MEDIA ADVISORY: CUPE Ontario Convention to focus on protecting Ontarians from dangerous privatization schemes

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - May 24, 2016) - Twelve hundred CUPE Ontario members are set to gather at the Toronto Sheraton Centre on Wednesday to open their annual convention, with a clear message for Premier Wynne: Your fiscally irresponsible privatization plans will hurt the people of our province and they must be stopped.

"Our members work directly for municipalities and schools in every community across Ontario. They work in our hospitals, long-term care homes and childcare centres. They keep our lights on and our water safe to drink," says CUPE Ontario president, Fred Hahn. "We feel a strong obligation to protect the people of Ontario. We're building a movement to take back what's ours and stop the Premier from funneling our tax dollars to corporate profits rather than investing them in our communities."

"Our democracy is built on the premise that the people have the power to determine what is best for us," says Candace Rennick, Secretary Treasurer of CUPE Ontario. "We must stop Premier Wynne from giving our power over to an elite few."

CUPE Ontario is also set to make history with the creation of six new equity positions that will ensure the new executive board is the most diverse leadership body in the Canadian labour movement.