FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 9, 2001

OPSEU offers $500,000 to MUSA strikers

TORONTO – The Ontario Public Service Employees Union has made $500,000 available to striking support staff at McMaster University.

"We know it’s important to have strong financial backing in a strike," said OPSEU President Leah Casselman. "When you take the ultimate step of withdrawing your services, you are fighting for important issues. You don’t want to be forced back for the sake of a few dollars."

Casselman will join the McMaster picket line on Monday, March 12 at 2 p.m. in support of the strikers.

"OPSEU represents the counterparts of these strikers at all 25 community colleges in Ontario. We have nearly 7,000 members in the colleges doing equivalent work, and we also represent support staff at Ryerson and Trent universities," Casselman said.

"This is an important sector for our union and its members. What happens at McMaster has a bearing on all of us, and we want to make sure that McMaster has all the help we can give them to win this fight.

"Our strike fund is nearing $30 million, but there have been times in the past when we have been thankful for loans from other unions so we could mount a strong defence of our members’ rights.

A thank you letter from Stuart Gilmour, Department of Physical Plant, MUSA,  24 Years Service

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For further information:

Katie FitzRandolph (OPSEU Communications) (416) 448-7440; home (416) 967-5964;e-mail: kfitzrandolph@opseu.org

Leah Casselman (OPSEU President) (416) 443-8888 Ext. 300