About

INVESTIGATING TIM HUDAK’S PLAN TO CUT YOUR WAGES

Starting Thursday click on the Funny Van Graphic to tune into OPSEU’s new daily serial.

OK. It’s not a serial. It’s a blog.

It’s OPSEU’s “Road Trip 2013 – The Quest to Find the Truth about ‘Right to Work.’”

OPSEU is dispatching staff videographer Anna Jover Royo, graphic designer Jason Alward, logistics coordinator Aura Aberback, and former CBC journalist Bill Gillespie on a journey of discovery to the USA.

Why?

Because Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak has added a new American-style plank to his platform – so-called “right to work” legislation.

What is it?

Hudak says it’s all about freedom of choice, but labour leaders such as OPSEU’s Warren (Smokey) Thomas say it’s a trojan horse meant to cut everybody’s wages.

For more than 70 years Canada has operated under a democratic system called the Rand Formula. Once a majority of workers at a public or private enterprise vote to join a union and the union is certified, everyone at that workplace pays union dues. Why? Because everyone gets the benefits and protections negotiated by the union.

But American right to work laws say thatif someone doesn’t want to pay union dues they don’t have to – but they still get the benefits of the union contact.  They get a free ride at the expense of dues paying members. 

But there’s more.

On our journey we’ll interview a prominent American mathematician whose research shows workers in RTW states now make an average of $1500 less than workers in non-RTW states.

That’s why our crew of Road Warriors is being dispatched to the USA - to find out how it really works in practice.

Stay tuned to this website for daily video updates and a written diary from our Road Warriors. 

It should be quite a ride!