CUPE 2722 Oxfam Canada workers stage “Big Head” action in downtown Ottawa as strike enters its fourth week

Union members escalate public outreach, as employer refuses to move on already-rejected offer

OTTAWA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oxfam Canada workers are staging a public outreach event at Sparks Street and Elgin Street on Wednesday, July 8 as part of their strike campaign aimed at pressuring the employer to return to the bargaining table.

The workers, members of CUPE Local 2722, are using an iconic Oxfam tactic: the creation of a “Big Head”, often seen in the Oxfam contingents around the world at large conferences, such as the G7 and G20. Instead of a world leader, the person depicted is Oxfam Canada Executive Director Lauren Ravon. The action site also features large “Missing” posters of Ravon pointing to her absence from the bargaining table, as well as oversized cola cans in reference to the key Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) provision in the collective agreement.

“We are in our fourth week on the picket lines, and the employer has shown zero willingness to get a new bargaining table mandate and address the union’s concerns in negotiations. Flashy is what we need right now,” said Lisa Gunn, President of CUPE 2722 and spokesperson for the striking Oxfam Canada workers. "How can an employer that champions economic justice and feminist values keep to their current stance? The hypocrisy is alarming. You can’t hire activists and expect us to be complacent.”

CUPE 2722 workers went on strike on June 11, after over a year of negotiations had reached a standstill. The most recent offer, tabled by the Board of Directors of Oxfam Canada in May, offered substandard wage increases. The proposal also neglected already existing Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) language which has been in their collective agreements for decades. These positions reflect an attempt by the employer to force a concessionary collective agreement on the workers.

Other remaining demands are workplace protections, including leave for gender affirming care and supports for victims of domestic violence.

CUPE 2722 is calling on supporters to contact Oxfam Canada’s Board of Directors, including their Executive Director Lauren Ravon, and urge them to direct the organization to negotiate a fair agreement. This can be done by sending a letter to Oxfam Canada’s Board of Directors at www.cupe.ca/oxfam

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