Updates

Statement on COPE National convention in Winnipeg

 

A number of COPE/SEPB locals in Ontario have called on COPE National to postpone its convention scheduled for this week in Winnipeg. 

The province has declared a state of emergency because of wildfires, and First Nations leaders have called on conferences to be cancelled so that hotel rooms can be provided to the thousands of evacuees, some of whom have been sleeping on cots. 

COPE locals supporting the statement urge the national union to act in a spirit of reconciliation and answer the call of First Nations leadership. 

 

Solidarity_Statement_2025_06_03.pdf

Solidarity_Statement_FR_2025_06_03.pdf

Pride 25 — now more than ever

With equity, diversity and inclusion under attack south of the border and elsewhere, Pride Month 2025 is even more timely and important.

Pride Month speaks not only to freedom for 2SLGBTQ+ communities, but for the right of every person to live their lives fully and authentically, in safety and without fear.

There are events across the province this month and into September. The biggie, as usual, will be Toronto Pride Weekend from June 26 to 29, centred in the Church-Wellesley Village.

Here, thanks to the Ontario Federation of Labour, is a list of events taking place across the province. Chances are, there’s an event taking place near you. See you there!

https://ofl.ca/event/2025-pride-event-schedule/

Workers come together!

New report shows increasing workplace violence in schools

Research by University of Ottawa researchers should be a wakeup call for the Ontario government.

Punching, biting, kicking and throwing things at educational assistants and teachers are increasing at alarming rates.

A key factor is lack of funding that leads to overcrowded classrooms, fewer educational assistants and unequal access to assessments for students.

“These are exactly the conditions that exacerbate workplace violence,” says Dr. Chris Bruckert, Chair of the Department of Criminology, who launched the Violence and Harassment Against Educators Project in 2018.

Evacuating the classroom has become almost a daily occurrence for many education workers. Nearly half the 6,000 support staff and teachers who were interviewed also reported harassment from parents.

This epidemic of violence is bad not only for workers but for students. How long will the Ford government continue to live in denial and financially starve our Ontario education system?

https://www.uottawa.ca/about-us/news-all/distressing-levels-workplace-violence-ontario-schools

Leave Work at Work!

Happy May Day!

Today we honour workers and the importance of solidarity — at home and around the world. 

May Day has been celebrated since ancient times as the beginning of warmer weather and a period of rebirth in the natural world. 

These days, it is a day to honour workers, solidarity and the importance of unions in fighting for workplace rights and equality. In Europe, May Day is similar to what Labour Day is for us in North America. 

So today let us celebrate the new season and the importance of working together for rights and equality — here and everywhere.

National Day of Mourning

Today, April 28, is the National Day of Mourning, when we remember all workers who were killed at work and who have suffered injuries at work.

This special day is observed around the world, sending a message about the importance of strong health and safety laws and workplace inspections.

Today, we mourn the dead, and commit to making every workplace a safe workplace.

New TTC cars — keep it Canadian!

COPE Ontario joins the calls for Toronto mayor Olivia Chow to buy Canadian for the TTC. 

Subway cars on TTC Line 2 are near the end of life, and replacements are urgently needed. 

COPE members at Alstom in Thunder Bay are ready to build the 55 new cars needed for the Bloor-Danforth line. 

No one has more experience than workers in Thunder Bay, who built the existing Line 1 and 2 cars (not the mention, the new streetcars). 

This would be a win-win — for the economy of Thunder Bay, and the TTC riders who deserve to travel on reliable subway cars. 

We're counting on you, Olivia!

2025 Election

Vote for a pro-worker Canada

Every time we go to the polls, we remark on how important an election is and that we should all do our duty as citizens to cast our ballot.

We need no convincing about the importance of the federal election taking place on April 28.

With the rise of Donald Trump and the far right in the country with whom we share the continent, our very future as Canadians is at stake. Who we choose as Prime Minister and government is of monumental importance.

According to the polls, Mark Carney and the Liberals will form a majority government.

But let us pause for a moment and consider the fate of the NDP and why it’s important to have a strong social democratic presence in the next Parliament.

Thanks to pressure from the NDP, the outgoing Liberal government brought in dental care and pharmacare, and amended the Canada Labour Code to ban employers from hiring replacement workers during a strike.

One of the first acts of Prime Minister Mark Carney, a former banker, was to abolish the Department of Labour and scale back diversity and inclusion programs.

The continuing importance of the NDP is all too clear.

Take that consideration with you to the ballot box on April 28.