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Printed September 17, 2024 at 6:10 pm
Final Up to date September 17, 2024 at 6:30 pm
Final week, the rest of employees on the just lately closed Ontario Science Centre have been laid off with pending information that they could resume work at a brand new Mississauga location.
On September 12, it was reported that the Dexterra Group, the cleansing firm commissioned by the province to keep up the power, can be shedding the remaining cleansing employees.
Consequently, 28 staff have been knowledgeable that their contract can be terminated by October 31 by way of a letter despatched to the Ontario Public Service Workers Union (OPSEU/SEFPO) on behalf of the Dexterra Group.
Martin Fischer, president of Native 549 — the OPSEU division representing the 28 staff — was saddened by the sudden closure of the power.
Nevertheless, this layoff course of is one thing that the union anticipated.
“They’re not looking at the impact that this decision has on staff, they are looking at their bottom line, and that’s what happens right? The contract gets canceled by the Ontario government and all the staff gets let go. They’re cutting their losses as much as they can,” Fischer instructed INsauga.com.
When information broke of those layoffs, OPSEU officers additionally obtained phrase {that a} potential continuation of the science centre could also be slated for a Mississauga facility.
“I saw that in the initial notice and it was very clear that that is what Dexterra was expressing, so maybe they heard something from the government. I can’t speak for the science centre and I can’t speak for the provincial government, as they haven’t officially announced that yet,” says Fischer.
If a brand new location, non permanent or in any other case, have been to be picked, Fischer famous that it might be a straightforward transfer as a lot of the displays throughout the Ontario Science Centre have already been prepped for journey.
“A lot of our exhibits are wrapped up on palettes and skids, they can be put on a forklift and put into a trailer at any time. So I think the minute a location is found, things will start to get moved out,” says Fischer.
INsauga.com contacted the Metropolis of Mississauga to inquire concerning the validity of the knowledge relayed to OPSEU by the Dexterra Group.
“We have not been informed of any decisions, but of course, Mississauga would welcome the Science Centre in our city,” a consultant for the Metropolis of Mississauga instructed INSauga.com by way of e mail.
Fischer additional indicated that, regardless of the fog surrounding a possible relocation, roughly two-thirds of Ontarians would nonetheless like the power to remain as is, supported by info from a survey earlier this month.
Past public sentiment, Fischer can be equally involved for workers and the viewing public, as the method of travelling to a brand new location could pose new challenges for many who have change into used to the present facility’s waterfront location in downtown Toronto
“Mississauga is hard to reach for a lot of our visitors, and eventually, when people acquire a job, they don’t have to relocate to somewhere they have to commute for too long. However, a lot of our [Local 549’s] people live east, which will make it very difficult for them to reach Mississauga — if that’s the decision that’s going to be made, it will be interesting,” says Fischer.
On the time of publication, no official phrase has been relayed by the Dexterra Group, OPSEU or the Metropolis of Mississauga on whether or not a relocation of the Ontario Science Centre to a Mississauga location is a concrete plan shifting ahead.
This leaves Fischer and Ontario Science Centre staff underneath the Native 549 umbrella unsure for the long run, as with no plans previous October 31 Fischer additional signifies that “It feels like we are all tenants who are getting evicted.”
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