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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 12, 2003

Financial bind is self-inflicted - OPSEU

TORONTO – Ontario Public Service Employees Union President Leah Casselman has charged the government with fiscal incompetence following news of an $800 million clampdown on civil service costs combined with free-wheeling pre-election handouts.

“They still don’t get it,” Casselman said.

“Even after Walkerton, and after the SARS crisis, this government still doesn’t realize that public sector workers – whether directly working for the Ontario government, or working for hospitals and other agencies – are our front line of defence.”

Saving $500 million would require eliminating at least 10,000 public service jobs. There aren’t 10,000 people whose work is not important in the Ontario Public Service, she said.

“The government says they are looking to save $500 million in wasteful government spending. How about the $500 million they are spending to subsidize parents sending their children to private schools. That’s a subsidy for the wealthy and an assault on our strained public school system,” Casselman said.

“Before Walkerton, water and sewer plant inspections were not considered essential. Now they are essential. Is that the kind of disaster it takes for this government to reconsider the importance of the services its employees provide? If so, it’s shameful,” she said.

For 15 years, governments of all stripes have targetting “waste” in the Ontario Public Service. There just isn’t any waste left, Casselman said.

“The fat is gone, much of the muscle is gone, and many of the limbs have been amputated. As citizens, we are paying the price in reduced services.”

Casselman said the government would not be in this financial bind if it hadn’t given away millions in tax cuts – targeted largely at the wealthy.

“It’s not rocket science. If you don’t have money to fix the roof, you sure as heck don’t have money to throw away. The Tories have let the province’s infrastructure collapse without maintenance, but they have made sure all their friends benefit from their tenure in office.

“People elected this government because they thought it knew how to manage the business of government. After eight years it is pretty clear they don’t have a clue what business government should be in.”

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For further information:

Katie FitzRandolph: 416-448-7440 or cell 416-788-9057 or kfitzrandolph@opseu.org 
Randy Robinson: 416-448-7441 or cell 416-788-9134 or rrobinson@opseu.org