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Liberal MPP doesn’t want to hear it!

September 2, 2009

Liberal MPP Leona Dombrowsky didn’t want to hear what OPSEU regional vice president, David Lundy had to say about the injustice summer students working for the Ontario government face. On August 23, David Lundy and student Dillon Robinson attended Leona Dombrowsky’s annual corn roast at the Tweed Memorial Park. Dombrowsky refused to speak to Lundy, who represents nearly 100 OPSEU student members and between 2000-2500 OPSEU members in her riding. Dombrowsky claimed it was not the time or place to speak to Lundy, nor would she speak to a non-constituent, even though he represents many OPSEU members in her riding.

Lundy wanted to tell Dombrowsky about the McGuinty government reneging on their promise to pay students 8.16% added to their hourly wage in lieu of holiday and vacation pay. He wanted to let her know that when Lynn Orzel, an OPSEU executive board member, spoke to McGuinty at a Liberal Fundraiser Golf Tournament on August 13, McGuinty said he hadn’t heard about the issue, but that it could be resolved quite easily. So, why hasn’t the situation been resolved yet? Why is the McGuinty government being a penny pincher, when over the past several months there has been plenty of scandalous over-spending by the Liberal party, ranging from eHealth to more recently the OLG.

Robinson, a summer student working for the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), is frustrated by the McGuinty government reneging on its promise to pay students 8.16% added to their hourly wage in lieu of holiday and vacation pay. He states, “I have worked for the MNR for the last four years, and every year we sign a contract at the beginning of the season; we have always received holiday pay. This year was no different, but part way through the summer a new contract was handed to us to sign. I didn’t even realize they had withdrawn the holiday pay until I got my first stub. How does that help me pay for my education?”

Approximately 5000 summer students working for the Ontario government will lose between $400 and $600 this summer.

Students will continue with creative means to lobby the McGuinty government in the weeks ahead.

Fairness for Ontario government summer students Index