Campaigns
 

Students at Killarney Provincial Park and Fort William Historical Park appeal for support in their fight for fairness

August 11, 2009

Summer students working for the Ontario government help operate many provincial parks, tourist attractions and heritage programs. Most earn the hourly minimum wage of $9.50. Unfortunately, the Ontario government has reneged on their promise to pay students their “pay in lieu” of vacation and holiday pay.

About 3,400 high school, college and university students signed contracts stating that the Ontario government would pay students 8.16 percent of their gross pay added to their hourly wage rate in lieu of vacation and holiday pay. The students are dismayed since they were counting on this money to cover the rising costs of tuition and living expenses. Some students even turned down other jobs to work for the Ontario government.

To gain support in their fight for fairness, students have been actively educating the public of the situation. Student members of OPSEU Local 623 held an information picket on Thursday August 6, 2009 at Killarney Provincial Park while student members of OPSEU Local 701 held an information picket at Fort William Historical Park on Friday August 7, 2009.

The public was receptive to student workers forcing the government to keep their promise and demonstrated their support by wearing “fairness for student workers” stickers.

Other student information pickets will be scheduled for the weeks ahead at other provincial parks and tourist attractions.

Fairness for Ontario government summer students Index