Media Advisory - Georgian College part-time support staff to pass judgment on
unfair treatment

BARRIE/OWEN SOUND/ORILLIA/MIDLAND, ON, Oct. 5 /CNW/ - Part-time support staff at Georgian College campuses will pass judgment on the unfair treatment they've received for years when they vote this week on whether to join the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU). The vote takes place Oct. 7 at Barrie campus and Oct. 8 at Orangeville, Owen Sound, Collingwood Midland, Orillia and Kempenfelt campuses.

Candy Lindsay , a leader of the province-wide campaign, and student organizer Kiera Chion will be at the Georgian campus to discuss this historic vote with part-time support workers and the media. They will be joined by Jill Peacock , president of the local representing Georgian support workers.

    

           Date:    Tuesday October 6, 2009

           Time:    1:30 pm

           Place:   Room H117
                    Automotive Institute building
                    One Georgian Drive, Barrie
    

"What does it say about our province when institutions like our colleges offer nothing more than precarious, part-time, temporary work to more than 60 per cent of support staff provincially?" says Lindsay. "We need good jobs with decent wages and benefits in order to raise our families and build strong communities."

The vote is part of the largest union certification vote in Ontario history with up to 10,000 college part timers eligible to cast votes. Almost half of them are students who have no voice and little recognition for what they contribute.

Supervised by the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the vote takes place on specific dates at college campuses from Oct. 5 to 27. Vote times and locations are available at www.collegeworkers.org.

OPSEU represents over 16,000 full-time support and academic staff at Ontario's colleges.

For further information: Valerie Dugale, [phone] (cell); Michel Bisaillon, [phone] (cell)