Officials reveal plans for rallies in New Glasgow and Antigonish community BBQ
HALIFAX, Sept. 14, 2012 /CNW/ - Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and Union of National Defence Employees (UNDE) officials blasted the government this week for the plan to spend over $100 million dollars outsourcing work in Western Canada and challenged Minister MacKay to confirm whether or not the same wasteful outsourcing will occur in Atlantic Canada.
"The budget was supposedly about saving money. How can you save money when you cut jobs and then turn around and spend $100 million to hire private companies to do the same work? We were told that the employees being laid off would not be replaced," said John MacLennan, UNDE National President. He also demanded that the Minister immediately cease outsourcing plans across the country.
"In Western Canada outsourcing will cost $100 million. How much are they planning on spending in Atlantic Canada? The evidence is clear. Cutting jobs only to outsource the work will cost Canadians more," said Regional Executive Vice-President Atlantic, Jeannie Baldwin. Since the budget announcement, over 18,000 members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada have been notified that their jobs are at risk.
The Union of National Defence Employees (UNDE) has been committed since April to making every effort to fight the cuts to jobs and services announced in the federal budget. Today, the officials briefed reporters on plans for rallies in New Glasgow and Antigonish tomorrow. These events are part of the PSAC's National Day of Action that will bring public sector workers and the public together to show how all Canadians are affected by these cuts.
"Canadians have a right to know the true impact these cuts will have on communities, so we're taking this to the Minister's community" said MacLennan, who announced UNDE members from Quebec, the region hardest hit by the DND cuts, will be joining members from across Canada at the rally. "We're inviting people to a BBQ in Antigonish to meet some of the affected workers - so that members of the community and the public can hear about the jobs being lost."
The positions being cut are not back-office public service jobs. These are core jobs that support the military in front offices. The cuts announced in the budget affect public service employees in a wide range of occupations at bases across Canada. They include plumbers, electricians, labourers, comptrollers, communications specialists, safety and fire inspectors, vehicle technicians, administrative assistants and food service workers.
The Union of National Defence Employees (UNDE) represents approximately 20,000 public and private sector workers at Department of National Defence establishments and facilities across Canada. UNDE is a component of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC).
SOURCE: Union of National Defence Employees (UNDE)
For more information: Ian Capstick, 613-863-7746
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