The OFL stands in solidarity with the more than 55,000 members of CUPE’s Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU) taking legal job action today, in order to secure the education services and resources that students in Ontario need.
“Students in this province deserve properly funded education services, not government cuts that are tearing the public education system apart. Shame on the Conservatives for continuing with these cuts,” said Ontario Federation of Labour President Chris Buckley. “These workers have faced years of cuts to the critical services they provide, and the labour movement stands with them as they fight to preserve our world class education system.”
Following years of underfunding education by Ontario’s Liberal government, the provincial Conservatives have cut hundreds of millions of dollars from Ontario schools. This has resulted in lost services for students, and lost jobs for education workers.
“The Ontario Federation of Labour represents one million workers in the province of Ontario, a unified Power of Many. We call on every worker in this province to support these education workers in their fight for our communities and a properly funded education system. We are sending a message to the Conservative government: Ontario workers want strong communities, not cuts,” said Buckley.
The school board workers who are taking job action include educational assistants, custodians, office administrators, early childhood educators, trades people, instructors, library technicians, speech pathologists, IT specialists, as well as many other jobs.
“We will fight with these workers, students, and Ontario families for fully funded, publicly delivered education services,” said Ontario Federation of Labour Secretary-Treasurer Patty Coates. “Education workers uphold our education system in so many ways. Without strong public education the future of Ontario is at risk.”
Walk-in actions are being held across Ontario on October 10, and the OFL encourages all affiliates to participate. For information: Linktr.ee/schoolwalkins.
The Ontario Federation of Labour represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.OFL.ca and follow @OFLabour on Facebook and Twitter.
-30-
To arrange interviews or for more information, please contact:
Meagan Perry, Director of Communications
Ontario Federation of Labour
mperry@ofl-org.flywheelsites.com l 416-894-3456
