Paramedics picket: Rally for fair pensions for Ontario’s 5,000 paramedics May 23

MEDIA ADVISORY

Pension fairness is a key issue for 5,000 Ontario paramedics, who lag behind police officers and firefighters when it comes to the retirement benefits they can expect.

Ontario’s Paramedics deserve the right to negotiate retirement at age 60 with full pension, a right police and firefighters enjoy, say the four unions who together represent most of these key public safety workers.

Paramedics from the four unions, Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), will rally May 23 to send a message to the OMERS Sponsors Corporation that they want the right to negotiate a normal retirement age of 60.

The annual meeting of Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) is at the Sheraton Centre, May 23.

Paramedics from across Ontario will rally before the meeting in an adjacent location nearby Queen Street, to support changes to the OMERS pension plan that would allow union locals the right to negotiate retirement at age 60 with a full pension.

When: Friday May 23 – 9:00 a.m.

Where: Queen Street West, North of the Sheraton Centre, Toronto

What: Paramedics from CUPE, OPSEU, CAW, SEIU will join in a united front, for fairness and the right to retire at 60 with full pension.

Who: Speakers from each of the four unions.