TORONTO - The crippling of the provincial meat inspection system by seven years of cuts and attacks on meat inspectors will be a major issue in the upcoming Ontario election, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union promises.
“The Aylmer fiasco is, like Walkerton, another failure of the Tory government to protect public safety,” said OPSEU president Leah Casselman. “After seven years of cuts and direct attacks on meat inspectors, the only surprise here is that the Aylmer recall didn’t happen sooner.”
A 1998 consultant’s report cited “pressure to reduce and avoid costs” as playing a major role in the management of meat inspection by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF). “Cabinet has cut the Ministry’s and the Ministry has cut [the Meat Industry Inspection Branch’s] budget substantially, and continues
to in 1997/98,” said the report, prepared by the George Morris Centre. “This leads to the pressure to reduce internal costs, operate more efficiently, and reduce inspection hours, all of which have been accomplished over the past few years.” (emphasis added)
OMAF began its attacks on meat inspection in 1996-97, when close to 150 meat inspectors were laid off from their Ontario Public Service jobs and replaced by contract meat inspectors.
“Ontario’s 130 contract meat inspectors work without benefits or pensions, with wages frozen at 1993 levels,” said Casselman. “For obvious reasons, turnover rates are high - over 30 per cent in some years. On top of that, training is poor and inconsistent at best. Inexperience plus poor training means we haven’t been
getting consistent, quality provincial meat inspection for years.”
Casselman said OMAF managers are just as likely to support slaughterhouse operators as meat inspectors when food safety disputes arise.
“This government is committed to production, not safety,” she said. “Even after the BSE scare, they still haven’t figured out that the health of the meat industry is directly tied to food safety.”
OPSEU hosts a web site in support of the (non-union) contract meat inspectors at www.meatinspectors.org .
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For more information:
Doug Peebles (519) 240-1070 (cell)
Randy Robinson (416) 448-7441; (416) 788-9134 (cell)
