Fredericton, NB – Paul Moist, national president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), will address delegates at the New Brunswick division convention on Friday, April 4th at 11:10 am.
While congratulating division members on their ongoing efforts to protect public services and build better communities, Moist will raise pointed questions about the provincial government’s plans to move ahead with public infrastructure plans that could expand the very P3 model CUPE opposes. Moist will also deride the provincial government for choosing to, in its recent budget, cut taxes to corporations by 15 million instead of allocating that money to enhancing vital social and community services for New Brunswickers.
Delegates will also have the opportunity to hear first-hand accounts of the struggles of the 252 workers of the Journal de Quebec newspaper who have been locked out for nearly a year by Quebecor/Sun Media Corporation. Moist will introduce two representatives of the locked-out workers to N.B. convention delegates on April 4th at 11:40 am.
“The situation of these media workers in Quebec bears tremendous impact on the quality of news, journalism, and freedom of the press in Canada,” says Moist, “The lockout is a vicious reminder of the unchecked arrogance of certain corporate citizens,” says Moist.
Moist sees this visit and presentation as an occasion to acknowledge the important collaboration between the national union and the New Brunswick division in “challenging privatization in all its forms, including P3s and corporate or legislative attempts to destroy public services, as well as in joining forces with community members everywhere who want to stop the growth in private sector takeovers of public services like schools.”
Moist is sharing thoughts about the CUPE agenda with union members across Canada at division conventions and the Canadian Labour Congress convention until the end of May.
-30-
The Canadian Union of Public Employees – Canada’s largest union – represents over 570,000 members across Canada.
Journal de Québec lockout, freedom of the press: cupe.ca/journaldequebec
For information or interviews: Danielle Savoie, CUPE New Brunswick Communications, 506.381.1966 (cell); Louise Leclair, Director, CUPE Communications, 613.314.7199 (cell)