BY AL CAPPE
TORONTO - Some 4,000 striking government workers, members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), raised their fists in the air and chanted "No Justice, No Peace" and "Hold that line" as they rallied near the Ontario legislature March 25. The demonstration was called by the Ontario Federation of Labor to protest the violent attack by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) riot squad on OPSEU picket lines March 18.
After the rally, the OPSEU strikers, joined by hundreds of other trade unionists, marched past the legislature and then headed for a noisy rally at the offices of Solicitor-General Bob Runciman, the government minister responsible for the OPP. The demonstrators demanded his resignation and ended the protest chanting "We won't back down."
The march showed the growing confidence and determination of the 55,000 OPSEU strikers, now in their fifth week on the picket lines against the government of Premier Mike Harris. Faced with government plans to cut between 13,000 and 27,000 jobs in two years, OPSEU is demanding improved severance and retirement packages, protection of pension and seniority rights, as well as job security and union recognition in the case of privatization of government services.
Police assault
The marchers voiced the outrage of the strikers and of many
working people to the police violence on March 18.
That day, thousands of OPSEU strikers and other unionists mounted mass pickets in front of government offices and the legislature. The OPP riot squad attacked two picket lines, injuring at least four strikers. Metro Toronto Police Association president Paul Walter informed the media that the OPP officers boasted before the attack that they would "whack 'em and stack 'em."
At the Whitney building the cops charged into peaceful pickets, striking with their shields and batons and sending two people to hospital.
"There was no warning," said striker Anthony Singh, who was at the Whitney building when the attack took place.
"The cops kept bashing me with their shields when I tried to help people who had fallen to the ground," said striker Andy Watson.
"After attacking, the cops blew kisses at us and made obscene gestures," said another striker whose finger had been cracked by the cops.
The police violence failed to intimidate the strikers.
"If it had any impact on us, it was to make us more
determined to fight," said Rita Schreiber, picketing at Queen
Street Mental Hospital March 22. Of the 800 striking employees
at the hospital only six have crossed picket lines.
"This government is going to make people a lot more politically active," stated Susan Beniston, another hospital employee.
On March 20, 100 strikers gathered at the Whitney building for a picket line press conference to condemn the assault. Workers were angered by the reports in the daily papers.
"I read the articles in the Toronto Sun," said Watson. "It was all lies. It makes me wonder about everything else in that paper."
Initial attempts by the government to justify the police violence failed to silence the mounting anger among working people. Harris has been forced to order a public inquiry into the events.
The strikers have mobilized to maintain hundreds of picket lines across the province and to hold rallies and demonstrations.
Reaching out to other struggles
"Harris thought we were a wimpy bunch of civil servants. But
we've proved we're anything but that," said picket captain
David Bolton as 50 strikers picketed the main entrance to
MacDonald building in Toronto.
On March 22, three carloads of OPSEU strikers joined a picket line of teachers at Great Lakes College, also members of the same union. The teachers are resisting the college's demands for wage cuts of up to 60 percent and have been locked out since January 1 this year.
On March 23, OPSEU members were among the many unionists who joined the picket lines of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto. All entrances were blocked by hundreds of pickets and the track was all but empty for the first three races. At least three workers were injured by cars ramming through the lines.
Seven hundred members of the SEIU at Woodbine and other tracks have been locked out by management since February 26 after refusing to accept pay cuts of up to 45 percent and the elimination of benefits. Racetrack management, and the Great Lakes College administration, have hired scabs and are clearly out to break the unions.
Members of the SEIU joined OPSEU strikers at the March 25 demonstration. "We've got to stick together. They're out to bust the unions," said one worker from Woodbine. The OPSEU strike has become rallying point for opposition to the Harris government.
The daily papers reported March 26 that the government and union negotiators continued to meet as key issues remained in dispute. On strike since February 26, the OPSEU unionists remain determined to continue their fight.
"We are prepared to stay out as long as necessary," said Schreiber, "and to do whatever it takes."
Al Cappe is a member of United Steelworkers of America Local 5338 in Toronto.