OPSEU/SEFPO stands in solidarity with the striking workers at CUPE 3903 and all workers exercising their legal right to picket.
Flexing police power on picket lines and detaining unionists is not a new strategy for employers or those allied against the working class, but it’s a tired one. We’ve seen a marked increase in police repression targeting charter protected protests and union activity. And while they’d like this to break our spirits it will only fortify our solidarity.
At OPSEU/SEFPO, we know that an attack against one is an attack against all; if they come for CUPE members today, they will come for us tomorrow.
Let this be a clarion call for workers across Ontario – we keep this province running. When they come for unionists – no matter your affiliation – we will make sure they feel our worker power. This is a fight that transcends individual workplaces.
The arrest of striking workers is unjust; it undermines the ability to collectively bargain, and it is an attack on the very essence of democracy. As trade unionists, we have a duty to denounce any action that infringes upon the right to strike. Shame.
OPSEU/SEFPO stands firm in its commitment to defending the rights of all workers. We’ll see you on the picket lines where we’ll be exercising these rights.