LONDON, Ont. - Sid Ryan, president of CUPE Ontario, will lead a solidarity rally for Thames Valley District School Board workers at 1:00 pm, on Saturday April 29th, at Victoria Park in London.
The rally will raise awareness of an impending strike by Education and Instructional Assistants (EAs and IAs), who are asking for more time to do their work. Increased workload, due to downloading of additional duties by the board, has made it impossible for EAs and IAs to complete their work in the allotted six hours, leading most workers to stay late, skip breaks and work during lunch.
- Who?
Sid Ryan, CUPE Ontario President
Thames Valley District School Board workers and their supporters - What?
Solidarity rally for CUPE 4222 members - When?
Saturday, April 29th, 1:00 pm - Where?
Victoria Park, London
Corner of Central Avenue and Wellington Street
Mediation talks with the employer broke off on Wednesday evening, without reaching a settlement. No new talks are planned before the legal strike deadline of May 4th, at 12:01 a.m. CUPE represents 852 permanent and 311 casual workers, who provide care to special needs students in 186 schools in the City of London and the counties of Elgin, Oxford and Middlesex. Other outstanding issues include wages and benefits.
-30-
For further information, please contact:
Sid Ryan, CUPE Ontario President, 416-209-0066 Cell
Pat Wilson, Vice President CUPE 4222 Unit C, 519-852-2264
Jennifer Kaufmann, CUPE National Representative, 519-852-2803
James Chai, CUPE Communications, 416-292-3999
COPE 491/gpb