NDP stands with workers in fight against the offshoring of Ontario jobs, demanding government action.

QUEEN’S PARK – Leader of the Official Opposition Marit Stiles and NDP shadow minister for Labour MPP Jamie West (Sudbury) were joined by Laura Walton (Ontario Federation of Labour President), Michael Philips (United Steel Workers Local 1944 President) and Corey Mandryk (USW Local 1944 organizer).

“Ontario’s unemployment is at eight per cent, and every week brings new headlines about layoffs and plant closures.” said Stiles. “When workers need a champion, Doug Ford disappears. He talks about protecting Ontario, but there’s no protecting Ontario without protecting workers. Good union jobs keep our economy strong and our communities stable, yet the workers who operate our communications networks are abandoned. Ford must step up, stop these layoffs, and protect good jobs.”

“The workers from USW Local 1944 here today are the ones who keep our communications networks running; they are the backbone of our economy and our daily lives,” said West. “In this day and age, it’s astounding that Doug Ford doesn’t see them as vital enough to fight for. Ford needs to step up before October 31st and make sure these good jobs aren’t offshored. Our communications networks keep businesses operating and our economy moving, and they must stay in Ontario, with the skilled workers who built and maintain them.”

Additional Quotes:

“Ontario’s working people are watching to see if Doug Ford will finally step up to the plate for them. Good union jobs aren’t just paycheques, they’re the foundation of Ontario’s economy and the anchor of our communities. When those jobs are offshored, we lose more than local industry; we lose the stability and skills that sustain generations.”
-Laura Walton, (OFL president)

“This is not only the offshoring of our economy, but the offshoring of our privacy and of our national security. This is a Made in Canada problem, and one that can be solved through government action between now and October 31st. The Telecommunications Act, enforced by the CRTC, aims to secure Canadian control of our telecommunications system. Allowing the jobs that keep our digital networks safe to be sent to India is the complete reversal of this objective.
-Michael Philips (USW Local 1944 president)

“The workers at Ericsson see what’s coming, and they know the risks better than anyone. These are the people we rely on everyday to keep our networks running and to put them back together when something breaks. This isn’t just another round of layoffs. This is a transfer of control over Canada’s core telecommunications systems from our own country to overseas hands. Ericsson and Rogers are voluntarily giving this critical work to India. And this is clearly not about efficiency. It’s about cutting costs, no matter the risk.”
-Corey Mandryk (USW Local 1944 organizer)