Has the Ford government declared a class war? Why Ontario education workers are taking to the streets

This week on rabble radio, we're sharing an interview between CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn and rabble editor Nick Seebruch. The two spoke on Nov. 2 to explain what's at stake in the labour dispute in Ontario.

At the time of this episode's posting, CUPE has announced that it will strike on Friday, Nov. 4 and OPSEU – the Ontario Public Services Employees Union – says its 8000 education workers will join them. The Ontario Federation of Labour has also taken to social media to share their support for CUPE.

But how did we get here?

To recap, CUPE Ontario has been negotiating with the Ford government, trying to secure better pay for its educational support workers.

As Marc Belanger explained on a special RadioLabour episode this week, when inflation is taken into account, the lowest paid educational worker in Ontario has seen their wages effectively cut by 11 per cent since 2012.

CUPE has been seeking a wage increase of $3.25 per hour in each year of a three year collective agreement.

On Sunday, October 30th, 97% of CUPE Ontario's 55,000 education workers voted to give the Ford government the legally necessary five day notice of a potential provincial-wide strike should their wage demands not be met.

Despite a long week at the bargaining table, the Ford government was not to be persuaded.

On Thursday evening, the Ford government passed Bill 28 which imposes a new work contract on educational support workers with a pay increase of 2.5 per cent, well below the rate of inflation.

Ford invoked the Constitution's notwithstanding clause which allows the provincial government to override part of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and bypass the union's right to bargain and strike. The use of the notwithstanding clause means that Bill 28 cannot be challenged in court.

In doing so, Judy Rebick says the Ford government has effectively called a "class war against unions."

CUPE president Laura Walton has pledged that their members will strike on Friday, November 4 and that the strike will continue "for as long as it takes."

The Ontario Federation of Labour took to social media saying: "Doug Ford and Stephen Lecce have declared war on 1 million union members, 7 milllion workers, 14 million Ontarians. Get ready to fight."

This is a developing story. Join in the conversation on our discussion board, babble.

Photo: Courtesy of CUPE

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