OROMOCTO, NB - The Union of National Defence Employees (UNDE) has been committed since April to making every effort to fight back against cuts to jobs and services announced in the federal budget. UNDE asked Locals to mobilize to challenge any cuts to core services. Today the UNDE local in at CFB Gagetown answered that call.
Union members held a press conference today with UNDE National President John McLennan, PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President Jeannie Baldwin, and NDP Members of Parliament Jack Harris, Yvon Godin and Peter Stoffer to raise the profile of the impact of these cuts in the public eye.
“The cuts to CFB Gagetown affect workers across the board from labourers to mechanics to administrative support. Canadians have a right to know the true impact these cuts will have on the community of Oromocto,” said UNDE National President John MacLennan.
Since the budget announcement, almost 17,000 members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada have been notified that their jobs are at risk. This includes 145 UNDE members at CFB Gagetown. In a community of roughly 9000, the union is concerned there will be significant fallout.
“Taking so many jobs out a place like Oromocto will impact everything from the survival of small businesses to public school enrollment,” says Jeannie Baldwin, Regional Executive Vice-President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada.
The cuts announced in the budget affect public service employees in a wide range of occupations at bases across Canada. This includes plumbers, electricians, labourers, comptrollers, communications specialists, safety and fire inspectors, vehicle technicians, administrative assistants and food service workers. The positions are not back-office public service jobs but are core jobs to support the military in front offices.
“I have yet to see the evidence to show how these job reductions will lead to savings for the Canadian tax payer. Some of these jobs are the lowest paid in the entire Federal government,” MacLennan added.
The Union of National Defence Employees (UNDE) represents approximately 20, 000 public and private sector workers at Department of National Defense establishments and facilities across Canada. UNDE is one of the largest components of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC).
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For further Information: Lesley Thompson, PSAC Communications, 902-471-6201
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