Unite for Fairness project

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Working together in unions, working people have made life better for everyone with better wages, better working conditions, and better laws that make our society fairer. From the first craft unions formed during the Industrial Revolution, through the Great Depression and the growth period following the Second World War, unions were built by workers coming together to talk and act collectively in their common interests.

From our founding in 1963, CUPE members have led the way in championing workers’ rights to organize and bargain in the public sector. To this day, we work to ensure that workers’ rights are respected, public services are strengthened and that our economy is fair and includes everyone.

We know we are stronger in accomplishing our goals when we talk with one another. In the current age of austerity, our solidarity is more important than ever. That makes talking together a vital part of what a union does.

Dialogue is the key to participation and inclusion. To start, make sure your local union has your contact information so that you can receive important updates and information about your local union. And check in at cupe.ca to get the latest from CUPE members from coast to coast to coast.

Unions across the country are renewing and revitalizing their membership. Called Together Fairness Works, the Canadian Labour Congress is providing resources for all affiliates to connect with members about our shared values and the central role of unions in our society.

CUPE belongs to its members. Our strength depends on the participation of people like you. Together, we are stronger.

CUPE members

New contract language kit helps secure basic provisions

With anti-union financial disclosure legislation already introduced by the Conservative government, and the possibility of some form of US-style “right-to-work” law not far behind, there is added urgency for locals to include strong, preventative language in their collective agreements.

Are unions really useful?

Unions serve four absolutely essential functions in our society: gains for workers through collective bargaining, gains that benefit all workers, helping to build a more just society, and fighting setbacks to democracy and solidarity.

The labour movement is working for a fairer future for all Canadians: Fairnessworks.ca

Supreme Court of Canada

Supreme Court recognizes constitutional right to strike for Canadian workers

The Canadian Union of Public Employees is celebrating today’s Supreme Court decision recognizing the constitutional right of public sector workers to go on strike. CUPE, Canada’s largest union, is calling the decision a huge victory for all workers across the country.

CUPE’s Fairness project builds local strength

At CUPE, we never back away from a fight. That was the message of strength that National Secretary-Treasurer Charles Fleury delivered to the 1,200 delegates present at the National Sector Council Conference. “We are seeing more and more strikes, and attacks at the bargaining tables,” said Fleury. “CUPE has the resources to stand behind each and every local across the country who is locked out, on strike, or facing essential services fights.” Fleury reminded us that our members are our biggest strength when it comes to facing these challenges. The Fairness project was launched last year to connect directly with all 628,000 members to hear their thoughts on the value of belonging to a union.

Fact Sheet: Union dues and the Rand Formula

Union dues are the way workers who have decided to form a union pool their resources to enable the work of the union. Union dues fund the cost of bargaining, the cost of enforcing the collective agreement, and the cost of campaigns union members instruct their union to conduct.

Fact Sheet: U.S.-style right-to-work laws

Conservative politicians at both the provincial and federal levels are proposing to destroy the uniquely Canadian system of labour laws and undermine the political and organizing activities of unions.

Fact Sheet: Bill C-4 - A budget bill attacking workers’ rights

Two parts of Bill C-4 are a direct attack on worker and union rights: changing how bargaining will be done for workers employed by the federal government and re-defining health and safety rights for all federal government workers and all workers in federally regulated industries.

Fact sheet: Bill C-377

Bill C-377, titled An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (Labour Organizations), was introduced by BC Conservative MP Russ Hiebert as a Private Members Bill on December 5, 2011 in the House of Commons.

Fact Sheet: Bill C-525 - Employees’ Voting Rights Act

Bill C-525 is a Private Member’s Bill introduced on June 5, 2013, by Blaine Calkins, Conservative Member of Parliament for Wetaskiwin, Alberta. It has been dubiously entitled the “Employees’ Voting Rights Act”.

Briefing note: Bill C-525

Fundamentally, C-525 – like C-377 – is a solution in search of a problem. Employers have not asked for it; workers do not want it. It is another ideological attack on workers and unions by the Conservatives.

The attacks against unions: What are they and what can we do about them?

Working people are experiencing difficult times. At the bargaining table, we are fighting for fair wages, working conditions, and pensions. In some cases, cuts, restructuring, outsourcing and privatization of public services are threatening the very existence of public sector unions. All this is happening against a background of concerted attacks against unions by right-wing governments, media, right-wing research institutes, and others. Unions are used to being the target of attacks. That is why the Unite for Fairness project is so important. As unions, we need to strengthen our organization and ensure better communication with our members, in order to be strong enough to confront these attacks. We must be informed, trained, and responsive. And we know that the first step is to tune in more than ever before to the needs and aspirations of our members.