Provincial employees get strike mandate

Members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) have voted 88 per cent to reject a contract offer from the provincial government.

In a province-wide vote held this week, the union's rank-and-file gave their bargaining team a strike mandate. The province-wide turnout was 71 per cent.

"This mandate gives us the strength to return to the bargaining table and start real negotiations," said OPSEU President Leah Casselman.

The earliest date on which a strike could take place is March 13, but the union has not yet established a strike deadline.

In Sault Ste. Marie, OPSEU has 800 members working at the Court House, the Sault Jail, Community and Social Services, Northern Treatment Centre, the Ministry of the Environment, and other provincial offices

"I have never seen our members so determined. They have seen the impact of cuts to important programs," Casselman said.

"There used to be 20 people inspecting fruit and vegetables for pesticides and other poisons. They are all gone. There used to be 150 permanent full-time provincial meat inspectors. Now there are eight."

"It's not just Walkerton. There are gaping holes in the services that protect us everywhere you turn. Our 700 probation officers have only 15 minutes a month to counsel and support more than 70,000 probationers and parolees serving their time in the community. It's 30 minutes a month for sex offenders. It's the highest caseload in the country."

According to Casselman, the main issues in dispute are wages, pensions, job security and benefits.

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