CANADIAN LABOUR MOVEMENT-ONTARIO:
SOLIDARITY WITH MCMASTER UNIVERSITY WORKERS:
The following solidarity appeal is from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).
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A Fair Deal for McMaster University Workers:
CUPE 3906, representing over 3000 academic workers at McMaster University, is facing a strike deadline at the end of October.





They are trying to secure a fair deal that addresses issues such as overcrowded classes and heavy workloads, benefits erosion and tuition fees increase protection. Instead of working towards a fair deal, management has failed to address these outstanding issues.





We need your help to secure a contract that addresses the core issues that affect students, the university and their workers. Please send a message to the management team at McMaster University and tell them to offer their workers a fair deal and avert a strike.
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THE LETTER
Please go to THIS LINK to send the following letter to management at McMaster University.
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Overcrowded classes lead to heavy workloads, undermining the quality of education at McMaster University. Failing to address issues of benefits erosion and tuition increase protection affects the quality of life of students, workers and their families, and it’s unacceptable.




In this current economic climate leading employers like McMaster have to play a leadership role to ensure quality education by addressing workers’ issues and averting a disruption that would affect students at McMaster University.





I urge you and your negotiating team to do what it takes to find a deal in upcoming mediation talks.
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While we are on the subject of CUPE, here's another appeal from that union, this time for the city librarians of Toronto who are in the last minutes of negotiations before the City forces them to take strike action.

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Help Toronto library workers get a fair agreement:
The Toronto Public Library Workers Union (TPLWU) Local 4948, CUPE, are in negotiations. The Toronto Public Library is relying more and more on part-time work and self check-out machines at the expense of a well-trained professional workforce and quality service. CUPE 4948 wants to maintain high quality community-based public library services and ensure that all library workers have good jobs.




You can use this online form to send a message to Jane Pyper, City Librarian and Matthew Church, Chair of the Toronto Library Board. Tell them it's time to sign a collective agreement is fair for library workers and maintains quality public library services. Your support will build on the local's strong strike mandate.




If you live in Toronto, you can have even more impact by phoning or e-mailing your city councillor - find their contact information and let them know that good jobs mean quality library service.
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THE LETTER
Please go to THIS LINK to send the following letter to management at the City of Toronto libraries.
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The public library provides many services vital to my community and to the city of Toronto. The staff at my library are friendly and hard-working. I look forward to having my questions answered by knowledgeable staff who take the time to make sure I am taken care of.





The Toronto Public Library has a wonderful reputation for being community-based, offering many specialized collections and providing innovative services and programs to library users. I am aware that the Toronto Public Library Board wants to extend open hours to midnight with almost no professional librarians, a drastically reduced library service and many more part-time staff with few or no benefits.





I support the extension of library open hours but this will require a well-trained professional workforce. Better public library service does not mean more open hours with reductions in services, few librarians and more part-time staff.





Library workers need good secure full-time jobs just as much as our communities need great public libraries. I support good jobs and quality public library service. We can't have one without the other. I urge you to bargain a fair contract for library workers.