FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 28, 2001

Locked out correctional workers to protest at Kennedy House head office

SCARBOROUGH - Locked out members of OPSEU Local 361 will hold a demonstration tomorrow at Kennedy House Youth Services corporate office in Scarborough.

Date: Thursday, November 29, 2001
Time: 11 a.m.
Place: Kennedy House, 10 Milner Business Court, Scarborough

Unionized correctional staff at Kennedy House, a government funded non-profit agency, were locked out by the employer on Sat., June 23 when contract talks came to an impasse. Members are frustrated that the employer is unwilling to re-enter meaningful negotiations and want an end to the dispute that is entering its twenty-third week. Members also want to alert the public of the dangers being posed by young offenders who are out in the community when they should be in a secure facility.

“Public safety is being threatened because police cannot keep young offenders detained,” said Charlie Bryans, president of Local 361. “Our facility is sitting here practically empty when we could be holding nearly 100 offenders. Other facilities are bursting at the seams. Police are making arrests, and are then forced to release the offenders without adequate supervision.”

Both the Toronto and Durham police forces have initiated studies on youth crime, and how to most effectively deal with it. Bryans says that the cornerstone to preventing crime is early intervention.

“We can’t treat these kids if Kennedy House keeps us standing on the street,” Bryans said. “The pure greed and arrogance of this employer is hurting kids, and hurting communities.”

Union members are being forced to accept contract concessions that would destroy wages and working conditions at the facility. Included in the list of employer concessions are: elimination of top-up pay for pregnancy/parental leave; no seniority rights for laid-off workers; no wage increase for four years; the elimination of all current health and safety language; mandatory employee training without pay; no prior notice for changes to work schedules or shifts; overtime pay only after working in excess of 176 hours over four weeks; elimination of banked sick credits; reduction and elimination of workplace accommodation language for sick or injured workers; and refusal to give employees a pension plan.

“Our message to Kennedy House is very simple,” Bryans said. “That message is: Stop hurting the kids. Come back to the bargaining table and negotiate in good faith.”

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For more information, please contact:

Charlie Bryans, President, Local 361 (905) 649-0135
Don Ford, OPSEU Communications (416) 788-9104

Additional Articles August 10, 2001 Locked out correctional workers to protest at Kennedy House head office July 6, 2001 OPSEU president Leah Casselman to join correctional workers as lock out enters third week July 2, 2001 Request for Support June 27, 2001 OPSEU president Leah Casselman to join locked out correctional workers June 25, 2001 Corrections lockout could pose public threat, OPSEU warns May 10, 2001 Staff at Young Offender facility deliver 99 per cent strike vote