National Day of Remembrance & Action on Violence Against Women

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It has been over 30 years since the murder of 14 young women at Polytechnique Montréal (December 6, 1989). This act of violent misogyny shook our country and led Parliament to designate December 6 as The National Day of Remembrance & Action on Violence Against Women. As we mourn their loss and remember their lives, we reaffirm our commitment to fight the hatred that led to this tragedy, and the misogyny that still exists today.

Rally for a Better Mac

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This Monday, November 28, join us for a rally from 11 AM – 2 PM at the intersection of Forsyth Ave. N & Sterling St. at McMaster University.

We’ll be joined by Fred Hahn, President of CUPE Ontario, and Yolanda McClean, Secretary-Treasurer of CUPE Ontario.

Together, we can show the entire university community and the university administration that the work of these TAs and RAs is important and that their jobs need to be good jobs

The Power of a Movement

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Dear Sisters, Brothers, and Friends:

Last Friday, 55,000 CUPE education workers in the province of Ontario walked off the job to protest provincial legislation that imposed a concessionary contract, hefty fines, and stripped away their fundamental rights to free and fair collective bargaining.

Our leaders and staff in Ontario worked throughout the weekend, planning an expansion of protests and solidarity actions across the province for the week ahead. Throughout the weekend, their resolve was strengthened by the messages of support they received from CUPE leaders and members across sectors and from all corners of Canada.

On Monday morning, as private and public sector labour leaders from around Ontario and across the country gathered in an incredible show of solidarity, Ontario Premier Doug Ford blinked. He committed to rescind Bill 28 and return to the bargaining table. This was a direct result of the united power of workers, as shown by their unions. Together, we have put governments on notice – that they dare not try to take away our bargaining rights, or our right to collective action.

There is still much work to do to secure a fair collective agreement for these Ontario education workers, and for hundreds of thousands of members across this country. We hope Monday’s show of solidarity in Toronto empowers you, and sends a message to the employers sitting across the table – that workers are standing up and standing together, and that we are ready to fight for our members’ rights.

Thank you for your leadership and your continued support of our movement. We have never been so proud of CUPE and our members.

In solidarity,

Mark Hancock
MARK HANCOCK
National President
CANDACE RENNICK
National Secretary-Treasurer
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Education workers took on Ford and won

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(Le français suit) 

This is a historic day, friends.

The Ford Conservatives have announced they would Repeal Bill 28 and get back to the bargaining table because of our coordinated, impassioned, and powerful pressure.

55,000 education workers – with the unwavering support of the rest of CUPE Ontario, the entire Canadian labour movement, and allies from every community in the province – have shown that attacks on our rights as workers will not be trampled on without a fight.

When the Ford Conservatives proposed then quickly passed Bill 28, we knew it would undermine our most foundational rights and freedoms, force a terrible contract on education workers, violate workers’ constitutional right to bargain fairly, and pre-emptively deem a strike illegal.

But we also knew that what can be forced through by a government can be reversed by the principled efforts of the people. Countless people, organizations, unions, and political parties came together with one voice to say that not only did education workers deserve a significant raise and sustained investments into services, but that Bill 28 was an unprecedented attack on all of us.

An astonishing 75,000 people sent messages to the Ford Conservatives through our www.DontBeABully.ca page in just over a week. We saw 126 political protests on Friday and Monday, with 10,000 people attending the demonstration at Queen’s Park on Friday alone. Allies organized their own actions and phone banks and letter writing campaigns themselves.

The solidarity people showed for education workers and for everyone who relies on the Charter most of all has been an incredible experience for all of us that we won’t soon forget.

Tomorrow, education workers will be back at work and we’ll be back at the table.

We will be ready to remind the Ford Conservatives that, if they are not prepared to bargain a good agreement, members will have, and can exercise, the right to strike if needed. And we will remind the Ford Conservatives that the entire labour movement will once again be ready to show their support in any way that’s needed until a deal is reached.

Thank you all for your solidarity and support. But our work isn’t done until 55,000 education workers in Ontario get a deal that meets the needs of workers, students, and communities. With that always at the forefront of our minds, we will keep the pressure up with the solidarity, commitment, and power we’ve shown each other these last days.

Onwards.
Watch this reel to see the faces of the movement.

Our Time Together Donation Request

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Invitation_DVPs_meeting_Nov_2022_EN

Sharon Stanley is representing Cupe101 in Cuba and is requesting donations of the following items for unions in Cuba.

office needs, face/bathroom tissue, cleaning agents, toilet seats, laptops, stationery, desk fans, locks and hinges, etc.

location for drop off to be determined..

The link is for all those who may be interested in being an ally to this anti-racism initiative