TORONTO - Working people should not bear the financial burden of the fight against SARS, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) says.
OPSEU, representing 100,000 public employees including 20,000 health care workers, criticized Premier Ernie Eves for saying the province would not provide special funding to cover loss of income due to SARS. Today in the Toronto Star, Eves is quoted as saying workers would have to turn to the Workplace Safety and
Insurance Board (WSIB) and the federal government for assistance.
“These comments are counterproductive to the fight against SARS,” OPSEU president Leah Casselman said. “If Eves wants to stop SARS he should assure us working people won’t have to make a choice between giving up their paycheque or possibly spreading a killer disease.”
OPSEU members who are sick are entitled to compensation through WSIB or their regular sick leave plan. “But what if members are off work either in quarantine, or because they were sent home due to shutdowns to contain the spread of SARS?” she asked. Contrary to what Eves says, the WSIB on its web site asserts “the Act
does not provide coverage for workers who are symptom free, even when quarantined or sent home on a precautionary basis.”
OPSEU members in hospitals are especially concerned: “Our part time members are having shifts cancelled due to decreased workloads in some departments and are being told that they will not be compensated fully for the loss of work. … This is an insult. It once again shows how little our skills and dedication to our
patients is appreciated by our employers and this government,” Pat Collyer, President of Local 575 (Scarborough Hospital) wrote to Dan Newman, Associate Minister of Health, March 31. In addition, members have severe restrictions on the numbers of sites they can work in. Many part-time staff work in three or more different facilities.
“All members should be paid what they would normally be paid throughout this crisis. We are urging the government to provide special funding to allow this to happen. Our members are already worrying about their own personal health and safety, especially in health care settings with known SARS exposures, and they should
not have to worry about loss of income too,” Casselman said.
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For further information:
David Cox, OPSEU Communications: 416-443-8888 (ext 314); 416-788-9197 cell
Lisa McCaskell, OPSEU Health and Safety Officer 416-443-8888 (ext 772)
