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TORONTO, Ont. – In an effort to help members affected by Sunday’s massive ice storm and to help reduce the burden on the limited number of City-operated warming centres, Toronto Civic Employees’ Union (TCEU), Local 416 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE 416), in conjunction with Ward 26 City Councillor John Parker, is converting its office space into an emergency warming centre.
“With the limited number of warming centres available for residents, we felt it was a good idea to open up our union hall to our own members who are dealing with storm damage and power outages during this emergency,” said Dave Hewitt, vice-president of CUPE 416.
“By taking this step, we hope to alleviate some of the load on the warming centres currently in operation and hopefully other organizations and companies will do the same for their members and employees,” he added.
CUPE 416 members who have been affected by the storm are encouraged to bring themselves and their families to the Local 416 office at 110 Laird Drive. They are also encouraged to bring blankets and pillows, along with toys, games and other activity items to help pass the time. Warm drinks and snacks will be provided.
Space is limited, so members are urged to call the Union hall at 416-968-7721 before dropping in.
“When an emergency like this happens, we all need to look after each other. Many of our members are working hard to get vital City services up and running, even while their own families are trying to cope with storm damage, power outages and other challenges during this emergency,” said Hewitt.
“Councillor Parker’s assistance in helping us get the word out is both invaluable and greatly appreciated,” he added.
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For more information, please contact:
Dave Hewitt, CUPE 416 Vice President, 416-451-7528
Kevin Wilson, CUPE Communications, 416-821-6641
