Warning message

Please note that this page is from our archives. There may be more up-to-date content about this topic on our website. Use our search engine to find out.

National Executive Board Meeting
September 26-27, 2012

Resolution of CUPE’s National Executive Board

Re: Opposing Ontario’s Attack on Workers

CUPE NATIONAL WILL:

  • Oppose Bill 115, the Ontario law that strips education workers, including 55,000 CUPE members, of the right to free collective bargaining and imposes collective agreements that do not work for CUPE members;
  • Oppose the so-called “Protecting Public Services Act” that is an outright attack on the collective bargaining rights of over 480,000 public sector workers;
  • Support the Ontario School Boards Coordinating Committee in their opposition to Bill 115, the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions in opposing changes to the Hospital Labour Disputes Arbitration Act, and the Ontario Division Action Plan opposing the “Protecting Public Services Act”;
  • Affirm support of the right to free collective bargaining for all workers as stated in the NEB Plan to Fight Concessions and Defend Free Collective Bargaining adopted as amended in March 2009;
  • Support and encourage all Ontario CUPE broader public sector workers to take the appropriate action necessary to force the government to allow CUPE locals and their employers to freely negotiate collective agreements, or arbitrate agreements without interference, that reflect CUPE solutions to CUPE issues;
  • Write to the Premier of Ontario, the Finance Minister, and Education Minister demanding that Bill 115 be repealed and the “Protecting Public Services Act” not be passed into law and that they meet with workers through CUPE leadership;
  • Challenge the legitimacy and constitutionality of all legislation that strips collective bargaining rights in the courts; and

  • File complaint(s) through the Canadian Labour Congress with the International Labour Organization (ILO).

BECAUSE:

  • Bill 115 and the “Protecting Public Services Act” strip CUPE workers in Ontario of their right to free collective bargaining and an independent system of interest arbitration and allows the government to over-rule freely negotiated collective agreements and arbitrated awards and to force their re-negotiation in line with the government’s austerity guidelines;
  • The Ontario government’s legislation further allows the government to impose wages, terms, and significant concessions on public sector workers failing the re-negotiation of collective agreements;
  • All CUPE broader public sector workers in Ontario are now being forced to accept terms of a collective agreement that are reflective of a cookie cutter approach to their workplaces; and
  • Without opposition to these bills, CUPE workers in Ontario will be forced to accept terms and conditions of employment that implement the Government of Ontario’s austerity agenda.