FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 28, 2003

George Brown support staff to leaflet students

TORONTO – Members of the support staff at George Brown College will be leafleting students as they turn up for class on Monday.

College support staff, members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, are taking a strike vote Dec. 10. They are explaining the situation to the students, who would be affected by any strike at the colleges.

The George Brown activity will take place at:

• The St. James Campus of the college
• 200 King Street East
• Monday, Dec. 1
• 7:45 until 8 a.m.

College classes start at 8 a.m.

Marilou Martin-Benoit, chair of the union bargaining team, will be among the participants.

OPSEU represents about 6,500 people at all 24 Ontario community colleges. They work in virtually every department, processing student loans, registering students for classes, helping students find materials in libraries, finding placements for co-op students, promoting the colleges in high schools, supervising ECE students at the day care centres, maintaining college computer systems, setting up and repairing equipment, and providing building maintenance.

Their contract expired Aug. 31. In October they rejected a contract offer by 95 per cent. Issues in dispute include job security, benefits and pay rates.

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For further information:

Marilou Martin-Benoit - cell: 416-407-3193
Cynthia McDonagh - cell: 416-522-5941

Ontario Public Service Employees Union, 100 Lesmill Rd. Toronto, ON M3B 3P8  (416) 443-8888  www.opseu.org