(Toronto) - After 13 weeks on the picket line, workers at the Toronto Boys Home have ratified a new three-year contract and ended their strike against the agency.
The members of CUPE Local 3501, who work primarily in group homes for Young Offenders, had been on strike since January 14. The 75 workers were fighting off concessions from an employer who was intent on gutting their contract
Improvements in the new contract include:
- All major concessions off the table (i.e. reduction of period on recall list; automatic termination clauses)
- Introduction of a vision care plan
- Expanded definition of family for the purposes of bereavement leave
- Increased amount of time for family leave
- Increased number of days book-off for Union business
- Increased length of job postings being up
- Removal of all disciplinary letters/suspensions received during the work stoppage
- No retaliation etc. against members for participating in the strike
- Increased signing bonus - $875 gross for full time and a calculation based on hours worked for part time
- Expiry date of December 31, 2002
Ironically, in the midst of the strike, a KPMG report commissioned by several employer groups acknowledged that workers in this sector are grossly underpaid. Wage differentials in the Toronto area were pegged at between 23 % and 27 %.
CUPE will continue to lobby for increased funding to the sector.
For information:
Bridget Pridham’s, President, CUPE Local 3501
(416) 231-2295 (o)
John McCracken, CUPE Communications Rep.
(416) 292-3999 (o)
Peter Paulekat, CUPE National Rep.
(416) 292-3999 (o)