3 November, 2022
Urgent message from the Ontario Federation of Labour
TOMORROW – Picket line locations for CUPE-OSBCU strike on Friday, November 4
The Ford government is pulling the plug on bargaining while it’s still underway and using Bill 28, to forcibly impose a contract on education workers. This is unacceptable and must be met with urgent and collective action.
This attack goes beyond basic labour rights. It’s an attack on our fundamental freedoms. They are criminalizing our right to fight back. This will affect all of our unions and movements fighting for justice.
The Ford government has picked a fight not only with labour but with all the people of Ontario.
As of this moment, CUPE-OSBCU will be in a legal strike position effective Friday, November 4. If legislation passes, these CUPE-OSBCU workers will still be off the job as of Friday. We are calling for the mass mobilization and support of education worker picket lines across the province. Please use the Picket Line Finder to find local picket lines.
Where multiple MPP offices are highlighted as your first, second, or third closest picket, the preference should be PC MPP offices. NDP MPP’s have been notified that their offices may be a picket site, they have all been informed, and are ready to welcome our members, and will participate with them in a mass info picket.
We ask that you communicate with as many of your members as possible and urge them to support these picket/ political protest lines where they can. Once you arrive at the picket line, please see the designated picket captains for further instruction.
This unprecedented attack calls for an equally unprecedented show of force. We must ensure education workers win this fight.
Tuesday was an incredible show of solidarity by labour and communities all across Ontario. In Toronto, over 3,500 people mobilized with merely 24 hours of notice. Labour councils were able to mobilize hundreds across cities in a moment’s notice to picket PC MPP offices. The ONDP stood strong at the Legislative Assembly to condemn the Ford government.
While we plan for this mass mobilization of solidarity, please also take the moment to use and share the OFL’s email your MPP tool, demanding the Ford Conservatives attack on our rights cease immediately.
Our mobilization efforts in the coming days are critical to bring confidence to education workers on the front lines in the fight for justice. Let’s continue to build momentum and do whatever it takes to win this historic fight. The stakes are too high to not pull out all the stops.
We look forward to seeing you on the streets this Friday!
In solidarity,
PATTY COATES, President
AHMAD GAIED, Secretary-Treasurer
JANICE FOLK-DAWSON, Executive Vice-President
