Welcome to the Canadian National Multilingual News Group (CNMNG). This is a project made possible through funding by Canadian Heritage. CNMNG aims to gather news researched and written by a corps of Canadian-based journalists/writers from the country’s multilingual community groups. The overall goal is to inform, analyze and critique the issues of the day in a professional manner and to provide that to publishers and editors active in the ethnocultural-multilingual press and media whose experience provides them with a perspective that is sensitive to news relevant to their own language group.
TORONTO – The Ford government and CUPE, the union representing Ontario’s education workers, are on a collision course: today the government hastily approved (it’s happening while we are writing), the controversial decree law prohibiting strikes while tomorrow, not caring about the ban, the 55,000 union members are crossing their arms.
TORONTO – While the government goes ahead to pass the Keeping Students in Schools Act as soon as possible, Education Minister Lecce uses an iron fist with the Canadian Union of Public Employees. Any counter-offer proposed to the government must include the cancellation of the strike scheduled for Friday. “Take the threat off the table and let’s talk about it – said Lecce at a press conference – we were very clear. We are ready to negotiate with those who wish to do so as long as Friday’s strike is called off. We will not accept a strike, neither this Friday nor on any other day.”
TORONTO – The government is pulling straight. After presenting on Monday the decree law that would cancel the threat of a strike, today it met at 5 am for the second reading of the “Keeping Students in Schools Act”. “We are at a critical time for our students. Right now, our students need to study continuously in the classroom,” Education Minister Stephen Lecce said during his hour-long opening statement.
TORONTO – It will be a warm autumn in Ontario schools. CUPE responds to the Ford government’s legislation by calling a day of general strike on Friday.
TORONTO – Government and Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) are at loggerheads. The countdown has begun and in the event of no agreement, non-teaching staff who have been members of the union Friday could go on strike. Just yesterday the CUPE gave five days‘ notice in view of a possible complete abstention from work. “We believe that the next 3 days of mediation – November 1, 2 and 3 – are an opportunity for this government to come to the table to negotiate a contract that recognizes the education workers and vital services we provide to students, families and our communities,” CUPE tweeted.
