FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 10, 2002
Government Playing With Fire and Lives as Strike Continues
TORONTO: Spring in Ontario can be the most dangerous time of forest fire threat when dry vegetation and spring weather conditions can combine to produce deadly, fast-moving fires. This year, people, property and resources are at an even higher risk because government failure to reach a speedy agreement with striking
public servants means only a small number of essential positions are currently on duty.
“The government will be literally playing with fire now that spring is here and they don’t have the Aviation and Forest Fire Management programs fully operational. People should be very wary of this government when it says things are fine. We’re here to say yet again that it is not business as usual in Ontario and that
it’s time that public servants are recognized for the critical jobs they do to keep Ontario safe,” said OPSEU President Leah Casselman.
An added concern is that many of the 700 plus firefighters say they can’t afford to report for essential service duty. Many of these firefighters are university and college students working for the spring and summer season. Normally they are paid from the day they start, with overtime when required for fighting fires.
Because fire fighting is an emergency service under the laws that control bargaining in the Ontario Public Service, they will only get paid for responding to an actual fire for the duration of the OPSEU strike. The rest of the time they have to cover their own food and accommodation without guarantee of further work.
According to the essential services agreement, firefighters will come in on emergency services duties only when needed, which will vary from day to day.
Students calling OPSEU offices are saying they can’t afford to report to work if that means responding within 48 hours to a call to get to a remote community in northern or northwestern Ontario where they will only be paid for responding to an actual fire.
Training is another issue because when firefighters come on later this month it will have been months since they last were on a fire and normal hours of re-training will not be held during the strike.
“It is astounding that the government is willing to gamble with the lives of these young people,” said Casselman. “And if they can’t afford to report for duty, or if they refuse to work because of safety concerns they can be charged with a work refusal. This is unbelievable,” she added.
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For further information:
Bob Thomas – Sault Ste. Marie (705) 949-5706
John Macdonald – Sudbury (705) 561-1787
Deb MacLean – Dryden (807) 221-2180
