Energy & Environment Committee.
The director of Organization Services is responsible for developing and implementing OFL campaigns, organizing protests, demonstrations and lobbies. The director works with labour and community activists across the province to highlight workplace and social issues and help initiate political action. The Workers’ Compensation Committee is also the responsibility of this Department. The Workers’ Compensation Committee provides information sessions, conferences and political action for injured workers.
The programs co-ordinator is involved in a wide range of activities reflecting the concerns of the OFL membership. The department works closely with the OFL Committees on Health Care, Persons with Disabilities and Social Services The effort is made to maintain ongoing relationships with affiliated unions and organizations outside of the labour movement in these areas.
The Department also works with the Health Care Committee to produce a monthly newsletter Focus on Health Care.
Another area of involvement is international solidarity where the OFL works with the Canadian Labour Congress, affiliated unions and other interested organizations to broaden the understanding and solidarity for workers around the world. The programs coordinator has ongoing contact with affiliates, the media, government, the general public, schools and the diplomatic community who are interested in aspects of labour history, structure or policy.
The Federation’s Research Department works on a number of issues central to which is industrial relations policy. Research is conducted and written submissions presented on important changes to the Ontario Labour Relations Act, the Employment Standards Act and developments concerning the Labour Board and union organizing are followed and profiled in conferences, meetings and other forums.
The Research Department also gathers economic arguments for OFL policy positions, makes written submission in pre-budget hearings and works with the Ontario Alternative Budget initiative on critically assessing Government’s budgets and their implications for working people in Ontario.
Research is also conducted on proposed amendments to pension legislation and changes in pension policies. Written submissions are made as part of the OFL’s efforts to ensure plan members rights are protected.
The department educates trade unionists about women’s rights and gay & lesbian bisexual, transgendered and transsexual issues. It works with the Federation’s committees to develop educational material and policy papers, conducts outreach with community groups and lobbies for legislative rights. The department conducts workshops on pay equity and employment equity, child care, anti-harassment, anti-violence, basic human rights, homophobia, heterosexism and bargaining for equality. There is a resource library containing printed materials and videos on issues relating to women’s and gay & lesbian bisexual and transgendered rights.
