The locked out CUPE Local 2049 workers had a couple of prominent figures join them on the picket line today outside the Children’s Aid Society. Ontario Federation of Labour President Chris Buckley and Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus were on hand to give their support. Angus stood right outside of CAS’ door, and proclaimed the workers will come out of this alright because one, CUPE doesn’t back down from a fight and two they’re Northerners.
Buckley’s support for the workers comes a day after CAS issued a media release about a breakdown in talks that they called “unfortunate”. Buckley says the only unfortunate thing about this whole labour dispute is the fact that CUPE workers were locked out a day before Christmas. He says during the last time the two sides met, CUPE workers asked for an extension. Buckley says CAS refused unless workers were willing to agree to a bunch of demands. Buckley says that’s not the way CUPE bargains, and as a result workers were locked out of their workplace.
Buckley says it bothers him that CAS locked out their workers right before Christmas and has since tried to come off the as innocent ones in this labour dispute. He says these members take care of the most vulnerable people in our society. What really bugs Buckley is the fact they won’t get serious about collective bargaining. Buckley says it takes two sides to bargain an agreement, not one.
