FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 19, 2002

Government trying to provoke illegal walkout, OPSEU charges

TORONTO - The provincial government is attempting to provoke OPSEU members into an illegal walkout, the head of the Ontario Public Services Employees Union says.

OPSEU President Leah Casselman told a Queen’s Park news conference today that actions by managers of correctional and psychiatric facilities, courts and other institutions where essential services must be performed indicate that the province has a hidden agenda. Under provincial law, OPSEU members must provide essential and emergency services or face penalties.

“It is absolutely clear that Management Board Chair David Tsubouchi is under orders to try to provoke an illegal strike that will justify whatever it is that they really want to do to finish off the public service,” Casselman said.

OPSEU members are “doing their damnedest to live up to the letter of the essential services agreements,” she said, but managers have instructions to lock them out or suspend them - with pay - for doing their jobs. The government has budgeted $2 million contingency fund to pay for anti-strike activities, which is under the control of consultant Malcolm Smeaton.

While correctional officers across Ontario have been effectively locked out of the jails, corrections managers have used pornography, pizza and junk food to keep inmates happy, said Barry Scanlon, head of the OPSEU corrections bargaining team.

Casselman said Tsubouchi’s comments that “only” the government, not OPSEU, is prepared to protect vulnerable people is “pure hypocrisy” given the Harris government’s poor record in protecting public safety or the environment.

“Was this government concerned about safety when they slashed the Ministry of Environment in half and made it impossible for workers to prevent the tragedy that killed seven people and made 2,300 sick?” Casselman asked. “Was this government concerned about safety when it neglected to require private labs to report samples of tainted water to public health units and the Ministry?”

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

OPSEU Communications: 416/443-8888
Katie FitzRandolph 416/448-7440
David Cox 416/443-8888 Ext. 314
Randy Robinson 416/448-7441