"Let's end this spectacle"
Sheila Copps must stop the National Gallery
from further widening the gap with its workers

OTTAWA - The National Gallery of Canada management has decided to further alienate the two parties by requesting the Superior Court of Ontario to restrain further the peaceful picketing done by the 200 Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) striking members on the Gallery's Plaza. Although the public and the media have praised the strikers’ creative, original and peaceful methods of demonstrating, the Gallery managers continue to illustrate an aggressive behaviour towards the picketers by trying to remove their fundamental right to express themselves.

"This is ridiculous," says PSAC National President Nycole Turmel as she met with reporters in front of the Ontario Superior court. "While the difference between the workers' demands and the Gallery's salary offer is fairly minimal, Pierre Théberge, the Gallery director and his managers have decided to spend the money fighting this strike and our members’ right to picket."

"If Pierre Théberge and the Gallery’s Board of Trustees are having difficulty resolving this issue, then perhaps it’s time for Heritage Minister Sheila Copps to step in. I have asked to meet with the Minister, but in a letter last week she said she is too busy to see me. I am asking Ms. Copps to cancel her appearance at one or two barbecues this week and to listen to our solutions to end this strike. It has dragged on for too long."

"The Ottawa Citizen summed it up brilliantly in its editorial on June 20^th with the headline ‘Let's end this spectacle’. Now is the time for Pierre Théberge and his managers to offer a fair contract to the dedicated and hard-working employees who are currently on the picket line, rather than spending their energy and resources on lawyers’ fees and unwarranted security measures. Their ongoing aggressive behaviour and intimidation tactics are a waste of taxpayers’ money," concluded Turmel.

Negotiations between members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada Local 70397 and the managers of the National Gallery of Canada broke off in March 2001. Management’s salary proposals are still below the current regional inflation rate of over 3% and the yearly increases achieved by PSAC workers at the Canada Science and Technology Museum and the Canada Aviation Museum. The 200 employees of the NGC and CMCP have been on strike since May 10.

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Jim Prowse, president and member of the bargaining team, Local 70397 - PSAC
NGC and CMCP strike headquarters, 200 Dalhousie Street, Ottawa - (613) 244-0951
Pierre Lebel, communications officer, PSAC - (613) 560-5482

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