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The 2021-2022 edition of CUPE’s annual International Solidarity Report offers a snapshot of some of the most pressing issues in the world today, and how trade unions and social movements are responding. It captures the courage of our friends, allies and comrades around the world. They are at the heart of our collective struggle to face the global pandemic, respond to climate change, and ensure the rights and respect every worker and community member deserves.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is at the forefront of the fight against the privatization of public services and has been since our union was founded in 1963. The collective power of CUPE members is our best defence against privatization, and CUPE collective agreements are a powerful tool in that fight. When CUPE members organize to achieve, and strictly enforce, contract language that prevents or restricts our employers from contracting out work, we can protect public sector union jobs and public services. CUPE collective agreements are far more likely than other union contracts to have some type of protection against contracting out. CUPE locals regularly use their collective agreement language to stop privatization in its tracks.

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This winter saw yet another variant of the virus, yet another wave of public health restrictions, hospitalizations, deaths. And yet another layer of stress and strain on our members working on the frontlines in health care, education, and other critical public services across the country.