QUEEN’S PARK – Hamilton East MPP Andrea Horwath blamed the McGuinty government for leaving 70 unionized workers, mostly women, out in the cold and prolonging the First Ontario Credit Union strike, now in its 56th day.
Horwath revealed that the Financial Services Corporation of Ontario (FSCO) interfered in collective bargaining by allowing First Ontario’s management to ignore its own bylaw and cancel its annual general meeting that was slated for December 6.
“Your Ministry’s meddling interfered with the democratic rights of the credit union members, prolonged the strike and did serious damage to the cause of these women workers,” Horwath said.
Horwath slammed the McGuinty government and Ministry of Finance bureaucrats for taking the side of management and board members.
“They don’t want to provide women workers with full time hours. They don’t want to make proper pension plan and WSIB contributions. They want roll backs on sick benefits. Do you think women workers should be treated this way?” Horwath told Deputy Premier George Smitherman.
She cited the government’s interference as “unprecedented and unfair.”
The credit union’s bylaw stipulates the meeting had to be held within 120 days of fiscal year end. But FSCO’s decision allows the board to postpone the meeting for up to 60 days after workers return to their jobs.
“This is an outrageous interference in the collective bargaining process,” Horwath said.
The AGM was seen as a crucial turning point in negotiations, Horwath said. Credit union members planned to attend and ask hard questions about the shabby treatment of the workers, who are represented by COPE Local 343.