An early morning crowd of CUPE members and supporters along Downtown Renfrew on Friday, November 4th.
Education workers in Renfrew took to Low Square on Friday as they began their picket line as part of a province-wide strike.
This comes as Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government tabled a bill on Thursday that would force 55,000 custodians, librarians, education assistants, school administrators and more back to work as their talks with the Canadian Union of Public Employees broke down over the past week.
Jamie Campbell, a local member of CUPE chapter 1321, says the provincial government using the notwithstanding clause to force their way to a deal is a bully tactic that tramples on their right to collectively bargain.
The picket line in front of Town Hall in Renfrew began at 7:00am on Friday and was expected to run until 5:00pm as more union members and supporters arrived. Campbell tells us that the support they received in just the opening couple of hours of the demonstration was reassuring.
Campbell says that support boils down to the status quo under the current government not working for students, families, and workers within Ontario’s education system. Even as the legislation that passed on Thursday outlawed the strike, Campbell says they’re still fighting what they consider a fair wage increase and better school services for students.
Campbell adds that CUPE’s bargaining team are focusing on the next few days as the strike threatens to extend into next week.
(written by Kasey Egan)
