Sudbury Public Service workers rally for quality public services

SUDBURY, ON, Nov. 26, 2012 /CNW/ - Provincial government employees will rally tomorrow to support negotiations for quality public services, safe workplaces and to prevent the careless privatization of the services Ontarians rely on.

DATE:	Tuesday, November 27
TIME:	Noon-1 p.m.
LOCATION:	181 Elm Street West, Sudbury (in front of the Sudbury Jail)
GUEST SPEAKER:	France Gélinas, MPP, Nickel Belt

OPSEU is in negotiations with the Ontario government for a new contract covering 36,000 direct employees.

OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas said this contract is about protecting quality public services for all Ontarians.

"Public jobs make public services work," said Thomas. "The people of Ontario have learned an expensive lesson with eHealth, Ornge and private ServiceOntario kiosks. Privatizing public services is a failed experiment that results in less accountability and public dollars going into the pockets of private business as profits."

Nathan Aubin, president of Local 617 at the Sudbury Jail, said that workplace safety is a big issue for Ontario's correctional workers.

"We have too many incidents where our members are getting hurt, and the number of these incidents is growing every day," Aubin said. "Our members want safe workplaces, proper equipment and the proper amount of staff to do the job."

OPSEU's Regional Executive Board Members will also be at the rally.

The current collective agreement expires Dec. 31, 2012.

SOURCE: OPSEU

Nathan Aubin [phone]