Toronto Cleaners in Towers 1 and 4 of the Toronto-Dominion Centre set up picket lines on Monday, February 17, 2003. Most of the workers are women and first-generation Canadians from the Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking communities.
The latest offer from their employer, Hurley Corporation, was rejected by 80% of the members of CUPE Local 2295 last Friday, putting them in a legal strike position.
“These workers need something better,” said CUPE National Representative Joan Stephenson. “They need a decent wage increase and retroactivity. Their contract expired well over a year ago, in October 2001. By rejecting every union proposal and dragging out negotiations, the company has made sure the workers have fallen farther and farther behind.”
The other issue in the dispute is harmonization of sick leave. There is currently a two-tier scheme, which allows some workers to accumulate sick days while others may apply for short-term disability only after losing three days to illness.
The workers are picketing daily at the Toronto-Dominion Centre on Wellington Street, between Bay and York Streets.
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For more information, contact:
Maria Vincente, President, CUPE Local 2295
416-534-0341 (union office) or 664-224-0510 (cell)
Miguel Malta, Vice-President CUPE Local 2295
416-269-8809
Maria Coelho, CUPE Local 2295 Strike Committee
416-652-6911
Joan Stephenson, CUPE National Representative
416-606-1793 (cell) - 416-292-3999 (office)
Pat Daley, CUPE Communications
416-616-6142 (cell)
The latest offer from their employer, Hurley Corporation, was rejected by 80% of the members of CUPE Local 2295 last Friday, putting them in a legal strike position.
“These workers need something better,” said CUPE National Representative Joan Stephenson. “They need a decent wage increase and retroactivity. Their contract expired well over a year ago, in October 2001. By rejecting every union proposal and dragging out negotiations, the company has made sure the workers have fallen farther and farther behind.”
The other issue in the dispute is harmonization of sick leave. There is currently a two-tier scheme, which allows some workers to accumulate sick days while others may apply for short-term disability only after losing three days to illness.
The workers are picketing daily at the Toronto-Dominion Centre on Wellington Street, between Bay and York Streets.
-30-
For more information, contact:
Maria Vincente, President, CUPE Local 2295
416-534-0341 (union office) or 664-224-0510 (cell)
Miguel Malta, Vice-President CUPE Local 2295
416-269-8809
Maria Coelho, CUPE Local 2295 Strike Committee
416-652-6911
Joan Stephenson, CUPE National Representative
416-606-1793 (cell) - 416-292-3999 (office)
Pat Daley, CUPE Communications
416-616-6142 (cell)