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March 25, 2002
Have you seen Ernie? We need to talk
This headline was on a bright green OPSEU button produced in May, 1996, in connection with pre-budget consultations.
Funny how things come back in style!
This weekend’s election of Ernie Eves as Tory party leader - and soon-to-be-sworn-in Ontario premier - should end the dithering that seems to have dominated our employer in recent months.
We work for the Ontario government, not the Tory party, but you would not know it from the employer’s responses lately.
Now that the leadership is settled, it’s time for them to turn their attention to what is happening in this province. And to a lot of things that are NOT happening because the people who do those things are walking picket lines.
“The ball is in his court,” said President Leah Casselman. “Now he has the authority to start dealing with the issues facing Ontario, and settling this strike has to be a high priority.”
The impact of the strike is growing.
The Hamilton Spectator reports distress in the legal community. Lawyers there say the strike is “creating havoc” for people trying to register documents or close real estate deals. Record searches are much slower than normal, business incorporations are stalled, and costs are rising.
The head of Whitby Mental Health Centre has expressed grave concern over his patients.
The province’s jails are in chaos with lockouts and health and safety concerns.
As Casselman’s new message on the OPSEU website says, in part:
Lest OPSEU members get their hopes up: Don’t forget that it was Eves as finance minister who engineered the cutbacks of public services through six budgets.
Lately, he’s attempted to soften his image, billing himself as more “pragmatic.” Pragmatism leaves the door open to creative solutions.
Well Ernie, is it “good business” for Ontario to have our courts, our jails and our psychiatric hospitals short-staffed and in turmoil? Is it “good business” to have weak environmental controls and a demoralized public service staff?
Is Premier-elect Eves capable of carving his own new agenda? His first big test will come in the next few days on how he treats his own employees. Is he capable of making a fair deal?
We’re waiting for his call.
Words of support
Lessons from you
On behalf of our 46,000 members, I express our solidarity with OPSEU in your struggle to achieve a fair collective agreement.
The unity of OPSEU members in backing their negotiators with an 88 per cent strike vote, and their subsequent job action, should force the employer to withdraw their $13 million worth of concessions. But status quo isn’t enough, and we support your demands for a renewed agreement
with better wages, contracting out language, whistle blower protections, rights for casual workers and other important improvements.
Now that B.C. has the Gordon Campbell Liberals, we can take lessons and strength from your experience and tenacity in fighting Ontario’s Conservatives.
- Fred Musin, President, Hospital Employees’ Union
Who your friends are
The reality of a job action is that you quickly determine who your friends are. I hope our demonstrable support shows OPSEU members without a doubt that the NDP is on your side.
- Howard Hampton, Leader, Ontario New Democratic Party
The news from everywhere
Money wasted - 1
I heard a government sponsored radio ad on the Fan-590 talking about how good their offer is, and that other unions had accepted a similar offer.
As a worker, I wish they would cease wasting money on such phony publicity and put that money on the bargaining table.
- John Rae, Local 527
Spirits up
Local 547 is holding the line. The local public has been supportive offering food, or money in support of the line. There have also been members of CUPE and other unions stopping by to offer support.
We keep each others spirits up through jokes and song. There is a great sense of community on our line. I’m proud of everyone!
- Jarrett Harris, Local 547
Communications Chair
Standoff in Alfred
“We were picketing an OMAFRA office in Alfred,” reports Guy Belle-Isle of Local 426.
A scab showed up who had bumped into three of our members Wednesday as we attempted to bar him from the parking lot. We had him charged with careless driving.
After a three-hour stand-off, he asked his manager to call the police so he could get in.
A cruiser showed up. The officer grabbed the scab by the sleeve and dragged him through the line without asking us to move.
In the process, the officer rammed his elbow in the back of one of our female members and hit another member. We filed a formal complaint against this officer.
“So what?”
On Thursday, a few pickets were standing around with a police officer and a manager named Rick from the Ontario Housing Rental Tribunal. Management was open for business in a non-essential worksite with a non-bargaining unit person doing an OPSEU job at intake.
Local 517 picket Terri Aversa told the manager - Rick - that he was violating the essential services agreement as it did not include any work at this location.
His response: “So what?”
Terri turned to the police officer and said, “See what we have to deal with here?”
New meaning for ICIT
Mort Todd of Local 517 reports that the Institutional Crisis Intervention Team (ICIT) at Metro West has a new name since a manager refused to work claiming he was afraid of the ICIT team leader. ICIT now stands for “I Can’t, I’m Terrified.”
Who’s greedy?
Judy DeVries of Local 211 has proof that our strikers aren’t greedy.
Their Flying Squad of Probation Officers from both Corrections and MCSS went around the lines in Niagara Thursday collecting money for a 10-year-old with a rare form of cancer. Justin Brown’s only hope is at St George’s Cancer Clinic in Germany, which has an experimental treatment
with good results. It’s $18,000 U.S. cost is not covered by OHIP. The line donated $300 and the locals put in another $100. This from $25 a day strike pay.
The family was very grateful.
Now here’s action
Rick Maw of Local 313 has weighed in with a three-page “incomplete” list of how Conservation Officers have been promoting the strike. “We have been very active and will continue to do so for the duration.”
The actions include:
• Talking to every MPP
• Asking most Fish and Game clubs for support.
• Information pickets at David Tsubouchi’s, Mike Harris’s and John Snobelen’s constituency offices
• A message posted on nearly a dozen fishing and hunting related web sites
• Letters, emails and calls to media outlets throughout the province.
• A TV story on spawning fish with no protection,
• A motion from the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters Zone H to “get COs back to work to protect resources.”
• Production of factsheets on COs’ work.
• Contact with various conservation organizations.
• Presentation to Georgian Bay Hunters and Anglers Club
• Many radio and TV interviews.
The Conservation Officer Association web site www.ocoa.ca has become Strike Mobilization Central for the less than 200 Conservation Officers in Ontario. It is linked to OPSEU, Tsubouchi, MPPs, NR Fact Sheets, the CO Fact Sheet, and some cyber media.
Many COs are also picket captains. It’s inspirational!
Check the web: www.opseu.org has the latest on everything.
Original approved for publication by Leah Casselman, President
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