Tag: OPSEU in the News
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Is Privatization an Election Issue in Mississauga?
Is Privatization an Election Issue in Mississauga? asks the news website Insauga. “Health care. Hydro. Transit. Highways. Privatization is being addressed at a special town hall meeting in the city on Tuesday, May 22,” writes the website. The meeting is taking place from 7p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Mississauga Valley Community Centre, 1275 Mississauga Valley…
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OPSEU locals in Thunder Bay present cheque to Shelter House
OPSEU locals in Thunder Bay are in the news following their successful fundraising for a new Shelter House van. The van is essential to the Street Outreach Services in the community. Read more by visiting TBnewswatch
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We Own It ‘a force to be reckoned with’
The Canadian Labour Institute is singing the praises of the We Own It campaign. “Smokey Thomas says this time it’s different. This time a union is going to affect who wins an election. He might actually be right,” says the CLI on its website. “He knows history is against him. He knows many unions have…
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‘Vote for a party that’s pro-public services and anti-privatization’
During a crowded town hall meeting in Kenora on April 4, OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas told people that the We Own It campaign is making privatization an election issue. Thomas told 89.5 The Lake that the We Own It campaign has now signed up more than 57,000 supporters. "We hope to mobilize those 57,000…
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We Own It town hall draws Ottawa crowd
People from Ottawa and surrounding communities crowded into the We Own It town hall on public services on March 28. CTV News covered the event. (To see the CTV report, skip ahead on the video to the 4:35 mark.) OPSEU Region 4 Executive Board Member Chrisy Tremblay, who moderated the event, told the crowd that privatization…
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Thomas wonders about ‘budget promises’
OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas says the Ontario budget released on March 28 was a "missed opportunity" to invest in a better Ontario for all Ontarians. He told 680News that the budget seems primarily aimed at helping the government get re-elected. “There’s a lot of promises,” Thomas said. “A lot of the promises are back-ended.…
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OPSEU President reacts to Doug Ford’s comments on cannabis
OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas gave an interview to Ottawa radio station CFRA on Tuesday about comments that Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford made about the possibility of privatizing the sale of legalized cannabis and taking away any government control. Listen to the interview here.
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Community calling for public ServiceOntario
A We Own It petition and campaign calling for a public ServiceOntario in Valley East, north of Sudbury, has received attention at Queen's Park, reports The Sudbury Star. A privately managed ServiceOntario in the community closed abruptly in January. "The people of Valley East are not taking this sitting down. They want ServiceOntario to reopen and…
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Thomas helps raise privatization red alert in London
OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas took part in the London and District Labour Council's panel discussion called "Privatization Red Alert" on February 1. As The London Free Press reported, "At one side of a long table draped in black was an OPSEU banner featuring a photo of five smiling children underneath the slogan, 'Public = Good.'"…
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Unifor, CLC welcome Thomas’s help as peacemaker
TV stations and newspapers across the country are reporting that Unifor and the Canadian Labour Congress are optimistic about peacemaking efforts by OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas to end their dispute over the rights of workers to choose which union should represent them. The Globe and Mail, CTV News, and The National Observer are all…
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OPSEU renews call to end privatized snowplowing
The CBC is reporting on OPSEU's renewed calls for highway snowplowing to be brought back in-house after the UK multinational that plowed many Ontario highways went bankrupt last week. "We're calling on the government to bring it back in-house, to make it what it's supposed to be: a public service," OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas…
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Thomas ‘shocked’ that privatizer will head LCBO
OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas tells The Toronto Sun that he was "shocked" to learn "privatization pusher" Ed Clark is being named to head the LCBO. “This really comes as a shock to us though I suppose I shouldn’t be shocked given her penchant for privatization,” Thomas said. “Ed Clark – he’s the unappointed, unelected, de…
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OPSEU member humbled by nomination, ready to fight
OPSEU member Jordan McGrail has been nominated as a candidate in the riding of Chatham-Kent—Leamington in the upcoming provincial election. According to The Chatham Daily News, McGrail is committing to fight for public services “so our kids have the chance to stay here and have a great family and great community, just like we did…