FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 19, 2012
(Toronto, ON) — Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) President Sid Ryan today debunked media speculation that the labour movement was privy to Premier Dalton McGuinty’s decision to prorogue the Ontario Legislature.
“Let me set the record straight once and for all: the labour movement played no part in the decision to shut down the Legislature and had no prior knowledge of the Premier’s plans,” said Ryan. “Under no circumstances would labour leaders endorse shutting down our democratic institutions.”
The Premier’s announcement on Monday that he would be closing the doors of the Legislature indefinitely to negotiate with unions came as much as a surprise to the province’s labour leaders as it did to the media and the public.
“The labour movement is currently challenging the government’s attempts to strip education workers of their fundamental democratic rights. It would be foolhardy in the extreme to be taking our fight for democracy all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada while at the same time endorsing a closure of parliament that undermines the democratic rights of everyone,” said Ryan. “The OFL is calling upon the Liberal government to restore democracy to the province by re-opening parliament and to restore the democratic rights of all workers by repealing Bill 115.”
The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.OFL.ca and follow the OFL on Facebook and Twitter: @OFLabour.
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For further information:
Sid Ryan, OFL President: 416-209-0066 (cell)
Joel Duff, OFL Communications Director: 416-707-0349 (cell) or jduff@ofl-org.flywheelsites.com *ENG/FRENCH*
