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Striking municipal workers (CUPE 855) at the City of Kawartha Lakes got a financial boost from members from all CUPE sectors attending the CUPE Ontario winter school in Toronto this weekend. $14,200.00 in pledges and donations for CUPE 855 was raised in 10 minutes.
The response was overwhelming and a tremendous show of solidarity, said CUPE Ontario secretary-treasurer Fred Hahn.
More financial support is on the way for the 400 members of CUPE 855 who are in the fourth week of a key strike for CUPE members, said Hahn, who along with CUPE Ontario president Sid Ryan, will make personal appeals to delegates attending CUPE Ontario’s sectoral conferences over the coming weeks.
On Sunday, March 2, 2008, CUPE 855 members rejected the employer’s latest offer, which failed to address the outstanding issues that include: contracting out, wages, hours of work and major concessions including denying workers over the age of 65 their right to access health benefits and dramatically cutting their sick-leave provisions.
We remain committed to fight for a collective agreement that’s good for our community and for workers, said Lyn Edwards, CUPE 855 president.
The CUPE 855 strike is an important fight against employer concessions and the issue of benefits for workers over 65 touches all CUPE members, said Ryan.
Benefits over 65 is an equality issue for all workers. Like other equality protections, it is important that CUPE wage these battles at the bargaining table and have a plan to bring them to the provincial level, said Ryan.
