September 26, 2011

Hudak could kill thousands of Renfrew County’s best jobs – NDP’s Dougherty

PEMBROKE: Area paramedics, hospital support staff, long-term care workers, hospital staff and other public servants are telling NDP candidate Brian Dougherty they are afraid that a Tim Hudak-led Conservative government would eliminate potentially thousands of the best jobs in Renfrew County while hurting people who depend on the services these jobs provide.

He met on Friday with members of Renfrew District CUPE Council of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) to hear their concerns and receive a campaign contribution from them. Jointly these workers represent 1,500 workers directly across the County, but thousands more could be affected in the case of mass privatization and layoffs, said Dougherty, because driving down wages for unionized workers will affect everyone.

They presented Dougherty with an unprecedented campaign contribution, $1,500. “This is far more than CUPE has ever given a political campaign in this area,” said Claude Venne, President of CUPE Local 4698. “That tells you how concerned we are.”

“These workers don’t do easy jobs, but they are some of the best jobs in Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke,” said Dougherty.  “These workers do the hardy, dirty and often hazardous work our loved ones depend on, and Mr. Hudak would pull the rug out from under them to so giant health care corporations could make more money.”

“Tim Hudak will cause instability in many public services,” Venne told Dougherty. “His platform says he will make everyone bid for work.  They’ll auction off the right to run our schools, hospitals, ambulances and seniors’ homes. I don’t think people want their loved ones cared for by low bidders.”

Venne said Hudak’s pledge means that a corporation can come in and make a low-ball bid to run Pembroke Regional Hospital or Bonnechere Manor and bring in desperate, minimum-wage workers, throwing people out people who have worked in these place for years. The public will see a dramatic decline in the quality of service available to them and their loved ones, and well-paying jobs will be dumped to make rich corporations richer.

Venne said that Hudak would sell off every public asset possible.  “Don’t be fooled, anything is for sale. Mike Harris sold Highway 407 to balance the books at a loss to the public in the billions.”

Hudak’s strategy aims to fatally weaken unions, Venne told Dougherty. “If unions are destroyed, everyone’s wages and working conditions will suffer,” said Venne. “Unions aren’t to blame for the financial problems governments face. All the problem were created by large tax cuts for huge corporations. They stole billions of dollars from the taxpayer, and the only ones who stood up against that was the unions and the NDP.  If Tim Hudak gets into power then the ability of the unions to fight for the disadvantaged of our society is strongly undermined.

“I’m troubled by the concerns these workers raise,” said Dougherty. “At a time when jobs are the overwhelming concern, the Hudak Conservatives are promoting a plan that would undermine probably thousands of the best and most-needed, essential services jobs in Renfrew County. That’s what’s happening in the States with the Tea Party influence, and it could happen here in Ontario.”

“If your ability to pay the mortgage depends on someone who’s a support worker in one of our public institutions, you should think twice before voting Conservative,” said Dougherty. “Only the NDP is committed to fighting the spread of privatization in hospitals, seniors’ homes, schools and other public services. And ours is the only party that will roll back corporate tax give-aways. We’ll use that money to protect and create good jobs.”

Brian Dougherty accepts a cheque from Lee Ann Somerville, President of Renfrew District CUPE Council, accompanied by Tara Reagan, President of CUPE Local 4276 and Chris Day, Secretary OF Local 4698.

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