Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Ontario’s professional employees’ union says government must do more to foster innovation and get Ontarians back to work
TORONTO – As Ontario’s economy recovers, strong public services will be critical, AMAPCEO said on the release of the 2021 Ontario Budget earlier today. The union represents the province’s 14,000 professional employees.
In his Budget introduction in the Legislature, Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said the government’s plan is to “create the conditions for stronger, long-term economic growth.”
AMAPCEO President Dave Bulmer pointed out that good public services, planned and delivered by a strong public service, are necessary ingredients in the recipe for Ontario’s economic growth.
“Our province is full of promise. Ontario is home to some of the best and brightest in the world,” Bulmer said. “But to compete in today’s global economy, we need to make sure Ontario is an attractive place to set up shop. Quality public services are essential to that.”
The 2021 budget includes modest program investment in some areas, such as healthcare and education, compared to pre-pandemic years. But AMAPCEO pointed out that the pandemic is not yet over. To that end, the union joined others in calling on the government to ensure public services are adequately funded. The union also thinks the government must do more to help get Ontarians back to work through further investment in made-in-Ontario innovation.
“Even when the pandemic is over, we’ll still need personal protective equipment. We’ll still need made-in-Ontario solutions for future pandemics, like the ability to produce our own medical supplies and vaccinations,” Bulmer said. “There’s no reason we can’t make those products and deliver those services right here in Ontario.”
Doing so would help the government secure the supplies that it needs and create good, unionized jobs.
“To me, that’s low-hanging fruit,” Bulmer said.
The government is also establishing an Ontario Workforce Recovery Advisory Committee, which it says will focus on economic recovery, strengthen Ontario’s competitiveness, and support workers.
“We are also keen to collaborate with the Committee,” Bulmer said. “As you might expect, we have a lot we can offer on this front.”
And while the continuance of wage enhancements for some healthcare workers is most welcome, the union is troubled by the government’s decision to press on with their imposed wage restraints for other public servants through Bill 124. The Bill steamrolled the collective bargaining rights enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms by limiting compensation increases for millions of public sector workers in Ontario.
To make matters worse, the unilateral 1% increase imposed by the government is lower than inflationary increases to the cost of living.
Bulmer said public servants deserve better, and that the future of the province’s services depends on it. “Public service professionals have been stretched thin,” he said. “Before the pandemic—even more so throughout it—they’ve been working overtime and making more with less to help keep this province operational. The government could show them the respect of restoring their constitutional rights.”
AMAPCEO is one of the original ten unions in a coalition of more than 40 that has filed a charter challenge against the legislation, the so-called Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act.
Budget 2021 also included a $10 million investment in Ontario’s arts industry. AMAPCEO, which represents the hard-working arts administrators at Ontario Arts Council, applauded that investment and is looking forward to further details.
When the drafted legislation becomes available, AMAPCEO leadership and staff will review it thoroughly to assess its impact on its members, their positions, and public services.