CUPE Ontario and OSBCU have sent the following letter of solidarity to striking CUPE education workers in Alberta:
Dear friends, sisters, brothers and comrades:
From Ontario, we send our solidarity (and a cheque!) to the striking education workers in Edmonton, members of CUPE 3550, and we do this on behalf of 290,000 CUPE members in our province, including 57,000 CUPE-OSBCU education workers.
As fellow CUPE members, you have our full support for having taken the courageous decision to strike. We recognize it as your stand for fairness, high-quality education services and a better deal for workers.
You can be proud that your demands for better services for Alberta’s students are ones that have won province-wide support. The work you do and the services you provide are the foundations on which Alberta’s future is built.
There are remarkable similarities between your fight today and that of CUPE-OSBCU members in 2022 – similarities like provincial government overreach, strong community support and unwavering determination among your membership. In Ontario, we’ve been there, and we can tell you that the strength of your organizing, the support of your union, and the determination of your membership are an unbeatable combination.
CUPE Ontario and OSBCU are committed to amplifying your voices and supporting your fight for your rights. We share your demands for meaningful change and an education system and provincial government that respect your contributions.
In solidarity,
Fred Hahn, President, CUPE Ontario
Joe Tigani, President, Ontario School Board Council of Unions
