Kevin Wilson | CUPE Communications
On November 19, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice struck down the Ford Government’s so-called Student Choice Initiative (SCI), ruling that found, among other things, the government overstepped its authority and acted in bad faith when it moved to make student ancillary fees voluntary.
Ancillary fees are democratically approved by students to fund a wide range of campus activities and organizations. Many of these organizations employ CUPE members.
“This is a major victory for students, university workers and other members of the post-secondary education community, and a major defeat for the Ford Conservatives,” said CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn. “As a result of this victory, vital student services that had been cut because of the Ford Conservatives’ attack, will be restored,” he added.
The Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario and the York Federation of Students brought the matter before the courts with the assistance of several unions, including CUPE.
“From the moment the Ford Conservatives attacked student unions and campus organizations last year, it was clear that they were trying to silence the voice of university students and workers. Our union has been proud to support all student organizations opposing this agenda of cuts and attacks on student rights,” said Janice Folk-Dawson, Chair of CUPE’s Ontario University Workers’ Coordinating Committee.
