OPSEU/SEFPO members from across the province joined virtual election town halls this week to talk about what’s at stake for workers in the upcoming provincial election on February 27, 2025. Throughout the event, there was an open and lively Zoom chat, where OPSEU/SEFPO members asked questions, shared stories and talked about how they planned to get involved in the election.
Visit OPSEU/SEFPO’s Una-FORD-able site now for election resources and ways to get involved in our Get Out The Vote campaign!The town hall was hosted by President JP Hornick, along with a team of OPSEU/SEFPO leaders from many sectors of the union. Hornick opened the town hall by talking about the power public sector workers have to bring about progressive change in Ontario.“Doug Ford’s greatest fear is that workers will hold him accountable for his terrible record as Premier,” said Hornick. “I know we can make that happen. We need to vote Ford out, because we, as public sector workers, cannot afford not to.”Hornick outlined the way the Ford government has starved public services of funding, leading to stagnant wages, drastic understaffing and unmanageable workloads for public sector workers, and drastic cuts to health care, education, and all public services for the people of Ontario.Meanwhile, Ford continues to waste money on schemes that only serve to line the pockets of his corporate buddies, like $612 million wasted on putting beer in corner stores faster, $2 billion wasted on a private spa in Toronto, and his scheme to waste tens of billions or more on a tunnel under the 401.
Why public sector workers need to vote Ford out
Sara Labelle, OPSEU/SEFPO Regional Vice President for Region 3, and Chair of the Hospital Professionals Division, reminded everyone about how hospital professionals were disrespected during the pandemic by Doug Ford by being left out of the pandemic premium given to many other health care workers. She talked about the increase in wait times for diagnostic services – as long as 9 months – due to underfunding and staff shortages.As a previous provincial election candidate in 2022, Labelle also encouraged members to vote, and bring their friends and families to the polls too. “Voting matters!” said Labelle. “Doug Ford is counting on low voter turnout. There are some ridings with so many OPSEU/SEFPO members that if we all voted for the same candidate, we could make a real difference in that riding.”Amanda Usher, Chair of the OPS Unified Central Employee Relations Committee (CERC) and Bargaining Team Chair, talked about how important voting is for members who work for the Ontario Public Service. “What makes provincial elections unique for us is that we are actually voting for our employer,” said Usher. “Your MPP could become your Minister!”Colleen MacLeod, Chair of the Liquor Board Employees Division and Stacey Foster, Region 3 Representative for the Coalition of Racialized Workers and an LCBO steward, talked about the way LCBO workers organized to identify leaders across the province and build a supermajority of LCBO workers to take on the Ford government in a successful strike. The workers are using those same networks to get out the vote during this election.“Ford attacked us in the media, and we fought back even harder,” said Foster.“Not being involved politically directly impacts our jobs,” said Macleod. “You have to stand up to a bully.”Foster made the connection between Ford’s attacks on the LCBO, and how that impacts the many Black and racialized workers who are working in precarious positions there. She stressed how important it is for fellow Black and racialized workers to vote in this election.It was a message echoed by Mike Hamilton, Treasurer of the Coalition of Racialized workers and Local 376 president (LCBO), who talked about how important it is for all OPSEU/SEFPO members to dismantle racism and create a space where racialized workers can be fully involved in OPSEU/SEFPO – as well as the importance for Black and racialized workers to vote in this election.Sara McArthur-Timofejew, Chair of the College Support Part-Time Divisional Executive, and Amanda Shaw, OPSEU/SEFPO Local 418 President at St. Lawrence College, talked about how the lack of funding for community colleges by the Ford government has led to cancellations of many programs, and layoffs at colleges across the province, making employment even more precarious for many College workers.Randy Robinson, former Political Economist at OPSEU/SEFPO, shared his research and statistics on the way the Ford government has been systematically defunding and privatizing public services across Ontario.
How we fight back – and win!
Kelly Nobert, Developmental Services Division Chair and mobilizer for the Worth Fighting For coordinated bargaining campaign, talked about the impact of the Ford government’s drastic underfunding of developmental services agencies on both workers and clients. She shared how the Worth Fighting For campaign plans to bring Broader Public Service locals together to fight for increased funding from the Ford government, and coordinate their bargaining to win better contracts together.Kiera Chion, OPSEU/SEFPO Campaigns Supervisor, introduced
OPSEU/SEFPO’s Una-FORD-able election campaign and encouraged people to check out the resources, and to sign up and volunteer to help get out the vote during the provincial election.After the presentations were done, Meagan Christou, Executive Board Member for Region 5, facilitated a lively Question and Answer session, where members posted questions for the panelists on a wide range of subjects, including strategic voting, how to get involved, what to say to others about the election, and which party OPSEU/SEFPO supports and why.(The answer to that last question, by the way, is that it is OPSEU/SEFPO policy as an organization to support the NDP provincially and federally – which is why many OPSEU/SEFPO members will be canvassing with NDP candidates in their ridings on their own time this election!)Laurie Nancekivell, OPSEU/SEFPO First Vice-President/Treasurer, wrapped up the town hall by thanking everyone for participating, and reminding us that this election is critical, and connected to the fights head that extend far beyond election day.“On February 27
th, we are electing the boss that we will bargain with for better public service funding,” said Nancekivell. “So get involved, get out to vote on February 27, and stay engaged in the fights ahead. When we organize and fight together, we win!”Visit
opseu.org/unaffordable to learn more and get involved!
