On World Water Day, CUPE commits to end water injustice in Indigenous communities and to fight privatization of water and wastewater services

Safe, reliable water and wastewater services are a human right and the heart of healthy communities. But these rights are denied to many Indigenous communities in Canada. Water services and resources are also under growing pressure to privatize. The COVID-19 pandemic has spotlighted just how important clean water is to our health and safety. Clean water…

Ford government nurses’ retention pay missteps and PSW wage increases mishandling compound discontent among health sector’s front-lines asking for Bill 124 to be scrapped

PETERBOROUGH, ON – The Doug Ford government’s mishandling of PSW wage increases and nursing pay issues while suppressing the right to bargain wages was the focus of a protest at the office of MPP Dave Smith, today by Peterborough and Lindsay area front-line hospital and long-term care staff. There is consensus across health care’s front-line…

ECEs call for a provincial child care workforce strategy, including a $25 minimum wage, to address Ontario’s growing child care worker shortage

Toronto, ON—More than 1,500 Early Childhood Educators (ECEs), child care workers, and supporters have signed an online letter calling on federal and provincial governments to ensure that the Ontario child care agreement includes a wage grid and strategy to address the province’s growing child care workforce crisis. Ontario has until March 31st to sign onto…

Scrapping Bill 124, that cuts the real wages of health care workers, is the only right thing to do, protestors tell MPP MacLeod

OTTAWA, ON – Ottawa area hospital and long-term care workers protested today at the Nepean office of PC MPP Lisa MacLeod asking her to stand with them to push to repeal the Ford government’s wage legislation that cuts their wages and prevents them from bargaining badly needed mental health supports. They messaged Ms. MacLeod that…

On International Women’s Day, hospital staff call out Ontario’s government for failing and devaluing them and cutting their real wages through Bill 124

TORONTO, ON – Today (March 8, International Women’s Day) we collectively acknowledge the contribution women make to better Ontarians’ lives. “While we celebrate women’s efforts from all walks of life, it’s imperative that we call out our provincial government for pushing wage and workplace policies that hurt economic equality and the health – both physical…

Health care unions: Doug Ford’s ad hoc gestures won’t fix the worsening health human resource crisis

Unions representing 220,000 workers demand the repeal of Bill 124 and a real plan to fix the worsening health human resource crisis in Ontario TORONTO, ON – Today, OCHU/CUPE, SEIU Healthcare, Unifor, and Ontario Nurses’ Association, unions representing 220,000 health care workers across Ontario, including 85,000 nurses issued     an open letter to Premier Ford to…

No more distractions, political ploys, or stunts: CUPE Ontario says people deserve much more than a $120 cheque

TORONTO, ON – Ontarians struggling to keep up with the skyrocketing cost of living deserve better than the political ploy of eliminating license renewal fees, says the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario. “This would be laughable if it wasn’t such an insult,” said Fred Hahn, President of CUPE Ontario. “We’re still coming out…

Tens of billions handed over to Loblaws, Amazon and others through electric subsidies: CUPE Ontario

TORONTO, ON – The government is continuing to hand over money through electricity subsidies to large, profitable, industrial and commercial businesses, money that should instead be used to bolster critical public services that keep Ontarians safe, says the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario. “Companies like Loblaws who have actually profited during this pandemic…

Chronic short staffing, COVID-19 outbreaks compromise vital services for adults with developmental disabilities in Brampton

Brampton, ON—Developmental service workers in Brampton and Caledon call for adequate staffing and government support to address growing staff shortages, and safety concerns, in the region. “Chronic short staffing, coupled with inadequate funding compromises the quality of life of adults with developmental disabilities. We don’t have the staffing levels needed to ensure the safety of…