TORONTO – Members of the Ontario
Public Service have voted 65 per cent to reject a contract
offer from the provincial government and to give their
bargaining team a strike mandate.
In a province-wide vote held May
25-27, OPSEU members re-affirmed their commitment to making
gains after years of Tory cuts. The turnout was 66 per cent
of the bargaining unit.
“This mandate gives us the ability to
return to the bargaining table and tell government
negotiators to start real bargaining,” said OPSEU President
Leah Casselman. “This contract is all about repairing and
rebuilding public services in this province.”
Casselman said she is pleased that
members are sticking to the demands they asked for last
fall, and that support for the bargaining teams remains
strong.
“Our members are determined,”
Casselman said. “They want to see improvements to benefits
and improvements for those working as unclassified staff.
They want to see better job security language, especially
since McGuinty plans to lay off 6,000 more workers.
“Dalton McGuinty has to start living
up to his promises,” Casselman said. “The best way to begin
rebuilding public services is to settle this contract. Our
members deserve to be treated with respect for the services
they provide, often under the most stressful and difficult
circumstances.”
The union has not yet set a strike
deadline. Bargaining teams plan to continue talks with the
government on Monday, May 30.
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For further information:
OPSEU Communications: Don Ford,
1-800-268-7376 ext. 7442
