Campaigns
 

Conservative MPP Supports Students in their Fight for Fairness

August 12, 2009

Conservative MPP, Garfield Dunlop has condemned the Liberal Government for robbing students of their vacation and holiday pay. He highlighted Dalton McGuinty’s inequity in reneging on students’ holiday and vacation pay, while rewarding consultants with bloated contracts like $25,000 to write one speech for an E-health executive. Dunlop said he plans to raise the issue in the Ontario Legislature this fall.

Students working this summer for the Ontario government will not be paid the additional 8.16 per cent in lieu of holiday and vacation pay, as clearly stated in the contracts they signed. Students will be short changed between $400 and $600, which they counted on to pay for the continual rise of tuition fees and textbook expenses.

The employer has no legal obligation to pay the students for this under the collective agreement or the Employment Standards Act since the Ontario Government actually excluded itself from the very rules on vacation and holiday pay that other employers must follow.

Students along with other OPSEU members have held information pickets throughout the province, gaining public support. More information pickets will be held in the weeks ahead.

Fairness for Ontario government summer students Index