Canadian Building Trades Object to Bill C-377

The Canadian office of the AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department has sent a letter to MPs, noting that Bill C-377 is flawed and attempts to solve a problem that simply does not exist. The letter, from executive director Bob Blakely, says the legislation will drive up costs for unionized workers. Click here to read the letter. Click here to read Bill C-377.  

The Canadian office of the AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department has sent a letter to MPs, noting that Bill C-377 is flawed and attempts to solve a problem that simply does not exist. The letter, from executive director Bob Blakely, says the legislation will drive up costs for unionized workers.

Click here to read the letter.

Click here to read Bill C-377.

 

Send an Email to Protest Bill C-377

Canadian Labour Congress president Ken Georgetti has written a letter to Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher, asking union members to send an email to MPs in protest of Bill C-377. Click here to send an email. Following is the text of the letter to Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher: Dear Michael: Stephen Harper’s Conservatives are determined to ram through Bill C-377, a private members’ bill that will force every union, every union local, every local labour council, every federation of labour and the Canadian Labour Congress to file […]

Canadian Labour Congress president Ken Georgetti has written a letter to Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher, asking union members to send an email to MPs in protest of Bill C-377.

Click here to send an email.

Following is the text of the letter to Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher:

Dear Michael:

Stephen Harper’s Conservatives are determined to ram through Bill C-377, a private members’ bill that will force every union, every union local, every local labour council, every federation of labour and the Canadian Labour Congress to file intrusive financial reports that will be posted on a public website for every employer to see. We need your help now to stop this bill in its tracks!

The Canadian Bar Association says Bill C-377 should be withdrawn because it would invade the personal privacy of individual Canadians and is likely unconstitutional. Canada’s federal Privacy Commissioner also said that the bill would invade personal privacy and overreaches in its intent.

Yet Stephen Harper’s government wants to spend millions of your taxpayer dollars to set up a new bureaucracy to administer this bill. In the United States, a department that administers similar but less onerous reporting for unions had a budget of $41.3 million in 2012 – to track the financial reporting of 26,000 union locals. Stephen Harper’s government wants to track the spending of 25,000 union locals in Canada and we estimate it will cost the government anywhere from $32 million to $45 million a year just to operate – this at a time when the Conservatives are shutting down coast guards stations, search and rescue call centres, and eliminating food inspectors.

You and I know already that unions are accountable to their members. Any member coming to a local union meeting gets a detailed financial report from their elected executive on expenditures and an opportunity to ask questions.

Michael, we need your help now. Click here to send an email to your Member of Parliament that this bill is an unnecessary waste of taxpayers’ money.

Thank you for your help!

In solidarity,

Ken Georgetti

 

 

Online Petition Against Bill C-377

NDP labour critic and MP Alexandre Boulerice has posted an online petition against Bill C-377. Please show your support by signing the petition and feel free to forward it to anyone opposing Bill C-377. Click here for the petition.  

NDP labour critic and MP Alexandre Boulerice has posted an online petition against Bill C-377. Please show your support by signing the petition and feel free to forward it to anyone opposing Bill C-377.

Click here for the petition.

 

Update on Sino-Forest Lawsuit

The following is text of a press release that was issued by Siskinds LLP and Koskie Minsky LLP, regarding a class-action lawsuit against Sino-Forest Corp. The lawyers are representing Local 793 and the Labourers Pension Fund of Central and Eastern Canada in a multi-billion-dollar class-action suit against the Chinese-Canadian forestry company. December 03, 2012 – Siskinds LLP and Koskie Minsky LLP Announce $117 Million Settlement with Ernst & Young LLP in Sino-Forest Class Action TORONTO, ONTARIO – Siskinds LLP and Koskie Minsky LLP, class counsel in the Sino-Forest class action, are […]

The following is text of a press release that was issued by Siskinds LLP and Koskie Minsky LLP, regarding a class-action lawsuit against Sino-Forest Corp. The lawyers are representing Local 793 and the Labourers Pension Fund of Central and Eastern Canada in a multi-billion-dollar class-action suit against the Chinese-Canadian forestry company.

December 03, 2012 – Siskinds LLP and Koskie Minsky LLP Announce $117 Million Settlement with Ernst & Young LLP in Sino-Forest Class Action

TORONTO, ONTARIO – Siskinds LLP and Koskie Minsky LLP, class counsel in the Sino-Forest class action, are pleased to announce a $117 million settlement with Ernst & Young LLP in the Sino-Forest class action.

Ernst & Young LLP was Sino-Forest’s auditor from August 16, 2007 until its resignation on April 4, 2012.

The class action alleges that Sino-Forest, certain of its directors and officers, auditors and underwriters mislead investors concerning the business and accounting at the collapsed timber trader.

The settlement is the largest settlement by an auditor in Canadian history, by a large margin, and is one of the largest-ever auditor settlements worldwide.

“We are proud of this historic settlement,” said Dimitri Lascaris, partner in the Siskinds securities class actions group. “It provides direct and immediate benefits to the Class Members.

“Our clients are pleased with this result and we look forward to aggressively prosecuting the action against the remaining defendants,” said Kirk Baert, partner at Koskie Minsky.

The Siskinds securities class actions team has offices in London, Toronto and Montreal. The team, comprised of 12 lawyers admitted to practice in Ontario, Quebec, New York State, and the states of Queensland and Victoria in Australia, acts exclusively for investors.

Siskinds’ securities class actions team is complemented by lawyers in Siskinds’ affiliate, Siskinds, Desmeules, based in Quebec City.

Koskie Minsky, based in Toronto, is Canada’s leading labour and employment firm. Its class actions team, led by Mr. Baert, has been a leader in class actions since 1992 and has prosecuted many of the leading cases in the area.

The litigation continues against Allen T.Y. Chan, W. Judson Martin, Kai Kit Poon, David J. Horsley, William E. Ardell, James P. Bowland, James M.E. Hyde, Edmund Mak, Simon Murray, Peter Wang, Garry J. West, BDO Limited, Credit Suisse Securities (Canada), Inc., TD Securities Inc., Dundee Securities Corporation, RBC Dominion Securities Inc., Scotia Capital Inc., CIBC World Markets Inc., Merrill Lynch Canada Inc., Canaccord Financial Ltd., Maison Placements Canada Inc., Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated.

 

OETIO Training Prepares Operators of the Future

Local 793 apprentice Colin Wapachee was recently featured in a special section on trade contracting in the Daily Commercial News construction newspaper. Colin is from the First Nations community on Moose Factory Island in James Bay. In October, he completed a six-week tower crane apprenticeship course at the Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario campus in Oakville. Click here to see the story.  

Local 793 apprentice Colin Wapachee was recently featured in a special section on trade contracting in the Daily Commercial News construction newspaper. Colin is from the First Nations community on Moose Factory Island in James Bay. In October, he completed a six-week tower crane apprenticeship course at the Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario campus in Oakville.

Click here to see the story.

 

The Hostess Workers’ Fight is America’s Fight

Brian Hickey, IUOE general secretary-treasurer and business manager of Local 399, has issued a statement regarding the recent decision by Hostess Brands to shut down its operations. The local represents 130 maintenance engineers at Hostess. Following is the text of the press release. For Immediate Release November 18, 2012 The International Union of Operating Engineers represents 130 maintenance engineers working at Hostess facilities across the country Friday’s announcement that Hostess Brands plans to shut down operations for good caught many Americans by surprise. What they still don’t know is that […]

Brian Hickey, IUOE general secretary-treasurer and business manager of Local 399, has issued a statement regarding the recent decision by Hostess Brands to shut down its operations. The local represents 130 maintenance engineers at Hostess. Following is the text of the press release.

For Immediate Release
November 18, 2012

The International Union of Operating Engineers represents 130 maintenance engineers working at Hostess facilities across the country

Friday’s announcement that Hostess Brands plans to shut down operations for good caught many Americans by surprise.

What they still don’t know is that thousands of hard working men and women have been fighting to save the iconic brand from failing for years – the same men and women who Hostess management is now trying to blame for its demise.

Through gross mismanagement and naked greed, Hostess Brands is the latest example of vulture capitalists run amok.

The company’s unionized workforce, including 130 maintenance engineers represented by IUOE, have worked through two different bankruptcies in the past 10 years and taken huge cuts to wages and benefits to keep the company afloat.

They also saw the company unilaterally stop paying any of its employee pension obligations, in violation of federal labor law.

“To blame the workers at Hostess for this catastrophe is a half-baked talking point conceived by the same Wall Street vultures who are walking away with millions for destroying yet another American business,” said Brian Hickey, IUOE general secretary-treasurer and business manager of IUOE Local 399, which represents some of the Hostess workers.

“The Hostess workers have been through a lot, but they still believe in the brand and are still fighting for their company. We will continue to fight right alongside,” Hickey added.

The IUOE leadership and staff have been heavily involved in contract negotiations prior to and throughout the bankruptcy proceedings.

The IUOE is encouraging union families and the general public to support the Hostess workers by signing a pledge at http://go.aflcio.org/Hostess-Greed.

***

The International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) represents more than 400,000 members in 123 local unions across the U.S. and Canada, including operating engineers who work as heavy equipment operators, mechanics, surveyors in the construction industry; stationary engineers in building and industrial maintenance; nurses and other health care workers; and public employees.

Business Manager's Letter on Bill C-377

Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher has sent media across the country a letter-to-the-editor regarding Bill C-377. The legislation is presently before a House of Commons finance committee. If passed, the legislation will increase operating costs for unions and pension and benefit plans. The letter is on the iPolitics.ca website. Click here to read. Following is the text of the letter. Dear Editor: As business manager of Local 793 of the International Union of Operating Engineers, one of the largest construction unions in Ontario, I am writing to express my […]

Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher has sent media across the country a letter-to-the-editor regarding Bill C-377. The legislation is presently before a House of Commons finance committee. If passed, the legislation will increase operating costs for unions and pension and benefit plans.

The letter is on the iPolitics.ca website. Click here to read.

Following is the text of the letter.

Dear Editor:

As business manager of Local 793 of the International Union of Operating Engineers, one of the largest construction unions in Ontario, I am writing to express my concerns over legislation called Bill C-377 that’s presently being studied by a House of Commons finance committee.

The legislation, known as An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act (Labour Organizations), will result in excessive paperwork for our union, increase administrative costs for our pension and benefit plans by up to 20 per cent, and intrude on the privacy of our employees.

Bill C-377 will undermine our union and create red tape that will significantly add to our operating costs. It will also increase costs for government as an unnecessary, huge bureaucracy will be needed to administer the Bill C-377 reporting requirements.

The legislation was introduced as a private member’s bill by Conservative B.C. MP Russ Hiebert. The bill purports to force trade unions like ours to become more transparent and accountable, but it’s really a nudge-nudge, wink-wink attempt to take a run at labour.

The legislation is offensive to unions and the staff of our union. Specifically, it will require Local 793 and 25,000 other local unions, as well as pension, benefit and health and welfare trusts, to report salaries of staff as well as any payments in excess of $5,000. This information will be posted on a Canada Revenue Agency website for all to see.

This is truly Orwellian-type legislation that will usher in an era where there is no privacy and too much government control.

The bill would require administrators of pension and benefit plans or other trusts to disclose personal details of plan members and beneficiaries and send them to Ottawa for publication.

For example, a widow who receives a cheque for over $5,000 in life insurance benefits would have his or her name disclosed on a public website for everyone to see.

I fail to see how this would serve the public interest.

Why for example, would the federal government want to know how much money an individual union member gets back from his or her dental plan as reimbursement for braces for a child?

There are already enough checks and balances in place to ensure that unions are accountable to their members. Unions issue financial reports that are readily available to members and they’re subject to internal audits, which are filed with provincial authorities.

The justification for this bill has been that unions need to be scrutinized more closely because members can deduct dues from the income on their tax forms. However, the legislation would not apply to groups like employer associations, and medical and bar associations, whose members deduct professional fees from their federal taxes as employment expenses.

Curiously, such organizations fall outside the scope of this legislation. Why is that? If unions are targeted, why are other groups off the hook?

By the same token, why would corporations that get tax benefits for investing in new equipment not have to abide by the same disclosure requirements as unions would have to under Bill C-377?

It is blatantly unfair for government to make special rules for organizations like unions that might not support the Conservative agenda.

Groups like Merit Canada and the National Citizens Coalition that support the Conservatives are not required to disclose their financials.

In reality, this legislation is an attempt by the Conservatives to silence their critics.

Privately, Conservative MPs have told us that Bill C-377 is being proposed because the federal government is concerned with the success of the Working Families Coalition in Ontario. The Coalition was supported by a number of provincial unions, including Local 793.

The provincial Tories challenged the legality of the Working Families Coalition before the courts on two occasions – and they lost both times. Bill C-377, then, is really about paying back the unions for the success of this legal third-party organization here in Ontario.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that Merit Canada, which represents open shop construction associations, is the real force behind this legislation. Merit is the same group that successfully lobbied the government last year to repeal the Fair Wages and Hours of Labour Act and eliminate federal fair wages for construction. Merit Canada president Terrance Oakey has bragged publicly about his unprecedented access to government.

Media reports suggest that the prime minister’s chief of staff and director of planning have both met with Oakey and MP Hiebert to discuss the legislation. On Oct. 23, Oakey met with Nigel Wright, the prime minister’s chief of staff, and Alykhan Velshi, the prime minister’s director of planning. Hiebert was also at the meeting.

Curiously, though, Merit fails to publicly disclose any financial information and will not be required to by this bill if it passes.

Unfortunately, Conservative politicians aren’t speaking out against this odious legislation. They should follow the lead of Brent Rathgeber, Conservative MP for Edmonton-St. Albert, who has stated he can not support Bill C-377.

Rathgeber, a lawyer, recently stated in a blog on his website that both the scope and the breadth of the legislation is causing him some trouble.

“Where is the public interest in any of this disclosure?” he asks in the article.

I find it ironic that the Conservative government decided to scrap the long-gun registry because it infringed upon the privacy of gun owners but is intent on passing Bill C-377, which would violate the privacy rights of unionized workers.

The Canadian Bar Association has said that the legislation is “problematic from a constitutional and a privacy perspective” and believes it is inappropriate for it to be brought forward as amendments to taxation legislation.

In a democracy like ours, unions must be able to operate without government interference. Sadly, however, it appears that the Conservatives have singled out unions for special consideration because they were brazen enough to take part in the political process. The message, it seems, is that organizations that tow the line have no need to worry.

At times, democracies can be an inconvenience for governments. However, in order for a true democracy to work, all types of groups must be included, and that includes unions, women’s rights or environmental groups. I find it troubling that unions are being singled out with this legislation just because they disagree with the ruling Conservative party.

The Conservatives have no right to target unions simply because they have a different point of view. Bill C-377 is neither reasonable nor fair, and, quite simply, it should be axed.

Mike Gallagher
Business Manager
Local 793, International Union of Operating Engineers
905-469-9299, ext. 2202

Redshaw Scholarship Awards & Essays

Winners of the 2012 Jack Redshaw Scholarship awards were announced recently by the union. The winners were: Emma Kolesar (Hamilton): She is pursuing a Bachelor of Health Sciences at McMaster University. Her relative is grandfather Bud Miyata, a 52-year member. Click here for her essay. Lucas Turpin (Sault Ste. Marie): He is pursuing Art & Humanities at the University of Western Ontario. His relative is father Robert Turpin, a 10-year member. Click here for his essay. Angela Hollasch (Oakville): She is pursing a Bachelor in Humanities & Fine Arts at […]

Winners of the 2012 Jack Redshaw Scholarship awards were announced recently by the union.

The winners were:

  • Emma Kolesar (Hamilton): She is pursuing a Bachelor of Health Sciences at McMaster University. Her relative is grandfather Bud Miyata, a 52-year member. Click here for her essay.
  • Lucas Turpin (Sault Ste. Marie): He is pursuing Art & Humanities at the University of Western Ontario. His relative is father Robert Turpin, a 10-year member. Click here for his essay.
  • Angela Hollasch (Oakville): She is pursing a Bachelor in Humanities & Fine Arts at the University of Toronto. Her relative is father Walter Hollasch, a 31-year member. Click here for her essay.
  • Kelsie Kiss (London): She is pursing a Bachelor of Arts at McGill University. Her relative is father Trevor Kiss, a 32-year member. Click here for her essay.
  • Kathleen Clarke (Belleville): She is pursuing Concurrent Education at Queen’s University. Her relative is her late grandfather, William Irwin, a 52-year member at the time of his death. Click here for her essay.
  • Nathaniel Carter (Windsor): He is pursuing Respiratory Therapy at St. Clair College. His relative is father David Carter, a 31-year member. Click here for his essay.
  • Carly Bedford (Hamilton): She is pursing a Bachelor of Arts & Sciences at the University of Toronto. Her relative is father David Bedford, a 26-year member. Click here for her essay.
  • Ashley Boere (Sarnia): She is pursuing a double major in the Faculty of Science at the University of Western Ontario. Her relative is grandfather James Boere, a 56-year member. Click here for her essay.
  • Stephanie Fodero (Oakville): She is pursing a Bachelor of Arts at Ryerson University. Her relative is father Antonio Varone, a seven-year member. Click here for her essay.
  • Rochelle Jorge (Oakville): She is pursing a Commerce degree at McMaster University. Her relative is father Hilario Jorge, a 10-year member.

The scholarship is named in honour of the late Jack Redshaw who was a Local 793 member for 42 years. He was a business rep for 20 years and also served as labour relations manager and recording-corresponding secretary. Redshaw was later labour side officer at the Ontario Labour Relations Board.

The awards are available to the sons, daughters and grandchildren of Local 793 members in good standing. The scholarship recipient must be entering the first or subsequent year of a full-time course of study (at least two years in length) leading to a diploma, certificate or degree from any recognized Canadian public college or university.

Each applicant had to submit an essay of not more than 1,000 words, explaining why the scholarship would be of assistance and how being a dependent or grandchild of a Local 793 member has affected the applicant’s life.

Each scholarship winner received a cheque for $2,000 towards his or her school expenses.

Unions Lobby Against Bill C-377

Representatives from Local 793 and the Canadian office of the IUOE joined union activists from across the country in Ottawa on Oct. 30 for a special lobby day against Bill C-377. The union representatives met throughout the day with a number of federal Conservative MPs and Senators in an effort to convince them to vote against the legislation. The event, organized by the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), was attended by more than 200 union members. Local 793 representatives included Eastern Ontario area supervisor Rick Kerr, Ottawa business rep Andre Chenier, […]

Representatives from Local 793 and the Canadian office of the IUOE joined union activists from across the country in Ottawa on Oct. 30 for a special lobby day against Bill C-377.

The union representatives met throughout the day with a number of federal Conservative MPs and Senators in an effort to convince them to vote against the legislation.

The event, organized by the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), was attended by more than 200 union members.

Local 793 representatives included Eastern Ontario area supervisor Rick Kerr, Ottawa business rep Andre Chenier, Belleville business rep Jonathan Sprung, assistant labour relations manager Brian Alexander, and director of communications Grant Cameron. Steven Schumann, Canadian government affairs director for the IUOE, represented the International.

The day started with a breakfast meeting at the Delta Ottawa City Centre hotel in downtown Ottawa. Representatives then fanned out to pre-arranged meetings with politicians.

The Bill, officially known as An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act (Labour Organizations), Bill C-377, was introduced as a private member’s bill by Conservative MP Russ Hiebert. The legislation is presently being reviewed by the federal Standing Committee on Finance.

The unions hope to convince federal Conservatives that the legislation should be defeated.

They maintain the legislation will only lead to more paperwork and expense for every union that administers pension and benefits plans as they would have significantly more reporting requirements, some of which duplicates existing regulatory requirements.

The unions also argue that the legislation would be very expensive for the federal government to administer, and that it would intrude on individual privacy and may be unconstitutional.

CLC secretary-treasurer Hassan Yussuff told the breakfast meeting that unions have to defeat C-377 because the goal of the legislation is to cripple the Canadian labour movement.

He said MPs and Cabinet ministers need to take “a deep breath” and realize what the legislation is really about – and that is to destroy labour.

“This piece of legislation has nothing to do with transparency,” he told delegates, noting that unions are already required by law to disclose financial information.

The constitutions of labour organizations, in addition to federal and provincial labour laws, already require unions to issue financial reports and make them available to members.

The problem is that C-377 would require unions to provide highly detailed and complicated financial statements far in excess of what could be considered reasonable or fair.

C-377 would require the government to make those details available, not just to union members for greater accountability, but to anyone for any reason, including anti-union employers and interest groups that could use the information to undermine unions and defeat organizing drives.

The unions argue that the very extensive and detailed reporting rules contained in C-377 would simply bury union members and the public in data. The large and complex financial reports would be difficult for many rank-and-file union members to work with, resulting in a barrier to accountability rather than an enhancement.

Even the Fraser Institute, a right-wing think tank, admits that the huge volume of information required by C-377 would make it extremely difficult and time consuming for anyone to get a realistic picture of a union’s finances.

Chris Roberts, senior economist at the CLC, said the legislation is simply “bully politics” and the bill will force unions to file significantly expanded financial information that will be expensive for both unions and the government.

“I’m not just talking about PDFs of union financial statements,” he said, “but something more elaborate.”

The unions maintain that C-377 would add to the paperwork and reporting requirements for union pension and benefits plans, thereby increasing the administrative costs of pension plans. Pension plans would have to compile and report to the government literally thousands of payments in excess of $5,000 to beneficiaries.

The additional audit and administrative costs of complying with C-377 could lead to a reduction in the pension and benefit payments available to plan members, the unions warn.

Meanwhile, the unions note that the government will have to pay for the cost of establishing a computer-based system for electronic filing, compiling and publishing of union financial data and also the additional costs for monitoring, auditing and enforcing the legislation.

Unions are also concerned about the legality of the legislation because it would require any Canadian who receives benefits from a plan that also covers union members to have their name, address and the amount paid collected, reported to the government and published online.

The unions say C-377 is discriminatory because it singles out unions and union members for unfair treatment under the law. C-377 applies only to unions and excludes professional organizations such as bar associations and medical associations whose members are also able to deduct professional fees from their taxes as employment expenses, just like union members.

The Canadian Bar Association has said that C-377 is “problematic from a constitutional and a privacy perspective” and that it “has the potential to invite constitutional challenge and litigation.”

The unions say C-377 violates both the spirit and the letter of the federal privacy laws, including the federal Privacy Act and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act – and it almost certainly violates the provincial privacy laws such as Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act.

NDP labour critic Alexandre Boulerice told delegates at the meeting that union members must convince the Conservatives that unions already have transparency and that the proposed legislation is a bad bill.

“This is not a union battle,” he said. “This is a common-sense battle.”

Liberal labour critic Rodger Cuzner said the legislation is an egregious attack on unions and is neither balanced nor fair.

“It’s wrong and can’t be supported.”

Trades Council Acts on Suggestion by Gallagher

Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher has convinced the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario to further investigate the case of a widow whose benefits are going to be significantly reduced by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). Gallagher asked the Council to look into the matter after hearing a presentation on Oct. 20 from Carmine Tiano, the Council’s director of occupational services. Tiano told delegates attending a Council meeting that the widow, whose husband was retired and died from mesothelioma, was entitled to a monthly survivor […]

Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher has convinced the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario to further investigate the case of a widow whose benefits are going to be significantly reduced by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB).

Gallagher asked the Council to look into the matter after hearing a presentation on Oct. 20 from Carmine Tiano, the Council’s director of occupational services.

Tiano told delegates attending a Council meeting that the widow, whose husband was retired and died from mesothelioma, was entitled to a monthly survivor benefit of $2,170 under the WSIB’s current practice.

As the deceased was not working, the WSIB followed its established practice of using what the worker would likely have earned when calculating benefit payments for the widow.

However, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal (WSIAT) later ruled that in cases where the worker is retired at the time of diagnosis with no earnings, a widow’s entitlement should be based on the statutory minimum of $15,313 when calculating benefit payments.

Therefore, Tiano said, the widow only qualifies for $235 a month in benefit payments, instead of $2,170.

Gallagher told the meeting that the decision was “very disturbing” and the Council should see what else can be done.

“I always hate to hear that there’s nothing we can do about it,” he said. “We’re all here because we want to make a difference and this is an injustice.”

Gallagher suggested that the Council take the matter to a judicial review in order to get the ruling overturned.

Patrick Dillon, business manager of the Council, said he fully agreed with Gallagher’s suggestion and will start work on the matter right away.

He noted that the Council has already written a letter to Premier Dalton McGuinty and Labour Minister Linda Jeffrey, requesting immediate action be taken to rectify the situation.

Dillon said he’ll do “whatever is possible” to get the decision of the WSIAT reversed.