January 1, 2007

Working Families coalition not a front for Liberal party: Dillon

Organization represents “all Ontario families and their concerns”

VINCE VERSACE

staff writer

Working Families is an independent organization looking out for the interests of families and is not a Liberal, union-backed, attack dog, states its spokesperson.

“We represent all Ontario families and their concerns,” says Patrick Dillon, Working Families spokesperson and leader of the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario.

“We are an independent non-partisan organization raising awareness about issues that are important to families.”

The Progressive Conservatives have recently charged Working Families is being used by the Liberals to attack Tory policy. Critics charge during the past four years, the lobby group’s affiliated unions were rewarded for their support in the 2003 election. Working Families ran a media campaign considered by some to be “attack-ads” against the Tories in the last provincial election.

Ties between Ontario Liberal staffers and companies providing services to both Working Families and the provincial party cannot be ignored, states Anas Melhem, Working Families Coalition Watch spokesperson. Approximately 88 per cent of the coalition’s funding comes from trade unions, Melhem says.

“There are no construction-related issues even up on their website,” says Melhem. “We want Working Families to be open and transparent. What are they getting out if this? Why are they doing this? How does it benefit Ontario?”

Dillon says the group is being transparent by openly declaring their supporters. He says there is no hidden compensation or prize waiting in the wings from the provincial Liberals should they win.

“If someone wants to know what is on the table, I hope what is on the table is the education system. Improving the environment is on the table and improving issues of poverty are on the table too,” says Dillon.

“When people are done accusing us, I hope they thank us for raising these issues and possibly helping improve some of these things.”

"No one has said there is anything wrong with our messages and the issues we raise"

Patrick Dillon

Working Families

Melhem says union-run skills training centres have benefited to the tune of $25 million provincial dollars in 2007. These centres are not open to all of Ontarians which puts this funding into question, says Melhem.

The Liberals also adopted Bill 144 which included card-based certification and remedial certification.

“We feel the Liberals were afraid to get on some labour law issues, that it may have somehow reflected or sent a message to the unions,” says Melhem.

“We think there is an indirect connection between the Liberals and the changes they did not make.

“They did not want to rock the boat.”

Melhem says among the watch group’s supporters are both union and non-unionized individuals working in the construction industry.

The group intends to release the names of its supporters soon after fundraising commitments are met.

Clive Thurston, Ontario General Contractors Association president, says some of the points raised by the watch group have caused him concern but “not so much about partisanship.”

On the surface, Working Families appears to be grassroots but its dominant membership suggests it is being “run by unions,” says Thurston.

He echoes the watchdog group’s questioning of what motivated the creation of the coalition. If promises were made “tell us about it. It is only fair.”

In the furor over alleged promises to unions and accusations that Working Families is a Liberal attack group, one thing is missing, says Dillon.

“No one has said there is anything wrong with our messages and the issues we raise.”

In the last provincial election, the Working Families coalition had an active campaign opposing anything supported by then Conservative Premier Ernie Eves. The group was comparing all things conservative to the Mike Harris days of running Ontario.

The coalition also encouraged its members to vote strategically and cast ballots for Liberal candidates, effectively abandoning the traditionally labour-backed New Democratic Party.

What is Working Families?

Working Families was created to advocate and raise awareness concerning Ontario issues. The group states, on its website, that its responsibility in the current election is to “remind voters what it was like four years ago, what has changed and what’s at stake for working families.” Critics of the group claim the union-backed group is merely a Liberal attack-dog and its affiliated unions have benefited in provincial funding and decisions for their support.

Working Families’ supporting members are:
Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association
Canadian Auto Workers
Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation
International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Local 128
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Millwrights
International Union of Operating Engineers Local 793
Ontario Pipe Trades Council
Ontario Provincial Council of Painters and Allied Trades
Ironworkers Local 721

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