Strong solidarity at Elizabeth Fry Toronto rally
October 19, 2012
More
than
50
members
and
supporters
of
OPSEU
Local
518
joined
a
rally
outside
of
Elizabeth
Fry
Toronto
on
Thursday,
October
18.
Chanting
“equal
work
for
equal
pay,
settle
the
contract
right
away”
the
solidarity
was
strong.
Many
passersby
stopped
to
take
a
flyer
and
find
out
what
was
happening,
while
passing
cars
honked
their
support
to
great
cheers
from
the
picketers.
Employees
are
calling
for
Elizabeth
Fry
Toronto
to
return
to
the
table
with
an
offer
that
includes
equal
pay
for
equal
work
and
the
right
to
union
representation.
Executive
Director
Michelle
Coombs
has
threatened
members
with
shutting
down
services,
and
has
begun
to
move
out
residential
clients.
“Michelle
Coombs
appears
to
be
more
interested
in
shutting
down
community
services
than
negotiating
a
fair
deal,”
said
Bargaining
Team
Chair,
Jaime
McGuire.
OPSEU
First
Vice-President/Treasurer,
Eduardo
(Eddy)
Almeida
spoke
at
the
rally,
offering
the
full
support
of
the
union
as
the
strike
deadline
of
October
22
approaches.
"What
you
are
asking
for
is
only
fair,
OPSEU
is
beside
you,
shoulder
to
shoulder
100
per
cent"
said
Almeida.
Toronto
and
York
District
Labour
Council
Vice
President,
Andria
Babbington
also
addressed
those
gathered,
expressing
solidarity.
“This
is
what
the
labour
movement
is
about.
We
stand
together,”
said
Babbington.
Attendees
included
OPSEU
Region
5
Board
Member
Rod
Bemister,
OPSEU
Greater
Toronto
Area
Council
members,
OPSEU
Child
Treatment
Sector
Chair,
Deb
Gordon,
and
Wayne
Samuelson,
past
President
of
the
Ontario
Federation
of
Labour.
Local
518
would
like
to
thank
everyone
who
attended
the
rally,
and
encourages
all
supporters
to
email
or
call
Executive
Director
Michelle
Coombs
asking
her
to
get
back
to
the
table
with
a
fair
deal.
Telephone Executive Director Michelle Coombs at 416-924-3708 ext 253
Please
also
call
Heather
Simpson,
President,
Board
of
Directors
to
tell
Elizabeth
Fry
Toronto
management
to
get
back
to
the
table:
416.703.9331
Elizabeth Fry Toronto
Index
