Anywhere, any time - Unifor president challenges Hudak to a debate

TORONTO, Feb. 3, 2014 /CNW/ - The national president of Canada's largest union in the private sector today formally invited Ontario Progressive Conservative Party Leader Tim Hudak to a debate "anywhere, anytime" over Hudak's proposals to gut labour laws in the province.

"I have been through your plan, and quite simply the numbers just don't add up," Unifor National President Jerry Dias wrote in his letter to Hudak today.

Hudak has promoted legislation that would curtail workplace rights for Ontario. Research by Unifor, however, shows that U.S. states that have brought in such laws have seen a race to the bottom, with lower wages, unsafe workplaces and less money spent on schools and health.

All that, and with no difference in job creation, Dias said in his letter.

"No one wants that for Ontario," Dias wrote.

The letter from Dias follows an advertisement that ran in the Toronto Sun and the Niagara Falls Review over the weekend, inviting Hudak to a debate about his party's labour laws proposals.

"With some good ideas, we can do better for Ontario," the ad reads.

In his letter, Dias points that it would be far better for the two leaders to get together and debate the issue face-to-face.

"I am prepared to meet you anywhere, any time to debate this important issue," Dias wrote.

Dias is currently taking part in series of meetings with local Unifor leaders and members to prepare for a spring Rights at Work campaign to defend the rights of Canadians in the workplace.

Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, with more than 300,000 members across Canada, and some 156,000 in Ontario. It was founded Labour Day weekend when the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union merged.

To view the newspaper ad, please visit: www.unifor.org/rights

SOURCE: Unifor