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Hundreds of CUPE members gathered this week in Kenora, Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Guelph and London to put into action a campaign aimed at protecting workers’ democratic rights to free collective bargaining.
The events, which are the first in a series of 20 across the province, began with 70 CUPE members gathering in Kenora. Many delegates drove two hours or more to participate in the meeting.
“Public service workers across Ontario are facing threats of new provincial legislation that attacks our democratic rights to collective bargaining and impartial third-party arbitration,” said Fred Hahn, president of CUPE Ontario, who participated in the Guelph meeting. “These rights come from decades of hard work that have brought fairness and stability to labour relations in Ontario; they must be protected.”
Bill 115, the Liberals’ legislation that affects school board workers, and other proposed legislation strips long-standing rights from workers who collectively negotiate their contract with employers. It allows the government to dictate what a collective agreement must achieve and to change a negotiated agreement unilaterally. Proposed legislation also undermines the ability for workers to seek impartial third-party arbitration when collective bargaining hits a dead end.
The campaign is calling for the repeal of Bill 115 and an end to any further legislation proposed by the government and PC Leader Tim Hudak that undermines the rights of other public service workers.
At the meetings, members decided to form groups to work together, across sectors, on local rallies, floats in Santa Claus parades, Christmas Cheer donations and food drives, meet with MPPs, write letters to newspapers and many more actions.
“We face an unprecedented challenge with Liberal and PC attacks on collective bargaining rights and interest arbitration. The commitment of our members across sectors is really encouraging, and their creativity is really inspiring,” said CUPE Ontario Secretary-Treasurer after the Sault Ste. Marie meeting on Thursday.
The CUPE all-members meetings continue throughought November. To find an event near you and a poster you can share with other members of your Local, visit http://www.cupe.on.ca/NovRegionalMeetings
