'It's clear that they have no respect for workers': union leadership regarding Western strike

They were out making noise along Wellington Street over the noon hour on Friday - lots of noise.

The rally on Wellington Street, near London City Hall, was in support of striking CUPE local 2361 members, who are now entering their third week on the picket line.

The union represents grounds keepers, caretakers and tradespeople at Western University with university leadership coming under fire. Ontario Federation of Labour President Laura Walton was explicit, "It's clear that they have no respect for workers, and when they don't respect us, what do we do? We shut it down."

Along with Ontario Federation of Labour President Laura Walton, those gathered heard from CUPE National Secretary-Treasurer Candace Remnick, the number two person in CUPE's national office, with CUPE being the largest union in the country, "You will never be alone. You will have the support and the backing of three quarters of a million members from all across this country. And we will have your back for as long as it takes. Solidarity my friends."

CUPE Ontario Secretary-Treasurer Yolanda McClean continued to be critical of the university for using replacement workers, and said that at the end of the day, the students are the ones suffering, "We know that the students here, they are definitely witnessing the consequences of neglect firsthand. And we want to be clear that the situation is not sustainable."

CUPE Ontario Secretary-Treasurer Yolanda McClean speaks at a CUPE rally for Western workers, September 13, 2024 (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)

University leadership continues to stress that their most recent offer which offers over five per cent in each year of a five year deal will bring CUPE 2361 members in line with other universities, 2361 Vice-President Chris Yates says it's not a fair comparison.

“The university sector as a whole is behind, just like almost every other public sector group, in Ontario. So to try to compare us to other universities is doing us a disservice when it's really the market around us. The London market that we've been trying to use as a comparator all along, and it's very obvious that there are other public institutions in the London area that are paying more than the University of Western is paid, and our members need to be able to be in that competitive mix."

The rally was originally going to take place at the university main gates on Richmond Street, but out of respect for those injured at a serious crash at that location.

There were tense moments near the end of the rally - as it was wrapping up, those demonstrating marched into the intersection of Wellington Road and Dufferin Avenue.

They circled in the intersection for about ten minutes. As they headed off along the westbound lanes of Dufferin Avenue, a car came through the intersection in the eastbound lanes.

One of those involved in the rally struck the car as it passed.

The driver jumped out of the vehicle and took a swing at the person who hit the car.

A driver confronts a man who struck his vehicle during a CUPE rally on Sept. 13, 2024. (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)

The man took off on foot.

The driver jumped back in his vehicle and drove to the back of the parading union members.

CUPE representatives say the man who hit the car was not one of their members and some CUPE members tried to calm the driver, but he was visibly irate, abandoning his vehicle in a live lane of Dufferin Avenue as he went looking for the person who hit his car.

London police speak with a driver whose vehicle was struck during a CUPE rally on Sept. 13, 2024. (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)

He followed the gathering all the way down Richmond Street toward Central Avenue, but the man he was looking for had disappeared.

London Police Service members were on hand as the driver returned to his vehicle.

At this point there's no word on whether charges will be laid for any of those involved.