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Political and business leaders gathering in Toronto must hear a loud and clear message from the streets, 'Put people First.' - Warren (Smokey) Thomas.
Toronto (18 June 2010) - The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/NUPGE) is urging all OPSEU members to turn out for a rally at 1 p.m. on June 26 at Queen's Park in Toronto to send an important message to G-20 leaders - Put people First.
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Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU president, says it is important to speak out clearly because global political leaders will be meeting with global business leaders - the so-called "B-20" - and the concerns ordinary people could easily be lost in the process.
"As working people, it’s our job to give world leaders a different perspective. It’s our job to tell them: put people first," says Thomas.
"That’s why I am inviting every OPSEU member to join me at Queen's Park on Saturday, June 26 at 1 p.m. We’re going to send a strong message to big businessmen and the politicians they control."
Thomas says G-20 taxpayers have spent trillions of dollars over the past two years to rescue corporate gamblers who treated the economy like their personal casino.
"These gamblers were happy to rake in the chips when their scams were working. But when they went broke, they came to government with their hands out," he says.
"Now that they’ve got their money, global business says it’s time for a 'fiscal exit strategy.' They want big cuts to public spending – in every country. They want layoffs and lower wages for public employees. They want us to slash public services for everyone who needs them.
"Big business leaders say public sector cutbacks will help calm the markets. But what are markets?" Thomas asks.
"The markets are not things at all but people. At the level of global finance, they are the highest-paid bankers, stock brokers and CEOs. They are the grey men who only care about their own bank accounts."
Thomas says when big business says tough decision are needed, they never mean decisions that will be tough on them.
"They were rich before and they will stay rich. They mean the decisions will be tough on others. They don’t care about the neglected child, the worker without a job, the mother without health care or the kind of planet our kids will inherit," he says,
"Well, I care. And I know OPSEU members care. That’s why we’re backing important new ideas like the Robin Hood Tax, a neat idea that won’t hurt a bit but will raise hundreds of billions to build a better world.
"On June 26, we’ll be on the streets of Toronto in an orderly march and rally to send a progressive message to G-20 leaders – and to our friends all over the world."
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE
More information:
OPSEU at the G-20 summit