Tories can’t vote for ‘toothless’ wage freeze bill from Liberals: Hudak

TORONTO – The Progressive Conservatives say they cannot vote for the proposed public sector wage freeze legislation from Ontario’s minority Liberal government.

Opposition Leader Tim Hudak says the draft legislation has no teeth or backbone because it exempts municipalities, police and firefighters, and it fails to impose an immediate pay freeze.

Instead, the Liberals’ bill would freeze the wages of public sector employees for two years after their current contracts expire.

Hudak says the Tories would open existing contracts to impose a freeze on all public sector workers and take away bonuses given to 98 per cent of government managers.

The New Democrats flatly oppose the legislation, saying they expect it will be struck down by the courts and end up costing taxpayers even more in the long run.

That means the Liberals need at least two PC votes to pass the wage freeze bill, but Hudak says the government must first broaden the scope of the legislation and strengthen proposed changes to the arbitration process.

The government says it needs all civil servants and workers in the broader public sector, including doctors and nurses, to take a wage freeze to help eliminate a deficit of almost $15 billion.