The Ontario government introduced legislation this week (Bill 28) that will force a contract on CUPE’s 55,000 education workers in the Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU) and prevent a legal strike that was to start Friday. These workers earn $39,000 per year on average, and 51 per cent of them work another job to make ends meet. They are calling on the Ford government to hire more education workers to support all students, and to increase their wages, as they are the lowest-paid employees in the sector. CUPE workers intend to protest on Friday in defiance of the government’s attempt to override fundamental rights guaranteed under the Charter.
FAUW stands in solidarity with the education workers in CUPE-OSBCU and supports their right to collective bargaining. FAUW also supports the 3,000+ academic staff in CUPE 3912 in Nova Scotia who have been on strike since October 24. We will send our usual $1,000 strike fund donation to CUPE 3912.
About OSBCU and Bill 28
CAUT, OCUFA, and many other labour and education-sector organizations have issued statements both explaining and condemning this legislation and its impact on education workers and the entire education sector:
- CAUT condemns Ontario government’s back-to-work legislation of CUPE’s underpaid education workers
- OCUFA stands in solidarity with Ontario education workers and condemns Ontario government’s tabled back-to-work legislation
- Statement from ETFO President Karen Brown on need for free collective bargaining
For more background information about the situation, see this CBC article: The dispute between Ontario's government and education workers, explained.
What you can do
- Use this OFL tool to send an email to the Premier and Minister of Education and your MPP.
- Join pickets and participate in other solidarity actions this Friday.