Developmental Services

Minister Meilleur won't open office door to talk to OPSEU

July 24 2007 They came all the way to Ottawa, but Minister of Community and Social Services Madeleine Meilleur locked her office door as bus loads of strikers arrived from London, St. Thomas, Chatham and Strathroy.

More than 200 OPSEU members picketed Meilleur's constituency office July 23, demanding the province take some leadership and settle the strike by more than 1,000 developmental services workers.

Several buses filled with employees travelled to Ottawa from Southern Ontario, where workers at four community living agencies in the London area have been on strike for the past four weeks seeking fair wages and working conditions. They were joined by developmental services workers from Region 4 – including employees at Prince Edward and Pathways - and from elsewhere in Ontario. These workers currently earn 25-30 per cent less than individuals working in similar professions.

OPSEU members were met by locked office doors and uniformed police officers as they paraded in the afternoon sun on the sidewalk in east end Vanier. The demonstration was noisy but peaceful. Neither the minister nor anyone from her office opened the doors to meet with the strikers.

The workers were addressed by speakers including OPSEU president Warren (Smokey) Thomas and Region 4 regional vice-president Bob Eaton.

Thomas said he was disappointed that the minister and her staff would ignore striking workers who had travelled so far to deliver a message to the government.

If the McGuinty government continues to drag its feet, the strike will escalate and the next stop for the workers could be Toronto, he said. He again urged the premier to intervene and settle the dispute.

For more photos see www.nupge.ca/news_2007/n23jy07a.htm