“They’re taking away our rights to protest locally and centrally, and they want to impose a new collective agreement.” said CUPE Local 4155 President Gaetanne Caron, “That’s why we need to protest. It’s bullying. We’re not going to take it.”.
CUPE Local 5335, 4154, 4155 and 5678 workers stood in front of Sarrazin’s office, waving flags and homemade signs.
CUPE Demands
The government offered a two-per-cent annual increase for all workers with annual wages under $40,000 per year and a 1.25-per-cent increase for all others. The new deal would give a 2.5-per-cent annual increase to all workers with annual wages under $43,000 per year and a 1.5-per-cent increase for all others.
CUPE has been demanding an 11.7 per cent increase, overtime at double the regular pay rate and 30 minutes of paid prep time for educational assistants and early childcare educators.
The support workers included in the deal are maintenance staff, school office and clerical staff, educational assistants, early childhood educators, library workers, and information technology staff. The workers could receive a $4000 a day fine for striking under the proposed legislation.
