FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 19, 2001

Government fails to protect mail workers, OPSEU says

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union has called on the Ontario government to immediately institute safety procedures to deal with suspicious packages and powders in the wake of an incident at the Legislature building today and an incident in another government building on Tuesday.

OPSEU President Leah Casselman laid an official complaint today with the Minister of Labour, Chris Stockwell, to immediately investigate the Ontario government’s handling of protective measures for its own employees.

“What happens when people handling mail are exposed to these substances? The Ontario government doesn’t have procedures in place,” Casselman said. “Our members deserve protection and they deserve to know what will happen if they are exposed.” She noted that most mail that goes to the Legislature is first handled by OPSEU members in the main government mailroom on Wellesley St. West.

“This is not an isolated problem in one mailroom. It has happened in a number of offices and we need to institute specific procedures on a province-wide basis,” Casselman said.

Last March, two government buildings in downtown Toronto were evacuated after an anthrax scare. After those incidents, OPSEU requested Management Board form a joint union-management task force to work cooperatively on procedures to protect employees, but the government rejected the overture. OPSEU has filed a policy grievance over the issue.

“If the government had acted six months ago to enact procedures, employees would not be in the state of anxiety and uncertainty they are faced with today,” Casselman said.

OPSEU has posted on its own website a set of health and safety guidelines entitled “Protecting Workers From Biological Terrorism” .

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For further information:

Leah Casselman, OPSEU President: 416-443-8888 Ext 300
Paul Bilodeau, OPSEU Communications: 416-448-7417 or 766-3252
Bob DeMatteo, OPSEU Health and Safety Unit: 416-443-8888 Ext.770