TORONTO - OPSEU President Leah Casselman is "angry and disappointed" at the announcement by the McGuinty Liberals of further cuts to Ontario's already devastated public service. The Ontario government confirmed today nearly 4,000 of the 6,000 layoffs they had planned last year.
In the announcement, the government will reduce or eliminate jobs at psychiatric hospitals, regional centres for developmental services, Ontario Shared Services offices and the Family Responsibility Office (FRO).
"I am angry and disappointed that the McGuinty Liberals are going ahead with this plan," Casselman said. "They were elected to rebuild public services, not to further destroy them. This plan will have a detrimental impact on the most vulnerable citizens of this province. This is a Tory government plan, not a Liberal plan."
Casselman is also very concerned about how the announcement will affect FRO, which is already severely under resourced.
"Women and children rely on FRO to ensure they receive money to live," Casselman said. "I just can't believe that McGuinty would even contemplate reductions at FRO."
OPSEU represents 40,000 members in the Ontario Public Service. Members are currently in bargaining with the government for a new contract. The previous contract expired Dec. 31, 2004.
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For further information:
OPSEU Communications, (416) 443-8888
Don Ford, ext. 7442; Jan Borowy, ext. 8383
