Headlines
Provincial and national union news articles
Upper Canada District School Board hypocritical for prioritizing management jobs over services for students
The union that represents education workers at Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) is demanding to know why the board is advertising a new, high-paying management job just weeks after it slashed services for students by eliminating the equivalent of 140 full-time, front-line jobs.
CUPE school board leaders endorse job action in defence of high-quality services for students
Hundreds of school board leaders from Ontario’s largest union gathered near Toronto yesterday to give their resounding support for a job action plan that has at its heart the protection of education services for students.
Staffing cuts at Upper Canada District School Board herald a grim return to class for students in September
The final disturbing picture of cuts at Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB), in Ontario, has education workers worried about the effect on students in the coming school year and wondering whether parents realize the consequences that reduced services in schools will have for their children.
Education shouldn’t be a debt sentence
After 25 years of government cuts, tuition fees for higher education have tripled. Students can no longer pay tuition with a summer job. They have to navigate complex student aid programs and take out loans. We need governments to work together to reduce student debt. Watch and share this video to spread the message!
How to fix post-secondary education
Accessible, high quality post-secondary education is essential for a vibrant economy and a fair society. The federal government must become a real partner again: by adopting a Post Secondary Education Act, by increasing funding to the provinces for higher education, by working with the provinces to eliminate tuition and make education accessible, by reducing the influence and control of corporations, by strengthening the public system. The time has come. Let’s demand action from the federal parties.
Minimum wage workers can’t afford rent in most communities
The cost of rent is unaffordable for minimum wage workers in much of Canada, according to a report released last week by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). So it’s no surprise that affordable housing is a top concern in a recent Federation of Canadian Municipalities poll, or that it’s a major issue in the federal election.
A full-time minimum wage worker could afford to rent a one-bedroom apartment in only 70 of the 795 cities reviewed in the CCPA report. The cost of renting apartments in Canada is simply out of reach for many workers.
CUPE 650 votes in favour of strike action, joining CUPE 3766 to tell Regina Public School Division: “Our schools work because we do”
For the second time in less than three weeks, workers of the Regina Public School Division have voted overwhelmingly in favour of job action. In a meeting held July 17, 2019, members of CUPE 650 voted 93 per cent in favour of a strike mandate. Members of CUPE 3766, who also work at the Regina Public School Division, recently approved a similar vote by 95 per cent.
CUPE 650 represents 175 Maintenance and Tradespeople in the Regina Public School Division.
Underpaid student employees: Sherbrooke blue-collar workers take action
Exasperated at seeing the City of Sherbrooke underpaying its student employees, CUPE 2729 submitted an application for certification to the Administrative Labour Tribunal last July 18 for the purpose of including the students in its collective agreement.
CUPE joins disability rights groups in celebrating the new Accessible Canada Act
On June 21, 2019, the Accessible Canada Act (Bill C-81) became law. This comes after years of activism by disability justice advocates, who pushed hard for meaningful federal laws to make sure persons with disabilities can exercise their full human rights.
Study highlights value of public services
We all rely on public services, and now Statistics Canada has put a number on exactly how much value we get from public spending on health care, education, and other public services like housing, recreation and culture. The study found that the benefits of public services averaged $12,500 per person in 2018.
CUPE 3766 strike mandate sends strong message to Regina Public School Board
Education support workers in the Regina Public School Division have voted 95 per cent in favour of job action. The local has been bargaining for over two years, and little progress has been made.
“The Regina Public School Board continues to push concessions that will hurt our members,” said Jackie Christianson, president of CUPE 3766. “They are attacking our health and dental benefits, our severance/retirement gratuity, and trying to limit our ability to present grievances to the Board of Trustees.”
The Regina Public School Division is pushing a two-year wage freeze and paltry wage increases in years three to five.
New report shows public, not private, solutions are the way forward for health care in Canada
Canadians cherish our public health care, but in 2019, funding cuts and an aging population are putting increased pressure on the system. Provincial spending cuts have whittled services down to the core and CUPE members working in health care can see the results of these cuts every day on the job. In turn, problems of understaffing and increased wait times heighten the perception that private, for-profit services are the only solution to the problems our public system is facing.
The hidden cost of ‘balanced’ budgets
Lately, provincial politicians have been talking up the need for balance. They say we need to ‘streamline’ services and ensure ‘sustainable’ finances for the future. But they don’t talk about weighing the costs and benefits of cutting services compared to increasing borrowing or raising revenue through taxes. And they definitely don’t mention how tax cuts make “balance” even harder to achieve.
Canada’s unions mark National Indigenous Peoples Day by calling for further action towards reconciliation
This National Indigenous Peoples Day, Canada’s unions say action on reconciliation must become an urgent national priority.
Earlier this month, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) released its final report, including 231 Calls for Justice to address the alarming rate of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people. To date, no implementation plans have been outlined to address these Calls for Justice.
CUPE members honour the 100th anniversary of the Winnipeg General Strike
CUPE is proud to join with Manitoba’s unions in celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Winnipeg General Strike. CUPE Manitoba sponsored a free public concert on Saturday, May 25th and joined the Solidarity Forever Parade, sponsored by UFCWLocal 832.
The CUPE Manitoba concert featured artists Sierra Noble, James Keelaghan, David Rovics, Heather Bishop, Maria Dunn with Shannon Johnson, Red Moon Road, Nathan Rogers, and Joe Jencks.
Liberals move ahead with plan to let investors profit from social needs
The federal government is moving forward with plans to let investors profit from social needs and community challenges.
The Liberal government is spending $50 million to open organizations up to for-profit investment in vital services and projects. It’s part of the plan to unroll $755 million in seed funding for “social financing” to charities, non-profit groups and other organizations serving a social purpose.
Unions are a force for good in the country: BC Minister of Labour
Addressing the CUPE Western Municipal Conference, BC Minister of Labour Harry Bains highlighted the stark differences between the western provinces in their approach to affordability and employment rights.
“Benefits and rights earned through hard work can be taken away with the stroke of a pen, and where this has occurred it is motivated by ideologically-driven governments who are seeking to make money for their friends and supporters,” said Bains.
Province of Manitoba causing CFS workers to endure massive delay in pay next month
Manitoba’s support workers at Child and Family Services (CFS) in Winnipeg and Eastman held a rally Friday to protest a plan that will reduce their pay by at least half in the month of July. The protest was held in front of the CFSEmergency Placement Resources office.
Ford government’s attack on workers’ rights a continuation of assault on the people of Ontario
Legislation tabled yesterday at Queen’s Park that would violate public employees’ right to engage in free collective bargaining is a continuation of the Ford government’s assault on the people of Ontario, said the leader of the Ontario Division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
Fred Hahn made the comments yesterday after the government tabled so-called ‘wage restraint’ legislation that will affect union and non-union employees.
Final report of MMIWG inquiry calls for justice
After 24 hearings, over 2,280 witnesses and thousands of hours of testimony, the National Inquiry into Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls concluded that “we live in a country whose laws and institutions perpetuate violations of fundamental rights, amounting to a genocide against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people,” explained the Inquiry’s Chief Commissioner, Marion Buller.
CUPE advocates against violence in health care in front of federal committee
This Tuesday, CUPE testified to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health about the critical issue of violence faced by workers in the health care sector.
The purpose of the committee is to help develop recommendations to the federal government so it can, in partnership with the provinces and territories, improve violence prevention in the health care system (especially in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and home care).
Urgent Care at Concordia response to community mobilizing: now it’s time to end the chaos in health care
It’s time to end the chaos in health care says CUPE 204 President Debbie Boissonneault, in response to the government’s announcement that the Concordia Hospital Emergency Room will be converted to an Urgent Care Centre within the next five weeks. CUPE 204 represents 7,000 health care workers across Winnipeg.
Government cuts hitting Saskatoon Public Schools again
This week, families across Saskatoon learned that the Sask. Party’s refusal to properly fund Saskatchewan’s classrooms is again causing more support workers to be taken out of their children’s schools and thrown out of work.
Asian Heritage Month
Asian Heritage Month has been celebrated across Canada since the 1990s and was officially recognized by the federal government in May 2002. Every year at this time, CUPE celebrates the contributions that members of Asian communities have made to Canada.
Merger of Air Canada and Transat: CUPE will hold the new employer accountable
The union representing Air Canada’s and Air Transat’s flight attendants will hold the new employer accountable for promises made to employees if a merger agreement is finalized.
CUPE response to Onex deal
The union representing almost 4,000 cabin crew members at WestJet and Encore expressed guarded optimism about the company’s sale to Onex. However, CUPE4070 President Chris Rauenbusch expressed some concern about the future of the employee share holder plan.
CUPE members fight to stop the health care cuts in Manitoba, rally to save the Concordia Hospital Emergency Room
CUPE members joined hundreds of residents from Northeast Winnipeg on May 8th to protest the government’s plan to close the Concordia Hospital Emergency Room. The protest was organized by the Save the Concordia ER coalition of community members and the Manitoba Health Coalition.
CUPE marks International Workers’ Day 2019
On May 1, workers around the world rally to honour the fight for an eight‑hour workday, and to call for decent work, dignity and respect. CUPE recognizes International Workers’ Day, or May Day, in solidarity with millions of workers.
Earth Day, April 22, 2019
On Earth Day 2019, we reflect on the role of the public sector in a transition to a low carbon economy.
Public sector workers are directly affected by the increase in severe weather events. Municipal workers, emergency response workers, and energy workers must respond to these events, as well as maintain and repair critical infrastructure. Health care workers must deal with the growing health impacts of climate change.
Doug Ford budget continues war on the poor
Despite a series of diversionary gimmicks and the standard ‘for the people’ rhetoric, the Doug Ford Tories have deepened their attacks with this Budget. Public services and the workers who deliver them will be targeted, hospital funding will increase below inflation and guarantee healthcare cuts.
CUPE files to represent WestJet Encore flight attendants
CUPE has filed an application at the Canada Industrial Relations Board to represent flight attendants at WestJet Encore.
Ford government’s budget offers only “fake” investments in education
Empty promises and meaningless phrases in the Ford government’s budget announcement mask the true harm that will be done to Ontario’s students and system of public education, said the leader of the council that represents 55,000 education workers in CUPE.
CUPE helps Winnipeg elect ‘most progressive city council in a generation’
CUPE 500 scored a major victory in municipal elections this past November.
The local, which represents over 5,000 employees working at the City of Winnipeg, called on the city to become a living wage employer, and then elected a city council who would get the job done.
Budget 2019: Micro-targeted solutions for macro issues
Budget 2019 correctly identified many of the problems that are facing Canadians: lack of affordable housing across the income spectrum, skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs, the need for on-the-job experience for young workers and re-skilling for mid-career workers, the heavy burden of student debt, lack of retirement security for low income seniors, and the continued physical infrastructure needs of municipalities and First Nations communities.
Like father, like daughter
Mylene Holmes is no stranger to the labour movement. Her father was a union man and activist back in the Philippines, working for the Marcelo Steel Corporation for 37 years.
Rally outside U of S Board of Governors meeting demand a fair deal for CUPE 1975 members
Over a thousand CUPE members and supporters rallied today outside of the University of Saskatchewan’s Board of Governors meeting to demand a fair deal for members of CUPE 1975.
Repetitive Strain Injuries
What are Repetitive Strain Injuries?
Repetitive strain injuries (RSI) are a family of injuries affecting tendons, tendon sheaths, muscles, nerves and joints. They cause persistent or recurring pains most commonly in the neck, shoulders, forearms, hands, wrists, elbows and lower limbs.