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TORONTO, Ont. – The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 3902, workers at the University of Toronto, has secured the ‘Flying Squad’ bus owned by CUPE Local 966, municipal workers in the Region of Peel.
“We wanted to assist our colleagues forced on strike by the administration at Brock,” said Wayne Dealy, president of CUPE 3902. “Local 966 has a bus painted in the familiar pink associated with CUPE, and they have agreed, in solidarity with fellow unionists, to let us use the bus from Monday to Friday next week (April 2 through April 6).
“We will transport our members and others who want to travel to Brock and support the striking workers.”
CUPE 4207-Unit 3, representing Instructors in English as a Second Language Services at Brock University, is on strike because Brock University refuses to ratify the tentative collective agreement that it signed in February.
At issue is language that the employer presented to the union on three occasions, which the employer now says it will not honour. The employer signed an agreement that stated that there would be no contracting out of work done by members of the union. The union ratified the agreement on February 28. Subsequently, the Brock Board of Trustees voted to “ratify subject to a change in the document.”
CUPE Local 4207 has referred the issue to the Ontario Labour Relations Board maintaining the university administration of Bargaining in Bad Faith under the Ontario Labour Relations Act, 1995.
“We appreciate the support of our fellow university workers, who themselves have just avoided being forced out on strike. The boost to moral and comfort of solidarity does wonders for those who are not working, not earning and walking a picket line daily,” said Dan Crow, President of CUPE Local 4207-Unit 3.
“We are always happy to support other trade unions in their fight for fair and just collective agreements,” said Mary Jo Falle, President of CUPE Local 966, owner of the bus. “We’ve been to Ottawa, on the line with CAW workers in London when they were locked out by Caterpillar, we transported Ontario Federation of Labour delegates to Occupy in Toronto, to name just a few. We’re always ready to help others whenever we can.”
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For further information, please contact:
Dan Crow, President, CUPE 4207 (905) 931-8007
Wayne Dealy, President, CUPE 3902 (416) 236-3902
Mary Jo Falle, President, CUPE 966 (289) 233-3714
Wendy Forbes, CUPE Communications (416) 892-8716
