CUPE says the Ford government’s trampling of workers’ rights in Ontario should be a wake-up call and a call to arms for organized labour across Canada.
Earlier today, CUPE National President Mark Hancock and National Secretary-Treasurer Candace Rennick participated in an emergency meeting with all of CUPE’s Ontario School Boards Council of Unions (OSBCU) local presidents to review the latest offer put forward by the Ford government.
“This is a call to arms for union members, workers, and anyone who believes in Charter rights across Canada. This isn’t just about education workers, this is about the rights of all working people across the country,” said Hancock. “The message from our leaders here in Ontario is clear: our members are united, and they intend to fight – and they have Canada’s largest union in their corner and we are going to fight alongside them.”
“Now is a moment for us to ask ourselves what kind of union we want to be, in the face of the worst piece of legislation we’ve ever seen levelled at the labour movement,” said Rennick. “Our members have spoken: they are prepared to fight. They aren’t part of the largest union in the country for nothing. We are going to have their backs, and we’ll stand with them for as long as it takes.”
CUPE recognizes the hard work of the OSBCU central bargaining committee, who did their best to reach an agreement despite the Ford government’s intransigence and bad-faith bargaining.
CUPE members are grateful for the outpouring of support we are seeing from every community in Ontario – and across the country – especially parents.