Posts published in April 2026

Comox Valley Regional District workers, represented by CUPE 556, have voted in favour of ratifying a new collective agreement.

“CUPE 556 members take pride in delivering public services throughout this region,” says Sonya Jenssen, president of CUPE 556. “We’re pleased to have a new agreement in place that not only recognizes the vital services our members provide but also ensures residents and businesses continue to receive stable, high-quality services.”

Following a year of negotiations, the tentative agreement was ratified by workers Tuesday, March 31, and by the district’s board of directors on April 1. The 3-year agreement is now in effect and lasts until December 31, 2027.

The new agreement includes a $2 per hour pay increase in the first year, followed by a 4 percent wage increase in the second year, and a 5 percent wage increase in the third year. Key improvements include increased paramedical coverage, updated contract language, and the addition of discretionary leave - changes that support workers’ wellbeing while helping ensure stable, reliable services for the community.

CUPE 556 represents the municipal workers of the Comox Valley – the City of Courtenay, Town of Comox, Village of Cumberland, Comox Valley Regional District, and the Hornby Island Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association. CUPE 556 members are responsible for a wide range of services including road maintenance, emergency care, recreation programs, childcare, community development, and maintaining safe, clean, drinking water systems and wastewater treatment systems.

CUPE 1196 and the Ontario School Board Council of Unions, OSBCU, strongly condemn the York Region District School Board’s plan to cut approximately 6 percent of its caretakers and trades workers — 78 positions — by the end of this summer.

These cuts come as a direct result of severe underfunding by the provincial government.

“Our members are the backbone of safe and functioning schools,” said John Malcolm, President of CUPE 1196. “We are the first ones in the building and the last ones out. We perform safety checks, we flush water systems, we make sure our schools are safe and clean for students, YRDSB staff and families. While we may not always be seen, we play a crucial role in our school communities.”

CUPE 1196 represents caretakers and skilled trades workers, including plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, and maintenance staff, who ensure schools remain clean, operational, and safe.

“Right now, our members are already overworked and understaffed,” Malcolm said. “Cutting staff will reduce the cleanliness and safety of our buildings and create real risks. Without adequate caretaking and maintenance, it will be impossible to meet the demands of our schools, and that directly impacts students’ ability to learn in a safe and clean environment.”

Malcolm also highlighted the toll on workers. “Our members have families and responsibilities, and they’re wondering if they’ll have a job to come back to. And we’re already short-staffed and spread thin.”

OSBCU says these cuts are a direct result of the Ford government’s chronic underfunding of public education, amounting to more than $6 billion since 2018.

“This is what underfunding looks like,” said Joe Tigani, President of the OSBCU. “The Ford government continues to shortchange public education, forcing school boards into decisions that cut essential frontline staff. Schools are already understaffed, and these cuts will only make things worse for workers and students.”

CUPE 1196 and OSBCU are calling on the province to properly fund public education and on the York Region District School Board to reconsider these cuts.

Approximately 360 WestJet Encore cabin crew members, represented by CUPE 8125,  has officially served notice to bargain a new collective agreement.

“We’re seeking an end to unpaid work, to resolve ongoing scheduling issues, and better wages for our members,” said Jennifer Wielohorski-Kuhnert, WestJet Encore Unit Vice President. “It comes down to this: flight attendants deserve to be paid for every hour on the job.”

CUPE 8125 President Alia Hussain emphasized that this round of bargaining comes at a time when cabin crew across the WestJet Group are pushing for meaningful change.

“WestJet mainline flight attendants have been in bargaining since September 2025, raising many of the same core issues of unpaid work, scheduling, and fair compensation,” said Hussain. “Encore flight attendants are now joining that push to ensure that all cabin crew across the company are treated fairly and compensated for the full scope of their work.”

Hussain added, “We look forward to bargaining a collective agreement that reflects the value of the work our cabin safety professionals perform every day. Our members keep passengers safe, manage emergencies, and deliver frontline service, and yet too much of their time remains unpaid.”

“Our message to WestJet is clear and consistent across the group,” said Hussain.
“Pay us fairly. Pay us for all our time.”

Members of CUPE’s central negotiation table are preparing for a summer of action after negotiations with Extendicare’s management team stalled this week. The parties met at CUPE’s Ontario Regional office to negotiate a new collective agreement for eight of CUPE’s Extendicare locals. CUPE represents over 30,000 Long-Term Care and Retirement Home workers across the province and has consistently set the pattern followed by other unions bargaining in the Long-Term Care and Retirement sector in Ontario.

CUPE locals 1182, 1307, 1394, 2770, 2951, 3127, 3128, and 4788 serve seniors in Extendicare’s Laurier Manor, Crossing Bridge, Timmins, Sudbury, Bayview, Oshawa, Tri-Town, Kapuskasing, and York facilities. The central table agreement frames the conditions for other Extendicare facilities across the province, representing over 1100 long-term care workers.

Extendicare made $96.6 million in profits in 2025. This for-profit provider can afford to provide fair wages, good benefits, and correct the issues caused by their systems. Instead, they have withdrawn from bargaining without meaningful engagement, hoping instead to push the process to Interest Arbitration in the hopes that an arbitrator will force concessions on long term-care workers. From scheduling, vacation, and pay issues caused by the implementation of the employer’s Human Resources management system Workday, to benefits and annual pay increases, the parties were unable to find common ground, despite working with a neutral conciliator. This delay will continue to impact long-term care workers who already have lower wages and lesser working conditions compared with other health care workers in other sectors.

The bargaining committee are returning to their communities to plan next steps with their members. While Long-Term Care workers in Ontario fall under the Hospital Labour Relations Dispute Arbitration Act, HLDAA, which denies them the right to strike, these workers are still able to employ other tactics and job actions to exercise their rights as workers. The union is reviewing all possible legal avenues for action to pressure the employer to come back to the table. Care can’t wait, and neither can these workers.