Wynne should fire Jaczek for SAMS breakdown says OPSEU

"Ms. Jaczek ignored the sound advice she was offered by frontline staff months ago and chose instead to forge ahead with a new system that was not fit for operation." — Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU President.

Toronto (12 Feb. 2015) — Notwithstanding the announcement on February 10 that a third party will evaluate how and why the computer system that administers social assistance payments in Ontario broke down, Premier Kathleen Wynne should dismiss Community and Social Services Minister Helena Jaczek for her role in the fiasco, says the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. (OSPEU/NUPGE).

Breakdown in computer system monitoring social assistance payments disasterous for disadvantaged recipients

"The only people who have experienced suffering as a result of the SAMS disaster are the tens of thousands of disadvantaged recipients and their families who have borne the brunt of ministerial incompetence," said OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas. "It's time the Premier fired the minister because this mess unfolded under her watch."

"It needn't have been this way," the OPSEU President added, "Ms. Jaczek ignored the sound advice she was offered by front-line staff months ago and chose instead to forge ahead with a new system that was not fit for operation. No amount of third-party examination at this point can reverse the unsound judgment she and her senior managers exercised in the first place."

"I find it odd and misguided that they're bringing in a private-sector third party to clean up a mess created by outsourcing the job to IBM in the first place. In fact, I would go one step further and file a lawsuit against IBM for its gross incompetence in developing the SAMS program."

Government mishandling of outsourced computer problems leads to lawsuit and injunction

Thomas said OPSEU/NUPGE is moving ahead with its lawsuit and injunction application on grounds that the government violated the rights of social assistance recipients under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms by implementing a system it knew was deeply flawed. OPSEU/NUPGE, joined by recipients and community groups, will seek a court order to suspend the SAMS program until it can provide reliable, timely and accurate benefits to those in need. Applications for intervener status will be considered by the court on February 12.

The government's mishandling of the file has resulted in more income hardship for Ontario Disability Support Program and Ontario Works recipients that could stretch into March, said Thomas. The SAMS program meltdown has also affected related issues such as HST rebates, child tax credits and other income assistance programs.

Workers warned government of potential problems with new system, but Liberals outsourced program management to private company

Thomas said the breakdown in the SAMS program fits a pattern dating back more than a decade, as successive Liberal governments have turned more and more to outside private sector consultants and companies to take on work that had been accomplished inside the public sector for decades.

The most recent evidence of this was presented by the Auditor General in 2014 when she reported more than $8 billion in taxpayer's money had been squandered through ill-advised deals with private sector firms, when the evidence demonstrated that the public sector could perform the work more efficiently and cost-effectively.

"OPSEU/NUPGE members working on the front-lines were the first to sound the alarm over serious problems in the SAMS, but their voices were largely ignored. They continue to do outstanding work under extraordinary circumstances," said Thomas.

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