FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 5, 2000

Bring our people back, don’t give their jobs to workfare says Casselman

TORONTO – OPSEU president Leah Casselman is demanding that the Harris government gives MTO jobs to laid off employees instead of workfare recipients.

"It’s obvious that the there is work at the Ministry of Transportation and it belongs to our people so bring them back first before you give it to workfare recipients," she said.

The Ministry is providing work for 100 workfare placements in such areas as highway maintenance, vehicle maintenance, and the filing confidential Driver and Vehicle registration information. OPSEU members performed many of these functions before the government reduced the number of MTO staff by forty per cent.

"The government is getting people on social assistance to help in the provincial sign shop making road signs. These jobs under the OPSEU collective agreement pay $15 an hour," said Casselman. "They’re breaking their own rules because workfare is not allowed to replace paid work. This is nothing short of slave labour."

The placements are located in government offices across the province including London, Downsview, St. Catharines, Owen Sound, Bancroft, Ottawa, New Liskeard, Huntsville, North Bay, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay and Kenora.

"It’s quite simple, if there’s government work to be done and our members have done it in the past, then our members should have the first crack at it," said Casselman.

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For Further Information: Bill Trbovich 416-561-5613/448-7400