Darcy To Lead Windsor Labour Day Parade
(Windsor) - The national president of Canada’s largest union will be joining striking CUPE health care workers to lead this year’s Windsor Labour Day Parade.
The 40 members of CUPE Locals 3626 and 3741-1, who have been on strike at the Windsor Essex Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) for nine weeks now will be joined by Judy Darcy at the head of Monday’s (September 7) parade. Darcy is the National President of the 460,000-member Canadian Union of Public Employees.
Darcy says she’s “proud to be marching with the CCAC workers who have now fought a nine-week battle on behalf of the people of Windsor and Essex County, a battle which is quite literally about the future of the health care system.”
Darcy says “the employer in this strike has bought into the Mike Harris vision of health care in Ontario, which includes contracting out jobs to the lowest bidder, low-wage jobs for workers and lots of opportunities for private companies to make money off the backs of sick people.”
The CUPE National President says, “that’s what these striking women and men are fighting for and I’m honoured to be joining them for this year’s Labour Day Parade in Windsor - a community that has a proud tradition of standing up for the rights of working people and decent jobs.”
Darcy will bring a message of support and solidarity on behalf of the thousands of CUPE locals across Canada who are watching this labour dispute closely because of its implications for the future of health care.