Contracting Out
We must continue working together to organize all our members to put pressure on U of T to stop contracting out. Our demand is simple:
Bring cleaning in-house so that our members can ensure that the necessary health and safety standards are being met AND show the employer that we will continue to fight back anytime they move to contract out instead of hiring CUPE members
Our campaign will need high participation from members and the community abroad. While we continue to prepare more material such as posters, brochures, and videos, we ask members to continue sharing the petition and to visit and share the contracting out website https://www.endcontractingout.com/
We also encourage members and the U of T community abroad to send a message directly to U of T President Meric Gertler VP of Operations and Real Estate Partnerships Scott Mabury, and VP of Human Resources and Equity Kelly Hannah-Moffat to demand they end contracting out.
- Ask them why they are contracting out cleaning services while members are laid off and especially during COVID-19. It has been proven time after time that private, contracted out cleaning reduces service quality and puts our health and safety at risk, while in-house work provides higher quality cleaning.
- Ask them why they believe it is okay for the University to pay poverty level wages, and to increase the share of workers without paid sick days during a pandemic.
- Ask them why they are okay with undermining unionized work, and why they are okay with normalizing precarious work on campus.
Talk to your colleagues, let them know what is happening, and get them to sign the petition.
Health and Safety
U of T has failed to provide adequate consultations with labour and student groups on campus. We have been working with other groups as part of a coalition by coordinating, sharing information, and providing updates. On August 24th, labour groups including CUPE 3261 held a townhall discussing the science behind COVID-19. It has become clear to us that U of T continues to use out-dated scientific research on COVID-19 in their reopening plan, such as by not taking into serious consideration presymptomatic and asymptomatic transmission, as well as airborne transmission.
Our hope is to ensure the University take into account the risks involved with allowing for any in-person classes at U of T. The risk of another outbreak is too high, and would put many of our members in serious risk.
We continue to encourage members follow health and safety procedures at work place, including ensuring you have adequate personal protective equipment, and to follow physical distancing when possible. COVID has been around for a while now, and we know many people are facing “pandemic fatigue.” Meanwhile, the reopening of most businesses has made it feel that we are almost back to normal. This is understandable, but the virus is still in full swing, so please do your best to keep everyone around you safe by following health and safety guidelines. And as always, if you do feel unsafe, you may carry a work refusal, and report any issues to your supervisor, manager, and union.