OAKVILLE -The union representing 145 striking workers at the Syl Apps Youth Centre claims that the Liberal government is prolonging the dispute by paying hundreds of thousands of dollars extra to keep the facility open. Members there have been on strike since April 15.
"By our estimates it now costs more than $600 per day to keep a youth in that facility," said OPSEU President Leah Casselman. "Before the strike started, that cost was nearly three times less. By bankrolling the private company operating the facility, the Liberal government is directly responsible for keeping our members on the street."
The private operator, Kinark Child & Family Services, is running the facility with 22 Syl Apps managers along with other Kinark management staff. Despite having less than 30 youths in the facility, it is costing the same to run the facility than it did when the centre had 80 youths, as well as 140 unionized staff on the payroll.
"These managers are being paid wages as if they were working for contractors in Iraq," Casselman said. "We want to know why the Liberal government thinks it is good policy to spend thousands of taxpayer dollars to keep a strike going."
Last week, members rejected the employer's latest contract offer by a margin of over 82 per cent.
- 30 -
For more information, please contact:
Barry Scanlon, OPSEU Corrections Division: (416) 788-9190
Bebe De Freitas, OPSEU Staff Representative: (905) 536-8774
