Union appalled
as key provincial activist suspended by Fanshawe College
TORONTO – The Ontario
Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) reacted with
outrage at the news that a key provincial activist was
suspended for three days from her teaching position at
Fanshawe College.
Paddy Musson, head of the
provincial executive committee for faculty in 24 Ontario
Colleges and president of OPSEU Local 110, (Fanshawe
faculty), was suspended for warning faculty at Fanshawe
that college administration reads mail sent to and from
a college e-mail address.
“As long as the college
takes the position that it can read any e-mails sent to
and by faculty, the warning is necessary,” she said.
“This is about academic freedom and privacy issues –even
the police don’t have the power to invade people’s
privacy without cause.”
Musson was also a
high-profile activist during the province-wide college
faculty strike earlier this year.
OPSEU President Leah
Casselman condemned the college’s action. “This is
clearly a reprisal against a key union activist for her
outspoken leadership. It’s appalling.”
The union is grieving the
suspension.
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For information please
contact:
Paddy Musson, Chair,
Provincial Executive, College Faculty 519-433-3057
David Cox OPSEU Communications 1-800-268-7376 x 8314
