Following an information picket and leafleting event at the Glenora Ferry on October 14, OPSEU/SEFPO Local 428 President Jody Pringle explained to 99.3 County FM (CJPE) how the reduction in ferry schedules is caused by low wages and understaffing.
Click here to read the article and listen to the interview.
Quotes from Local 428 President Jody Pringle:
“That’s why we didn’t run the two boats at Glenora this summer, because of the staffing shortage. At Wolfe Island, they’ve been having staffing issues – they’ve actually brought in temporary workers that are making more money than our employees to do those positions, rather than to just give us a bit of a wage increase to try and retain the people we have. They’re paying them $450 a day, plus hotel, plus accommodations, plus travel, plus the agency fee.”
“We’re not asking for the same amount of money […] we’re just asking them to come up a little bit and be more comparable to the industry so at least we can recruit and attract and retain people.”
More information:
Click here to download the Fix Our Ferries flyer (PDF)
Click here to download a petition to the Ontario Legislature (PDF) – please mail original copies to the address on the petition form. (Only original signatures are accepted by the Ontario Legislature.)
Tell Premier Ford and Transportation Minister Mulroney:
- Fix our ferries: stop the service disruptions caused by understaffing.
- MTO must honour their collective agreement with OPSEU/SEFPO Local 428. Stop wasting money on expensive private temp agencies. Hire permanent MTO ferry workers to work and live in our communities instead.
- Repeal Bill 124 which has imposed a 3-year wage cut on ferry workers during high inflation, and pay them fair, competitive wages.
Contact them today:
Hon. Doug Ford
Premier
416-325-1941
doug.fordco@pc.ola.org
Hon. Caroline Mulroney
Minister of Transportation
905-895-1555
caroline.mulroney@pc.ola.org