CORNWALL – Upper Canada District School Board, (UCDSB) employees who are members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) are taking part in a work action in Cornwall.
CUPE represents several different employee groups working at the school board including custodial/maintenance staff, school office and clerical staff, educational assistants, early childhood educators, library workers, and information technology staff.
Between 300 to 350 education workers began a work action along 2nd Street in Cornwall on November 4 at 8 a.m., often receiving honks from passing vehicles and waves from the passengers. There will be three shifts picketing throughout the day until the work action concludes at 4 p.m., according to Darrin Cryderman, a vice-president of CUPE Local 5678.
Cryderman explained picketing today is planned for outside the offices of Members of Provincial Parliament.
SDSG MPP Nolan Quinn’s constituency office is located at 120 Second Street West. Picketers are marching in proximity to Quinn’s office.
CUPE Local 5678 was formed in 1998 following the amalgamation of Ontario school boards. Cryderman commented this was the first time the local has participated in a work action.
Carolyn Thompson Goddard, grew up in Chesterville and attended North Dundas District High School. After completing her BA in Political Science at Carleton University she has worked as a medical secretary and library technician. In 2020 she graduated from Algonquin College with a diploma in Journalism and has been a reporter and column writer for The Chesterville Record for over 10 years.
