The members of CUPE 5129 held a solidarity rally on Sunday, December the 7th outside Sherbrooke Heights in Peterborough. Members of the Peterborough labour community joined CUPE 5129 members to send a message to Atira Retirement Canada that threats and intimidation won’t break their resolve, and that the only path forward is a fair wage offer.
“The living wage in Peterborough for 2025 is $22.20 an hour,” said Heather Blackburn, president of CUPE 5129. “The offer the employer made wouldn’t even reach that for most of our members by 2027. We have families to feed, bills to pay. We need an offer that respects our needs.”
The union has been in negotiations with Atira since the spring. Talks broke down after the Atira failed to provide a wage offer that meets the pattern within the sector in Ontario. The parties are working with a conciliator to try and reach a deal before the deadline on December 15th. The union is hopeful that the employer will return to the table with a wage offer that respects the services the workers provide.