'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 four year term 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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
WATCH LIVE Police arrest Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides
Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'
NDP house leader says House dysfunction will be a factor in future confidence votes
NDP House leader Peter Julian says there's more his party wants to do in Parliament before the next election, but if the current dysfunction continues it will become a factor in how they vote on a confidence measure.
Former Colorado county clerk Tina Peters sentenced to 9 years for voting data scheme
A judge ripped into a Colorado county clerk for her crimes and lies before sentencing her Thursday to nine years behind bars for a data-breach scheme spawned from the rampant false claims about voting machine fraud in the 2020 presidential race.
Youth pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of P.E.I. teen Tyson MacDonald
A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.
BREAKING Jury begins deliberations in Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial
The jury tasked with determining if Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard sexually assaulted a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago began deliberating Friday after nearly two weeks of testimony that saw the singer and his accuser give starkly different accounts of what happened.
BREAKING Here's what the jury didn't hear in Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial
A northeastern Ontario jury has started deliberating in Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial, we can now tell you what they weren't allowed to hear.
Canadian family stuck in Lebanon anxiously awaits flight options amid Israeli strikes
A Canadian man who is trapped in Lebanon with his family says they are anxiously waiting for seats on a flight out of the country, as a barrage of Israeli airstrikes continues.
Yazidi woman captured by ISIS rescued in Gaza after more than a decade in captivity
A 21-year-old Yazidi woman has been rescued from Gaza where she had been held captive by Hamas for years after being trafficked by ISIS.
Airlines' challenge of Canada's passenger protection rules rejected by Supreme Court
Canada's airlines have failed in their challenge of air passenger protection rules that the federal government implemented in 2019.