Sunshine law has some clouds, ONR union chief says

Today's release of public sector salaries $100,000 and up has triggered a reaction from a local union chief.

Brian Stevens wants the Ontario Government "to shed more sun" into the Sunshine Law when it comes to the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission.

Details are included in the following news release issue this afternoon:
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North Bay
CAW Local 103 is calling on the Ontario Government to direct the ONTC Commission to live up to the full spirit of the Public Sector Salary Disclosure law even if that means going beyond the legislative obligation of transparency and accountability to the taxpayers of the province of Ontario.

“Our letter to Minister Bartolucci will be demanding that his office direct the ONTC Commission to immediately release the compensation being paid to ONTC’s VP Operations and Service Improvement."

"Last fall Mr. Hains publicly stated that the taxpayers were getting a bargain as he was charging his Northern Rate of somewhat over $35,000 per month."

"How can the taxpayers of the province be assured of transparency and accountability when the VP Operations and Service Improvement conceals his compensation disclosure requirements through a Southern Ontario consulting firm? The ONTC Commission’s failure to fully report all compensation over the $100,000 threshold makes a mockery of the whole reporting procedure as well as the intent and spirit of the designed transparency” said CAW Local 103 President Brian Stevens.

Each year, since the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act was passed in 1996, the Ontario Government has published a report of public sector employees who were paid a salary of $100,000 or more. (www.gov.on.ca/FIN/english/psecteng.htm) Organizations that receive public funding from the Province of Ontario are required to disclose the names, positions, salaries and taxable benefits of these employees.

“We have attempted for some time to obtain the real total compensation being paid to Mr. Roy Hains, the VP Operations and Service Improvement through a Freedom of Information request. We have been stalled by the ONTC Commission and recently we were advised that we would have to pay a fee to receive that information. Information that ought to be publicly reported in today’s disclosures, without fee to any taxpayer!” added Stevens

The CAW represents approximately 400 unionized workers at Ontario Northland who’s members perform work in ever sector of the organization, from Rail and Bus division mechanics to clerical workers in ONTelcom, On-Board service staff on the passenger trains, to housekeeping staff at the Cochrane Station Inn. The CAW represents ONTC employees in North Bay, Englehart, New Liskeard, Kirkland Lake, Cochrane, Timmins, Hearst, Kapuskasing, Moosonee and Rouyn Quebec.