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CUPE locals in Ontario are gearing up for the 11th Day of Action against the Harris government
to be held in Kingston on Monday June 8th.
The last Day of Action was held in St. Catharines where some 5,000 unionists from across the
province protested the government’s labour, social and economic policies.
The Kingston Day of Action organizers have scheduled a number of events leading up to a mass
demonstration on June 8th. They included: a demo at Kingston City Hall to lobby the city’s
politicians to support the protest; a Workfare Forum; a Health Care Rally; a pregnant women’s
rally (to protest a recent cut of $37 in payments to pregnant women on social assistance); an
Education Family picnic and forum; an Ontario Alternative Budget workshop; and a Youth Festival.
At the St. Catherine’s protest CUPE President Judy Darcy outlined why the union is participating
in the Days of Action: “We will not allow our children” she said, “to inherit a world where the
corporations control who gets health care. We will not allow our children to inherit a world where
the corporations determine what gets taught in our schools. We will not allow our children to
inherit a world where the power and the water in the streams and rivers is in the hand of corporate
privatizers.” Sid Ryan, the president of CUPE’s Ontario Division said Harris “is very concerned
about these demonstrations because they are tapping into mainstream Ontario.”
Kingston is about two and a half hours west of Toronto by car. For further information contact
your CUPE National Representative or visit the
Day of Action Web site.
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