Media Advisory - Fanshawe College part-time support staff to pass judgment on
unfair treatment

LONDON, ST. THOMAS and WOODSTOCK, ON, Oct. 7 /CNW/ - Part-time support staff at Fanshawe campuses will pass judgment on the unfair treatment they've received for years when they vote next week on whether to join the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU). The vote takes place Oct. 13 at the Woodstock campus, Oct. 15 in St. Thomas and Oct. 19 in London.

Candy Lindsay, a leader of the province-wide campaign, and student organizer Kiera Chion will be at the Fanshawe London campus to discuss this historic vote with part-time support workers and the media. They will be joined by Marg Rae, president of the local representing Fanshawe support workers.

    
    Date:   Thursday October 8, 2009

    Time:   2:00 pm

    Place:  Fanshawe College
            Building B 1074 (facing Oxford Street at front of college)
            1001 Fanshawe Park Blvd, London
    

"What does it say about our province when institutions like our colleges offer nothing more than precarious, part-time, temporary work to more than 60 per cent of support staff?" says Lindsay. "We need good jobs with decent wages and benefits in order to raise our families and build strong communities."

The vote is part of the largest union certification vote in Ontario history with up to 10,000 college part timers eligible to cast votes. Almost half of them are students who have no voice and little recognition for what they contribute.

Supervised by the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the vote takes place on specific dates at college campuses from Oct. 5 to 27. Vote times and locations are available at www.collegeworkers.org.

OPSEU represents over 16,000 full-time support and academic staff at Ontario's colleges.

For further information: Valerie Dugale, [phone] (cell); Marg Rae, [phone] (cell)