FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 20, 2000

OPSEU Files Unfair Labour Charge Over Army Threat to Close London Village

Toronto – The Ontario Public Service Employees Union is filing an unfair labour practice charge in response to the Salvation Army’s threat to close its London Village for developmentally disabled young people, unless the members of OPSEU Local 153 accept their final offer and return to work.

"We want to expose this threat for what it really is, an underhanded tactic to force our members to accept a substandard collective agreement," said OPSEU president Leah Casselman.

OPSEU is asking the Labour board to order the Salvation Army to provide the union with full financial disclosure in order to justify their claim that no funds are available for a wage increase. OPSEU also wants the board to order the employer not to carry out their threat of full or partial closure of the workplace until the parties discuss all of the issues. OPSEU has asked the Minister of Labour to reconvene bargaining talks between the parties.

"The employer has no right to close the facility without providing alternative care for its clients," said Casselman. "We have asked the Minister of Community and Social Services to intervene in this dispute on behalf of the clients, but so far John Baird hasn’t responded. He can’t stand on the sidelines any longer."

-30-

Further information: 

Bill Trbovich 416-561-5613/793-0092
Carol Warner 519-852-2749