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Striking municipal workers in Bonfield, Ontario, members of CUPE Local 4616, received a strong show of support on Thursday, when CUPE National President Paul Moist, CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn and Ontario Federation of Labour President Sid Ryan joined them for a solidarity rally.
“I don’t know how long this dispute will go on… but we will last one day longer than you to get a collective agreement,” Brother Moist said, directing his comment at Bonfield Mayor Randy McLaren.
The 16 members were forced into a defensive strike on August 1 to fight off concessions, including the threat of contracting-out services. On Tuesday, the mayor fired five of the workers without cause. There will be no settlement unless those five members are reinstated, Brother Moist said.
“These workers are not going to bow to his bullying tactics whether it be trying to force a collective agreement or by trying to intimidate them by unjustly firing people,” said Brother Hahn. “All that is doing is uniting them and uniting the rest of our movement around them and in fact it will unite the people of this community against him.”
CUPE leaders from the North Bay area will meet on September 23 (click for flyer) to discuss the Bonfield situation and hold a solidarity barbeque. CUPE Ontario and the Ontario Federation of Labour are also mobilizing for a mass labour rally for October 5.
