Steelworkers Staff Union support COPE Staff – Solidarity Looks Like This!

 October 16, 2019

Sent Via E-Mail Attachment

Mary Stalteri, Bert Poulin, Jim Snider
IAM, Local 1922 Negotiating Team

Dear Mary, Bert, Jim, and All Striking Staff Members of COPE Ontario:

On behalf of members of the Staff Representatives Union (SRU), we send you solidarity in your struggle for fairness in your strike against COPE Ontario.

As Union Staff members, SRU members know how difficult it can be bargaining and bringing pressure against an employer that is itself a Union. As a small unit, it’s also tough to get heard.

It’s not right that a Union, an organization that exists to bring people together to fight unfairness, would as an employer bring any concessionary or unreasonable proposals to the table. We believe these demands will also undermine the position of COPE members at the bargaining table with external employers in future rounds of negotiations.

As Staff whose work is to support Union members, you deserve all the things a Union stands for in your own jobs – fair wages and working conditions, dignity and respect. You fight hard to win these gains for COPE members, and this work should be recognized by your employer.

We appreciate your efforts to find ways to share information about your strike to bring pressure on COPE Ontario to return to the table.

Please keep us posted on your efforts and let us know if there are more solidarity actions we can be a part of.  We hope your strike action and information picketing brings COPE Ontario to its senses, back to the table, and towards a fair contract for IAM members.

In Solidarity,

Jackie Edwards
SRU, USW Canadian National Office
jedwards@sru-sdr.org

Stephen Finnigan
SRU President
sfinnigan@usw.org

Sean Logan
SRU Vice President
slogan@sru-sdr.org