“Ford lied about spending the contingency funds”: CUPE Ontario says budget must reflect that public services save lives

COVID-19, Governmental

TORONTO, ON – The day before the Financial Accountability Office (FAO) of Ontario was scheduled to release a report on the province’s finances, the Ford Conservatives misleadingly claimed they spent all the COVID-19 contingency funds, says the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario. “Yesterday, the Finance Minister announced to Ontarians that the Ford government…

Details

PSWs at UHN-Hillcrest say hospital exploits them with dismal pay, back-breaking work and it must stop: CUPE

Health Care

TORONTO, ON – Toronto’s prestigious University Health Network (UHN) is exploiting personal support workers (PSWs), nurses and other health staff at their satellite hospital the Hillcrest Reactivation Centre, charged several PSWs who spoke publicly for the first time about their dismal pay and back-breaking working conditions. The three PSWs described their gruelling workloads, constant understaffing,…

Details

First major victory of CUPE unionization efforts: University of Waterloo responds with 32 per cent wage increase

University

Waterloo, ON — In a clear response to unionization efforts, the University of Waterloo (UW) has provided notice that it will raise wages for graduate student workers from $33.89 to $45 an hour. The move would bring wages for UW teaching assistants up to sector-wide norms, although they would still lag on total compensation relative…

Details

Over 40 Ontario unions take next steps in lawsuit against Ford government’s wage restraint legislation

COVID-19, Solidarity

Toronto, ON – A Coalition of over 40 Ontario unions has formally filed evidence in a lawsuit to repeal legislation which severely limits wage and benefit increases for public sector workers, a move the Coalition says violates bargaining rights enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. “We have always believed that the Ford government’s…

Details

Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre’s approval of international travel for senior manager and CEO’s subsequent silence are unacceptable: CUPE

Health Care

Ottawa, ON – There should be one set of rules that apply to all hospital staff said the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) today in calling out the CEO of the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre (ROMHC) for her silence on the storm over the approval of international travel and paid quarantine for a…

Details

Rejected info request raises questions about government’s claims for school and student safety

COVID-19, School Boards

TORONTO, ON – Ontario’s Ministry of Education has flatly refused to give a school board-by-school board breakdown of the number of education workers hired with COVID-related funds, prompting the union that made the inquiry to cast further doubt on the Ford government and its claims that it is doing everything possible to protect students in…

Details

Ontario proudly invests in an “airborne COVID-19 detector” but is still denying the virus is airborne; How can this be?

COVID-19, Health Care

TORONTO, ON. – Today the Ontario government took a giant step in acknowledging that COVID-19 is an airborne virus by announcing they are investing in an “airborne COVID-19 detector”, says the Canadian Union of Public Employees. CEM Specialties Inc. (CEMSI)  will get $2 million through the Ontario Together Fund to help commercialize and accelerate production…

Details