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Whitby Free Press, Wednesday, August 25, 1993, Page 3 Prote st over forced days of By Mike Kowalski Provincial public employees have accused t he Ontario gevern- ment cf ignering its own social contract legislation. lie Ontario Public Service Empîoyees Union (OPSEU) has f'iid a grievance against the gevernment for the manner in which many of its members have been fnroed te take unpaid time off this summer. Most government offices were closed hast Friday and will again be shut down the next two Fni- days as part cf the government's cost-cuttinq pregramn. 'Phe closings are expected te save the government $36 million and were scheduled during the summer te reduce incenvenience te, the public. However, OPSEU charges that the shutdown, which means three un paid days off for niany provncial werkers, should have ben used as a iast resort. 'Phe union dlaims it was net allowed te propose alternative cost-savings nieasures cf its own, as is permitted under the social contract act. OPSEU sought a court injunc- tien te, step the government frem carrying eut its plan, but it was deniedlrast Thursday. Thle union subsequently filed a greace and held demonst- raiosFriday te, pretest the province's action. About 50 people demonsrated outside the Whitb y Psychiatric Hospital and OPSEU Local 331 treasurer Judy Biais expressed satisfaction with the numbers. «We were pleased with the outcome. It was pulled together in a day and a haif,' she said. Not only were hospital employees involved, but workers from thýeWhitby Jail and govern- ment offices in Oshawa a1so p ar- ticipated, Biais said. "We even had a management person come out and had fam- ilies corne eut," she said. Although the jail and hospital were ameng the provincial facili- ties and services net closed on Friday, the hospital did revert to weekend operation. Biais estimated that about two-thirds cf the hospital was affected. "'Phey were working with a skeleton staff. The patients didn't have the same programs,» she said. (Margaret Kuchmak, assistant adininistrator - patient. services, said the hospital expenenced ne signifiantproblerns on Friday. (Athough she could give ne precise figures, Kuchmak said the hospital operated at about «three-quarters" its normal level) Biais said OPSEU members are upset with the cjuickness cf the governrenetsdecision te reduce services. The. union ratified its social contract deal with the province Aug. 10, only to, learn cf the government's intentions the foi- Iewing day. «W. feel they had it planned lon g befre,' said BIais. While the way it which it occurred concerns Biais she aise feels the workers shouId net be required te take time off. -1 tliink most people would have been willing to talce a (wage) freeze, but to take money away is different,' she said. Biais rejected a suggestion that public employees have net suffered as greatly as private sector workers during the reces- sion. "W. have single parents here and others whose husbandà are out of work. If we don't have the. money to spend it wiIl affect others,» she said. To illustrate ber point, Biais said that if the hospital's approximately 900 management and union employees are foroed to take 10 unpaid days off a year, it averages out to about $1,000 per person. «That's $900,000 per year not gng back into the community. Tat will definitely affect the economy,"»e said. of- cer Katie Fitzrandoiph said the union represents about 65,000 workers employed by the gevern- ment, but did not know how many are affected by the clos- YÏtegrievance C'es te ttrbit- ration and is uphel, the union will expect compensation, Fitz- randolph said. Under the legisiation there are rovisions for other zethods te beused to arrive at the cost- cutting target, Fitzrandolph explained. 'Failing that, the government could impose time off,' she said. But accoring to Fitzrandolph, the government acted with light ining speed once the agreement A PROTEST by Whitby Psychiatric Hospital at Victoria anid Gordon streets. and Whitby Jail workers was held Iast Friday Photo by Maurice Pither, Whitby Fre. Press We hve mved o 103 Dudas t. E was ratified. OPSEU members read about the province's plan in the news- paner the next day, she said. "Me announcement of the days off was made through the media, not to the bargaining unit," said Fitzrandolph. Management board spokesper- son Gene Long said OPSEU was aware of the government's inten- tions during the bargaining pro- cess. "Thle government indicated it would be doing it quickly, as soon as they signed the agree- ment and it weuldn't be taking any more days than what was agreed to," saîd Long. "TPhe government believed OPSEU understood this was the right of management to take this action.» Long said the province opted te, imoe theý days off «up front» in order te avoid problems later in the year and at a time that would be ieast disruptive to the public. Despite the grievance, L-ong insisted the government eUhf wants to work w'ith OPSEU in finding other ways of cutting costs. Dundas Centre/ Pringle Forbktc~/Oa9Of Creek Guardian Drugs businesses in ~Wiby OR (seiected-homes) calltheWhtbFree Press - er h 668-111.Drug" Warehouse if youdcid not get afler (fuit distribution) whe lsted forJfull Brooklin Day Nursery distnibuion, gveus acal. 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