TORONTO - Changes to Ontario’s labour laws proposed today by Labour Minister Chris Bentley ignore the unfair discrimination experienced by workers in several key areas, the president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union says.
“Mr. Bentley says he wants to ensure fairness in Ontario workplaces, and we are all for that,” said Leah Casselman. “But where is the fairness for part-time college employees, who are still barred from unionization? Where is the fairness for Crown employees, who are the only Ontario workers who don’t have successor rights, and thereby lose
their collective agreements and their unions when their jobs are privatized or downloaded?”
During the 2003 election campaign, Ontario Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty specifically promised to restore successor rights to Crown employees.
“We do not expect a Liberal government to maintain and protect the anti-worker changes brought in by the Mike Harris Tories,” Casselman said.
The Harris government outlawed card-based certification for Ontario workers, a move Bentley says the Liberals will now undo - but only for workers in the construction sector.
“The purpose of card-based certification is to limit employer intimidation and interference during union organizing drives,” said Casselman. “It’s a good idea. But where is the fairness in extending this only to workers in the construction industry?”
Casselman objected to the government’s lack of action on scabs.
“Mr. Bentley says his government, as an employer, will not use scabs, yet he refuses to limit the use of scabs at hundreds of transfer payment agencies that his government directly funds. If he believes the use of scabs is bad for government, then why isn’t it bad for agencies the government funds? Where is the fairness in that?”
OPSEU will urge Bentley to expand his overhaul of labour laws, Casselman said.
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For more information: Randy Robinson (416) 448-7441; (416) 788-9134
