Image

Ford says he’ll roll back CUPE legislation if educational workers go back to work

November 7, 2022

Premier Doug Ford says he’ll walk back controversial back-to-work legislation in its dispute with CUPE.

The union launched a political protest Friday after the government imposed a contract on the workers and used the notwithstanding clause of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. CUPE represents custodians, educational assistants, and secretaries are out on the picket line again today.

Ford at a news conference this morning said he’d be willing to sit back down at the negotiating table and rescind the imposed contract which gave those making $43,000 2.5 per cent and 1.5 per cent to $43,000.

“CUPE please accept this offer…take strike action off the table and get our kids back to school,” said Ford.

Ford added he didn’t regret imposing the back-to-work legislation saying CUPE is at fault for “walking away from the table.”

The provincial mediator actually ended the talks saying the two sides were too far apart to reach an agreement.

When Ford was asked if he had miscalculated by passing the legislation he said; “This is nothing we did; this is on CUPE.”

“Stop the strike, get into the classroom,” Ford said adding then the negotiations could restart. “This is a massive olive branch; I’ll rescind Section 33 (the notwithstanding clause) based on them going back into the classroom…Once they do that, we sit down at the table and negotiate a fair deal.

“We need them to come back.”

Share This

Image
Front Page

Pinsonneault ‘disappointed’ Ford government reneges of promise of EA for Dresden dump

April 20, 2025

Province “must ensure we have the tools and resources to respond to any unpredictable decisions” from Trump, MPP adds Heather Wright/The Independent Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Steve Pinsonneault says he’s disappointed the province won’t require the York1 project at the Dresden dump to undergo a full Environmental Assessment. But he seems to be supporting the Ford government’s move, saying “we must ensure

Read More

Image
Front Page

Lamore campaigning for the second time in 2025

April 20, 2025

Blake Ellis/The Independent This is the second time in two months Mark Lamore is on the campaign trail. He ran for the Ontario Party in the Feb.28 provincial election and now is running for the Christian Heritage Party in Sarnia-Lambton-Bkejwanong in the current federal election campaign. The vote will be exactly 60 days later; April 28. Lamore actually had no

Read More

Image
Front Page

PPC’s Everaert runs for a third time saying things haven’t changed for the better

April 20, 2025

Blake Ellis/The Independent “Things haven’t changed for the better in Canada.” That’s why Brian Everaert is once again running for the People’s Party of Canada in Sarnia-Lambton-Bkejwanong. “We want Canadians to come first all of the time.” Everaert is a founding member of the party which sprang to life in 2018 under the leadership of Maxime Bernier. He ran in

Read More

Image
Front Page

NDP’s Chan hoping to make change from the inside

April 20, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Lo-Anne Chan says her experiences as an immigrant, a student of criminology and psychology, anentrepreneur and a mom have shaped her to meet people with compassion. And she thinks that may just be the thing voters in Sarnia-Lambton-Bkejwanong may be looking forApril 28 when they vote for their MP. Chan became the candidate for the New Democrats

Read More