On behalf of its 290,000 members, CUPE Ontario sends solidarity and support to the unions and workers united under the Common Front in Quebec as they prepare for a historic three-day general strike by 420,000 public sector workers.
CUPE Ontario and its members fully back the Common Front and its demands for respect and a decent pay increase for public sector workers, as they stand proud and defiant against Quebec’s Legault government.
The issue and the message behind the general strike are clear: public sector workers deserve the respect of a decent wage for the vital services they deliver, and they will back their demands by withdrawing their labour, if necessary.
We are particularly proud of the CUPE-SCFP members in Quebec who are taking part in job action beginning November 21. Their strength, unity and determination are powerful lessons to us all as we fight for better for ourselves and for our communities.
The unions of the Common Front – the CSN, CSQ, APTS, and FTQ – are to be applauded for their determination and commitment to achieving what is best for public sector workers, as well as for the people and communities who rely on the services they provide.
After weeks of demonstrations involving hundreds of thousands of workers and a one-day general strike on November 6, the unmistakable power of the Common Front has been made plain to the Legault government. These displays of worker power have attracted the admiration and support of the labour movement across the country and internationally.
CUPE National leaders will be in Quebec to support public sector workers as the general strike begins tomorrow, and CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn and Executive Board member Aubrey Gonsalves will travel to Quebec on Thursday to deliver their support on behalf of CUPE members in Ontario.
CUPE members in Ontario will never forget the support offered by Quebec’s labour movement when 55,000 CUPE education workers took job action in Ontario in 2022. A year later, it is our privilege to offer our unwavering solidarity with the public sector workers represented by the Common Front.
