NEWS

Why does Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop continue his unsubstantiated claims against the Ontario College of Trades (OCOT) panel ruling regarding the Electricians ratio review by attacking Mr. Bernie Fishbein and alleging conflict of interest? 

Mr. Fishbein was announced as Chair of the Electricians ratio review panel well in advance of the hearings and no objections were raised at that time.   Mr. Fishbein is highly valued for his expertise garnered over many years in the field of labour relations.  His credentials are solid as is his decision making history. We say this regardless of our earlier adversarial past and despite some more recent Labour Relations Board decisions which have gone against ECAO under his Chairmanship.

The rules and procedures for the OCOT ratio reviews went through province-wide public consultations prior to any hearings being held.  The final procedures, as approved by our business peers on the Board of Governors, were published by OCOT for all to consider with adequate lead time to prepare and respond accordingly.  All stakeholders followed the process. The process was transparent.  There were no objections.

With nearly 300 submissions received, the ratio review panel had to schedule a pre-hearing, case management day to review and schedule the submissions for hearing.  It would appear the OEL was trying to clog the process with hundreds of OEL members pretending to be acting as individuals while only repeating the OEL position.  In spite of the transparent tactic of the OEL, Mr. Fishbein nonetheless allowed over a dozen OEL submissions to go forward to hearing. The OEL submissions, which repetitively were in favour of the 1-to-1 ratio, required the other presenters to sit through and endure before getting their opportunity to speak.  The ECAO submission supported by the IBEW/CCO was only made once.

If anybody’s decisions need to be reviewed for abusing the tribunal process for ratio review they are Garfield Dunlop's and his 1-to-1 sycophants'.