A steady flow of honks could be heard down Grist Mill Road in Holland Landing Friday as drivers showed their support for the educational support workers protesting outside of York-Simcoe MPP Caroline Mulroney’s office.
There are 55,000 education workers across Ontario who belong to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) protesting Friday in front of MPP offices after contract negotiations with the government concluded Thursday without a deal. Mulroney's office was closed on Friday.
Brian Lister, the picket captain at the protest in front of Mulroney’s office, says they had no choice but to fight for their rights.
“We’re out here because we’re the very lowest paid group in the education sector,” he explained. “When they say $39,000 per year, we actually have a lot of people making closer to $30,000. (Education Minister Stephen) Lecce and (Premier Doug) Ford were saying that custodians are making $27. Where are they making $27 an hour? I’m way below $27 an hour.”
After negotiations with CUPE, the government passed Bill 28 (Keeping Students in Class Act), which mandates a four-year deal that would give 2.5 per cent annual raises to workers making less than $43,000 and 1.5 per cent raises for all others—CUPE is fighting for an 11.7 per cent increase in salary for members.
The bill also allows for workers to be fined up to $4,000 for participating in “illegal” job action.
“Now, with this notwithstanding clause, that’s just bulldozing over everybody,” said Lister. “This is my will, this is what I’m doing, and you have no right to challenge me. It’s a dictatorship.”
With well over 100 protesters in front of Mulroney’s office, they were all in lockstep looking for the same thing, support.
“We’re just out here to show support and the community has been supporting us pretty well,” said one protester who did not want to provide their name.
“We’re looking for more community support for education workers,” said another protester who also did not want to be named.
“We have to stand up for ourselves because if we don’t, who will?,” asked another protester.
Overall, Lister worries that if they don’t fight back, this will be just the beginning.
“It’s been quite supportive from the community,” he said. “It’s very important to have us all together like this because it shows this government we are not going to just bow down. Once we bow down, he’s going to go after this group, that group, and the next group. We are the testing ground.”
The Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board and Simcoe County District School board closed their schools on Friday as a result of the strike.
The Simcoe County District School Board announced Thursday that schools would be closed Friday due to a planned walk-out from members of the Ontario Public Services Employees Union (OPSEU) in support of the educational support workers.
“Although our intent was to remain open on Friday, the added threat of job action by OPSEU members, and the lack of the required five-day notification, has made it so that our schools cannot operate safely and effectively," said a notice posted Nov. 3 on the Simcoe County District School Board website.
