Owen Sound Sun Times: OPSEU ready to fight over wage freeze legislation

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News and Events

If Ontario's Liberal government wants a fight, the province's largest public-sector union is ready for one

September 27, 2012

Owen Sound Sun Times: OPSEU ready to fight over wage freeze legislation

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http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com
/2012/09/26/opseu-ready-to-fight-over-wage-freeze-legislation

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If Ontario's Liberal government wants a fight, the province's largest public-sector union is ready for one.

"If the Dalton Liberals want to fight with every worker in this province, particularly I speak for my union, we'll take them on table by table," said Ontario Public Service Employees Union first vice-president and treasurer Eddy Almeida, who was in Owen Sound on Wednesday visiting striking Participation Lodge workers on the picket line. "I just don't know what's going on with the Liberals. They are definitely not the Liberals of my mother or father or anyone else's parents. They seem to be always trying to one-up the PCs in regards to what they can cut. I don't get it. It's shameful."

Almeida was reacting after the provincial government told public sector workers to negotiate a two-year pay freeze or the government would do it for them.

Almeida said he didn't have all the details yet on what the Liberals were proposing, but union officials will analyze what the government is putting forward and take them on.

"Honestly I think he knows he is in the wrong and maybe he is a betting man and he thinks it is going to take us four or five years to sort of turn back the tide, and by that time he won't be in office so he doesn't care," said Almeida, who added the government is doing damage to all sizes of communities.

"You start knocking the whole bargaining process, the ability to bargain a collective agreement and make a living wage, you are knocking the pegs out of the mom and pop stores, you are knocking the pegs out of from the restaurants," said Almeida. "He is doing a great disservice and I think people will look at Dalton as someone who promised the world and all he did was burn it."

Almeida said introducing the Putting Students First Act, which froze teacher and education worker salaries, among other things, was an indication that no workers would be safe.

"Once he took on the teachers, who have supported him and the Liberals historically, I think that was the flag that something has gone wrong and he's going to take the whole province down," said Almeida.
He added that in a way the publicity being created by the Liberal government is good for the 150,000-member OPSEU and other unions.

"We are here to defend workers rights and he is creating all kinds of news for us," said Almeida. "Of all the times now you definitely want a union because he is destroying any kind of collective bargaining and contracts."

Almeida was with striking Participation Lodge workers at the corner of 10th St. and 3rd Ave. E on Wednesday where he was showing support for members and bringing attention to the fact the union is willing to talk with Participation Lodge, which provides services for some people at St. Francis’ Place.

Almeida said there have been no talks with the employer since workers were locked out late last week.
"I think it's important that the community know that the residents here that are getting service can probably get better service if the management team here recognized that they are very wasteful in regards to their spending," said Almeida.

Almeida said there is a connection between the striking workers and their clients and it is important the public know the workers did not want to go on strike.

"You have individuals in there who need to be showered, they need to be taken care of in the bathroom," said Almeida. "I wouldn't want a myriad of individuals coming through the room providing that service to me. You build a client-worker relationship and they are breaking that."

Almeida said the union is ready to get back to the bargaining table immediately.

Ontario Public Service Employees Union, 100 Lesmill Rd. Toronto, ON M3B 3P8 (416) 443-8888

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