Hospital workers protest “cuts and chaos” at Lakeridge Health, blame Ford government for underfunding

OSHAWA, ON – CUPE 6364 workers at Lakeridge Health rallied in Oshawa today, protesting “cuts and chaos” in response to provincial underfunding of hospitals. According to the union, hospital management has been eliminating full-time housekeeping and clerical positions, and overloading other workers with additional responsibilities. “This is shameful behavior by hospital management, to cut staff…

To mark International Women’s Day, Maison d’amitié women’s shelter calls for a “no board,” risking women’s safety and punishing women workers

OTTAWA – When Francophone women in the Ottawa area are looking for safety from domestic violence, there’s only one shelter for them: Maison d’amitié. Those doors may soon be closed to women in need as management chose International Women’s Day to request a “no board” report and set the clock ticking towards a lock-out in…

“We’ll take on this fight at the picket line and in court”: CUPE files legal application to the Superior Court of Justice against Black River-Matheson

Black River-Matheson, ON – The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has filed for a judicial review to the Superior Court of Justice of the Township of Black River-Matheson over the municipality’s heavy-handed escalation in its treatment of striking municipal workers, said the union. “CUPE Local 1490 is engaged in a legal strike and they’re…

“The opioid crisis in Belleville isn’t going away, so let’s fund services properly”: CUPE Local 1842 calls on governments to escalate the response.

Belleville, ON – With a state of emergency declared in Belleville due to the opioid crisis, the city’s paramedics are sounding the alarm and calling for much more to be done. “We’re seeing an incredible explosion in calls to respond to overdoses and we’re doing our best, but this isn’t sustainable,” said Rob Cunningham, President…

“Ford’s attack on women’s wages”: new report shows real dollar wage cuts in public sector have widened gender pay gap in Ontario

TORONTO – A new research report shows that the Ford government’s policies have led to real dollar wage cuts for the predominantly female workforce in the broader public sector, negatively impacting Ontario’s gender pay gap. The report, Women’s Wages and the attack on broader public sector workers, released today by CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital…

Conservative neglect and policy choices are increasing repetitive strain injuries in Ontario

As CUPE Ontario and the Injured Workers Committee mark International Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) Awareness Day, we remember that workers across the province are paying a physical as well as a financial and mental price for the underfunding of our public services. Deliberate and chronic underfunding of public services by the Conservative government of Ontario,…