End to strike demanded

Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop has called on the government to do more than just end a strike that has put the brakes on driving tests in the province.

Dunlop raised the issue of the DriveTest strike this week at Queen's Park. He said he has been asked by a number of people affected by the strike to help out.
He said it is "the government's duty to step in and not only end the neglect of public safety, but also assist our Ontario residents in continuing their livelihoods by achieving a fair and equitable settlement."
"Every group is affected. Our youth cannot obtain their drivers' licences at all. Numerous other individuals of all ages cannot renew or retry their licence. Livelihoods are being seriously compromised," he said. "Out-of-province or out-of-country new residents cannot exchange or apply for their Ontario licence and, without that licence, cannot buy or insure a vehicle."
Driving schools are losing business and their employees are losing jobs, he added.
The Liberal government also recently heard from the Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario.
The association's president, Gus Rahim, wrote a letter to Premier Dalton McGuinty. In the letter, Rahim tells McGuinty of "the catastrophic effects of the now eight-week-long strike by DriveTest (Serca DES, Inc.) on the driver training industry."
"Our programs are now virtually at a standstill, with fully-trained students waiting to start on a new career path, employers desperate to fill vacancies, and our own employees and staff facing massive layoffs," Rahim said. "Many students are now on extended EI benefits, struggling to feed their families, and further straining the resources of Ontario's social assistance network."
Job loss is one of the concerns that was raised also by Dunlop.
"In this time of high unemployment and uncertainty, adding to the problem.
"This strike is not about money. Employees are seeking security -- a minimum number of hours a week without the threat of supervisors doing the work of employees."