TORONTO, Ont. – Paul Moist, the national president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), will join striking U of T Press warehouse workers on Tuesday, March 20th. Moist plans to arrive on the picket line at 8:00 a.m.
Moist is traveling to Toronto to walk with striking members of CUPE 3261 who have been on strike since Monday, March 5th. U of T Press has hired replacement workers to do the work of the strikers.
CUPE 3261 employees now earn just $9.36 an hour, with no benefits. Many of them need to hold down two or three jobs, just so their families can survive.
“These workers are asking for a modest increase to $10 an hour, plus benefits. An amount,” said Moist, “that should really be the minimum wage in this country.”
The U of T Press has so far refused to agree.
The picket line is at the U of T Press warehouse at 5201 Dufferin Street, Toronto.
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For further information contact: Wendy Forbes, Communications Representative - 416-892-8716; Mary Catherine McCarthy, CUPE National Representative - 416-274-2637