“We need higher wages, not higher rents”: Striking teaching and research assistants block graduate residence construction

(Hamilton, ON) Today, striking teaching and research assistants at McMaster University blocked the construction of a graduate residence owned by the university to shed light on wages failing to keep up with the cost of living. “We’re on strike mainly because McMaster is still pushing little more than poverty wages on us,” said Chris Fairweather,…

University and College faculty, staff and students share concerns as Bill 26 receives royal ascent

TORONTO, December 5, 2022- The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA), Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and the Canadian Federation of Students – Ontario (CFSO) collectively commend the government’s interest in protecting sexual violence survivors. However, we raise concerns about elements of the newly announced Strengthening Post-secondary…

CUPE Ontario congratulates, praises education workers and OSBCU on ratification of historic deal

TORONTO – CUPE Ontario leaders heaped praise and admiration on CUPE education workers and their central bargaining team, the Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU), following the announcement that union members had strongly endorsed the tentative agreement negotiated by OSBCU in late November. Results of the province-wide ratification vote were released this morning, following…

Education workers vote to ratify first freely-negotiated collective agreement in a decade

TORONTO, ON – Ontario’s lowest-paid education workers have voted to ratify their next collective agreement with the Council of the Trustees’ Associations (CTA) and the provincial government. A total of 41,559 out of 55,000 frontline CUPE education workers cast ballots, and 30,330 –73% – voted “yes” to accept the tentative agreement that was reached by…

CUPE Ontario statement on education workers’ ratification of OSBCU agreement

Following the announcement of CUPE Ontario education workers’ ratification of the tentative collective agreement negotiated between OSBCU, the CTA and the Crown, CUPE Ontario shared the following statement with members: On behalf of all members of CUPE Ontario, we send our heartfelt congratulations to our union’s education workers, members of the Ontario School Board Council…

CUPE-OSBCU bargaining committee will bring tentative agreement to frontline education workers for vote by end of the week

TORONTO, ON – The central bargaining committee for 55,000 frontline education workers who are members of CUPE’s Ontario School Boards Council of Unions (OSBCU) has reached a tentative agreement with the provincial government and the Council of Trustees’ Associations (CTA). “The tentative agreement includes a flat-rate wage increase, instead of a percentage,” said CUPE-OSBCU president…

Education workers serve five days’ strike notice as government refuses to fund vital services for students

Toronto, ON – After getting an imposed contract that would have further harmed Ontario schools off their backs with the repeal of Bill 28, Ontario’s lowest-paid education workers have given five days’ notice of a potential province-wide strike. CUPE’s Ontario School Boards Council of Unions (OSBCU) central bargaining committee, negotiating for 55,000 frontline education workers,…

“We can make life in Ontario affordable”: CUPE Ontario’s statement on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

Every single one of us knows the moment we’re in, all too well. The cost of living is skyrocketing and our wages simply aren’t keeping up. We know it because it’s splashed on the front pages of every major newspaper. Because more and more workers are visiting food banks. Because our neighbours can’t pay rent.…

Education Workers to Enter Mediation in Pursuit of Student Success and Good Jobs

TORONTO, ON – The central bargaining committee for Ontario’s lowest-paid frontline education workers will enter into mediation with the Ontario government and Council of Trustees’ Association (CTA) on October 17. Respected mediator William Kaplan, who helped this group of workers and the Ford government reach a settlement in 2019, will assist the parties as they…