Toronto Members from the Canadian Union of public Employees (CUPE) flying squad are taking part today in a direct action against Accu-fax at 28 Queen St. S. in Streetsville, Mississauga, between 11:00a.m. and 5p.m.
Accu-fax is a security company hired by employers to intimidate strikers during labour disputes. Victoria Day Care Centre management used Accu-fax during a bitter strike over the past year that resulted in closure of the Centre.
The Accu-fax bullies were standing guard at Victoria Day Care Centre to keep out 23 childcare workers. How ludicrous is that? Tens of thousands of dollars of public money were wasted on this hired muscle. Thats money that could have gone into settling strikes, says Brian OKeefe, secretary treasurer of CUPE Ontario.
In addition to the intimidation, Accu-fax installed surveillance cameras to gather intelligence on the peaceful strikers.
The action today was organized by the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) to protest the use of Accu-fax during a lengthy strike at Falconbridge in Sudbury this past year.
The hiring of this kind of company for surveillance and strike breaking is new to the public sector and CUPE is at the protest today to tell companies like Accu-fax that we will fight back, says OKeefe.
CUPE members, many of them from local 3903, are joining Brian OKeefe in this direct action demonstration.
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For more information contact:
Brian OKeefe, Secretary Treasurer
(416) 579-7414
Stella Yeadon, CUPE Communications
(416) 578-8774
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