Dear friends:
There has been a clear attack on OPSEU and our leadership during the past year by a Liberal media conglomerate, the Toronto Star. For everyone who has been following the recent articles written by Toronto Star political columnist Martin Regg Cohn, you would have to ask yourself, “Why is he so interested in our internal politics and OPSEU as a whole”?
Those who know, know. For those who don’t, let me spell it out.
Our union, working directly with our leadership and activist base, has taken the fight against privatization to the front lines. For years, OPSEU has been saying that privatization is little more than a transfer of public dollars to private pockets. Privatization directly impacts all of our members and the communities we call home.
The Ontario Liberals have been flipping their Monopoly cards on our public assets since they took majority office. Premier Wynne’s falling popularity is directly linked to selling off Hydro One (82 per cent oppose it) and the ongoing efforts to privatize our public services.
Working together, we have educated and mobilized the public through our We Own It campaign. Momentum is building daily. We have signed up thousands of volunteers and enlisted community allies. The message is clear. We must protect what past generations have built and paid for before we have nothing left of the common wealth.
But there is always pushback from the self-interested.
The law of retaliation is clear in this Liberal agenda and our old pal at the Star is a major player.
Perhaps he has more ink yet to dribble from his arsenal? I anticipate he will yet again unsheath his pen the week of our Convention, as a hired gun would be expected to… and as he has done for the past twelve months.
At our upcoming OPSEU Convention, I ask that you to remain strong, shoulder to shoulder with your union, and stand in solidarity to preserve our valued public services, our families and our communities. Our fight is Ontario's fight. And we are winning. The polls prove it. The Star knows it.
In solidarity,
Eduardo (Eddy) Almeida
First Vice-President/Treasurer OPSEU