Hundreds of local CUPE education workers and their supporters started gathering very early this morning outside MPP Rob Flack’s office at the CASO Station.
CUPE’s 55,000 education workers are on strike until further notice despite new legislation that imposes a contract on the union and a strike ban.
Local picket captain Melissa Reis says that the majority of their members are made up of educational assistants, custodians and administrative staff, some making as low as $39,000 a year.
Reis says they plan to be out there all-day Friday, and possibly even longer if no deal is reached.
She adds that she was shocked when she arrived in the dark early Friday morning to see hundreds of people already on the picket line.
Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government yesterday enacted a law imposing contracts on the workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees and banned them from striking.
The union says the new law is an attack on all workers’ bargaining rights.
Members of many other unions are set to join CUPE members on the picket lines in solidarity for their fight.
Written by: Andrew Buttigieg with files from the Canadian Press
