A new law being rushed through the Ontario
legislature will further staff retention problems that currently exist
in ambulance services around the province, the Ontario Public Service
Employees Union says.
Ambulance Officers from across the province have
been lobbying hard against Bill 58, an act that will seriously harm
labour relations with the province's paramedics by reducing their
right to arbitration to settle labour disputes.
OPSEU President Leah Casselman told a Queen's
Park news conference today that the public expects that when ambulance
services cannot reach a new contract at the table, that the issues
will go to binding arbitration, the same as fire, police and hospital
workers.
"The public expects that their emergency
service will continue without interruption," Casselman said.
"But Bill 58 actually forces them to go on strike if they want
arbitration. This bill actually says that the Labour Board must first
decide if a strike has dragged on long enough before it can go to
arbitration."
Casselman called on Labour Minister Chris
Stockwell to withdraw the flawed legislation. "If the government
insists on ramming through this Bill, it should at least amend it to
ensure public safety in the event of a labour dispute," she said.
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For further information:
Dan Tyo, Chair OPSEU Ambulance Division:
519-287-2367
Jamie Ramage, Vice-Chair: 905-774-9483
