OPSEU isn’t running for office … so why do we have a platform?
The answer is simple. As a union of front-line workers, we are experts on public services.We’ve seen with our own eyes the incredible good that strong public services can do: the lives saved, the children protected, the economies built, and the communities strengthened.And we’ve also seen with our own eyes the incredible damage that is done when our public services are starved, cut, and privatized.
We know what works, and we know what doesn’t work. And the upcoming election is a golden opportunity for us to share our insights with voters and candidates.That’s what our platform is all about: showing Ontario that if we vote better, we’ll do better.
We’ll be launching the full platform on May 8 with a news conference in the morning and an exciting and interactive electronic town hall debate in the evening. The platform, news conference, and town hall will all lay out a detailed roadmap for voters and candidates —showing how a series of practical and entirely affordable investments will make Ontario better for all Ontarians.
But as OPSEU’s most active members, I wanted to share this sneak peek with you first.
As you’ll see, it’s divided into six broad categories that sums up the work and expertise of our 155,000 members.
The full platform will go into much more detail, diving deeper into some of the specifics of our many different sectors.
The platform will also show voters and candidates that our proposals aren’t out of reach. Far from it: what we propose is practical, possible, and popular.
Ontario is richer than we’ve ever been. Our per capita GDP is at an all time high. We have more than enough to invest in ourselves and our communities.
And yet, Ontario invests less in ourselves and in our communities than any other province. We invest less per person in health care than any other province. We invest less per student in our colleges. Less per inmate in our correctional system. And less per person in long-term care.
It’s time for us to do better. And we know that the vast majority of people are with us.
Public opinion research shows more than two thirds of Ontarians support strong public services over privatization. The same research shows that nearly 70 per cent of Ontarians believe that investing in public services strengthens the economy of small communities across the province.
It’s clear: we want better and we can do better. OPSEU’s platform will help show Ontarians that all we have to do is #VoteBetter.
In solidarity,
OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas