Doug Ford doesn’t care about the workers who care for us; would rather ram through unconstitutional legislation than pay education workers a fair wage

November 1, 2022

TORONTO — Ontario Greens leader Mike Schreiner released the following statement in response to news that Minister Lecce will table legislation today imposing a contract on Canadian Union of Public Employees education workers that has precedent for being unconstitutional.

“Students and parents lose when Doug Ford doesn’t care for the workers who care for us.

“The fact that Ford and Lecce would rather try and ram through legislation that has precedent of being unconstitutional than treat education workers with respect tells you that this government will not prioritize students and quality public education.”

Just last week, the Financial Accountability Office showed that the Ford government is sitting on surplus funds — all while penny pinching from the lowest-paid education workers in Ontario.

It’s disrespectful and just straight up wrong.

An annual raise of 2.5% in an inflationary economy is essentially a cut that especially hurts low wage workers.

We need care, not cuts.

These are the education workers that sacrificed so much during the pandemic, that ensure our kids can get to school safely and on time and that they have clean and safe classrooms to learn in.

We all agree that students should be in school learning — but going to war with education workers with unconstitutional legislation is not the way to achieve that. The bullying and intimidation from Lecce and his government against education workers and unions has to stop.

Instead of imposing an unfair contract that could cost taxpayers big time down the line in legal fees, I’m calling on the Ford government to backtrack on this legislation and work with CUPE in a respectful bargaining process that delivers the best outcome for students and families.”

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Media contact:
John Chenery
johnchenery@gpo.ca
437-929-1792

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