Toronto, ON – CUPE Local 79 workers have sent a strong message that they are ready to strike. Instead, they point to increasing violence and a lack of staff as major factors pushing this decision. Just yesterday, the union announced that over 98 percent of Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) workers voted in favor of a strike mandate. Moreover, 94 percent of Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation (TSHC) employees overwhelmingly voted in favour of striking.
Over the course of the last week, the union conducted a whirlwind of meetings, discussions and votes. They were able to organize overwhelming support for possible strike action. The decision comes at a time of increasing concern over safety in our expanding workplaces, as violence has served as the third-leading cause of workplace deaths.
In their statements, Ms.”When violence and understaffing become the norm, everyone pays the price — workers, tenants, and seniors alike,” he stated.He pointed out that nothing stops members from demanding a “safe, well-staffed system.” Doing so will protect workers as they serve their communities free from fear, and protect residents in receiving care that they need and deserve.
CUPE Local 79 is preparing to face media at a press conference at 10 a.m. on Friday morning. Their goal is to make clear what happens next after this vote passes. The union is preparing for a big discussion about where they go next. They are bracing for what would likely be the first legal strike or lockout to be called within just 17 days of that report being released.
The day of the press conference, we’ll have more details about the union’s agenda. It should lay out the steps they will take if their demands are not met. The announcement underscored strong support for the strike authorization. This urgent situation requires that the top management listen and act right now to resolve legitimate concerns raised by the workers.
