Please Click Here to find recent news, events and information from CUPE Ontario.
‘After 14 months, Dixon Hall still wants to treat the people who make it dependable disposable,’ says CUPE 2497 President
TORONTO, Ont. – Staff at Dixon Hall have overwhelmingly voted yesterday to reject management’s last offer.
“The people who make Dixon Hall dependable are not disposable,” said Ana Gomes, President of Local 2497 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE 2497), which represents staff at the multi-service agency.
“We have been trying to negotiate a fair collective agreement since October 2011, and after 14 months, Dixon Hall still wants to treat the people who make it dependable as if they are in fact disposable,” she added.
Staff at Dixon Hall provide a wide range of vital services to community, from children and youth services, supportive housing, Out of the Cold and seniors active living programs, to name just a few.
After nearly a week of negotiations with the assistance of a Provincial mediator, negotiators for Dixon Hall informed Local 2497 that it would make no further offer. Dixon Hall’s latest offer contains concessions that would strip away the minimal protections against arbitrary dismissal and discharge.
“Our choices were to either reject it outright, or to take it to our members for a vote. We took it back to our membership to demonstrate that it’s unacceptable to them and to the community we support to treat Dixon Hall’s staff like they are disposable,” said Gomes.
Local 2497’s executive and bargaining committee will meet over the weekend to determine what steps should be taken next.
Gomes said Local 2497’s bargaining committee is prepared to resume bargaining on short notice, and are awaiting a response from Dixon Hall management.
-30-
For more information, please contact: Kevin Wilson, CUPE Communications, 416-821-6641
