Media Advisory: Community and labour leaders to join striking library worker at rally in Leamington on Wednesday

LEAMINGTON, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Aug. 30, 2016) - Labour leaders and community supporters from across Essex County will be out in force tomorrow to support their much loved Essex County library workers who have now been on strike for more than two months.

Decked in "I Heart Library Workers" buttons outside the Leamington library, this will be a "Celebration of Resistance" commending the strength demonstrated by the library workers who continue to stand up against sick time concessions that would see one third of their part-time workers left behind.

"I continue to be blown away by these library warriors," says CUPE Ontario president Fred Hahn, who will be one of the leaders joining the celebration tomorrow. "Their resolve and courage to stand up for what they know is right continues to grow, despite the growing hardships that come from a long strike like this. They are an inspiration."

The rally follows on a new poll by Environics that shows two-thirds of people in Essex County sympathize with the library workers and believe the Mayors that sit on county council are responsible for solving the strike and getting the libraries reopened.

"The support we've been receiving from the public has really kept us going," says Lori Wightman, spokesperson for the library workers. "We know it's not just the workers that are suffering - residents want their libraries back. We hope the more we can show the mayors on the county council that the community wants them to act the sooner we'll get back to the table and the sooner we can get back to work."

CUPE is Ontario's community union, with more than 260,000 members providing quality public services we all rely on, in every part of the province, every day. CUPE Ontario members are proud to work in social services, health care, municipalities, school boards, universities and airlines.