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May 26 - “Its time to replace cut-throat competition with real solidarity and cooperation among unions,” says CUPE National President, Judy Darcy.

Speaking today to over 1,000 CUPE Ontario delegates gathered in Toronto for their annual convention, Darcy said, “It is time for destructive union wars to stop. Competition may be the order of the day in corporate boardrooms, but it does not belong in the labour movement.”

Darcys strong message to Ontario CUPE members today centred on the need to increase union power by bringing the union to all workers. “The way to organize more unorganized workers is for unions to work together, ” she said.

“Thats exactly the policy I am fighting for at the Canadian Labour Congress. Organizing should not be about turf wars. It should be about taking on the boss,” Darcy told cheering delegates.

At CUPEs national convention last October, CUPE members endorsed the idea to one day bring about one big public sector union. Darcy told delegates today that, “The way to do it is not by rhetoric or raiding. Its by building cooperation.”

At this time in Canada with the public sector under attack, it is crucial for public sector unions to work together. Darcy has called for “labour unity in action” in order to fight back against cuts and the privatization of vital public services like health care and water.

As a demonstration of labour unity in action, CUPE is organizing a health care day of action on June 14th together with the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, NUPGE and SEIU.

“The joint action by Canadas four largest health care unions will see health care workers walk off the job for 15 minutes at noon on June 14th to demand that the federal government take action to keep health care public,” she said.

CUPE is Canadas largest union, with 180,000 members in Ontario, and represents 485,000 women and men in health care, education, municipalities, social services, libraries, utilities, transportation and airlines across Canada.

For further information contact
Morna Ballantyne (613) 791-3411

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