Township of Springwater workers join CUPE

ELMVALE, ON – Municipal “outside” workers in the Township of Springwater became the newest members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) today. The Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) issued a decision today confirming last week’s strong vote in favour of unionizing. The workers perform important services including maintaining the township’s roads, parks and…

Educators at York University Call to Protect Students and Workers with Remote Learning, Stronger Campus Protections

TORONTO, ON – Over 350 professors, sessional instructors, teaching assistants, and administrative staff at York University have signed an open letter calling on President Rhonda Lenton to allow educators to opt for remote teaching – to protect their students and the broader campus community. “York’s ‘safety plans’ fail to account for the heightened danger posed…

Students and Workers concerned about unsafe campus reopening plans

Post-secondary students and workers in colleges and universities have faced many challenges throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. While the announcement that post-secondary institutions will be opening in the fall is exciting news, safety needs to be the top priority. Sadly, with less than a week before the fall term begins, guidelines have finally been introduced but…

Education workers point out potential dangers in Hamilton-Wentworth DSB’s school reopening plans

HAMILTON, ON – Leaders from the union that represents custodial and maintenance staff at Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) are sounding the alarm about the loss of enhanced cleaning jobs in schools, saying that the cuts put students and staff at greater risk of catching COVID-19. “Enhanced cleaning measures were crucial to stopping the spread…

“The heroic contributions of workers will always inspire hope”: CUPE Ontario’s Labour Day statement

This Labour Day, there’s certainly lots for working people to be concerned about. Elementary schools, high schools, colleges and universities, are reopening without the safety measures students and workers alike need. Meanwhile, the Ford Conservatives are still refusing to sign an agreement to ensure $10/a day childcare. Cases are steadily going up, with the latest…

CUPE files legal challenge to OMERS’ punitive treatment of paramedics

TORONTO, ON – Today, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) filed a legal challenge with the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) about OMERS’ treatment of paramedic members accessing earlier retirement options. “Paramedics have been demanding that OMERS allow them fair access to earlier retirement options for over a decade,” said Fred Hahn,…

“We need answers and accountability”: Important Questions about OMERS’s Investment Returns

Dear CUPE members in OMERS, This week will be the first time that OMERS makes public its mid-year investment results. CUPE Ontario wants OMERS’ returns to be strong. Good investment returns are in the best interest of workers and employers alike. Solid returns are critical to delivering on the modest OMERS pension promise, without putting…

Toronto community housing workers trigger countdown to legal job action to enhance services for residents

Toronto, ON — Workers at the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC), represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 79, are bargaining to enhance safety, improve quality, and ensure affordability for Torontonians who rely on social housing. The union has requested a “no-board” report from the Ministry of Labour, following TCHC’s targeting of…