July 30, 2007 Striking OPSEU developmental service workers
from London, St. Thomas, Chatham, Strathroy, Meaford and Tillsonburg
demonstrated in front of an international labour conference in Toronto
Monday July 30 to bring attention to the need for a living wage for staff
and quality service for the people they support.
The government’s much-reported largesse with cricket clubs
and other cultural organizations, some with Liberal ties, contrasts
spectacularly with their tight-fisted attitude to workers who provide
services to some of our most vulnerable Ontarians, so OPSEU members carried
picket signs that read "It's not cricket, Dalton!"
More than 1,100 OPSEU developmental service workers are now
on strike because the government won't flow funding promised int the Budget.
This money is needed to provide a living wage to staff and quality of care
for the people they support.
OPSEU represents 6,600 developmental services workers across
Ontario. Workers in more than a dozen more agencies have voted to take
strike action if necessary to achieve a living wage.
Labour Minister Steve Peters briefly spoke to the striking
members at the rally.
Watch for more updates.
