“Repeal Bill 124”: CUPE Ontario launches campaign to support frontline workers

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Now’s the time to finally repeal the Constitution-violating legislation which caps total compensation, including wages, for public sector workers to only 1 per cent, said the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario during a press conference.

“The Ford Conservatives have simply done nothing to deal with the skyrocketing cost of living,” said Fred Hahn, President of CUPE Ontario. “And worse, when the Ford Conservatives passed Bill 124, the Charter-violating legislation, they capped total compensation, including wages, for public sector workers to only 1 per cent. In light of historic inflation, which is now at 7.7%, that’s amounted to a real wage cut for frontline workers like personal support workers, developmental service workers, caretakers at Universities, and so many others.”

“Now’s the time to tell the Ford Conservatives that you can’t negotiate fairly as long as Bill 124 is the law,” added Hahn. “Now’s the time to repeal Bill 124.”

Hahn joined three frontline workers to launch a renewed campaign opposing the law.

Quotes:

“Many of my co-workers are working 2 or 3 jobs just to be able to pay the bills. As a precarious worker, one of them works at a school during the day and does the overnight shift at Community Living. I honestly, don’t know how they do it - and I don’t think they feel like they can keep doing it for much longer.” - Fredrica Pottinger, developmental service worker and member of CUPE Local 2191

“Let's be real: it’s predominantly female workers who’ve had wages capped by Bill 124 while predominantly male workers, like police officers and firefighters, were exempted. Those of us who are nurses, nutritionists, personal support workers and development service workers like Frederica, save lives and provide care as much as anyone else.” - Lisa Barker, RPN and member of CUPE Local 1943

“We need better wages in order to keep up in this city. We need better wages to do our jobs to the best of our ability. We need better wages now. There’s an easy way to change this. If Doug Ford repealed Bill 124, we’d be able to bargain for the wage increases we need and that we deserve.” - Allan James, representing service worker at the University of Toronto and President of CUPE Local 3261

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