Latest news with #AmandaKinna
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Months Of Organizing Pays Off as CUPE 2189 Members at YWCA Toronto Ratify Landmark New Deal
TORONTO, May 26, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Over the course of months, a small cadre of dedicated labour activists turned a large but largely untested group of workers at the YWCA Toronto into a union prepared to fight for fair pay. It took hundreds of in-depth and often emotional conversations, union education, and strike training. The result was weekly informational pickets at rotating locations, record setting membership participation, and the ultimate prize: a new contract that workers are proud of. Last week, members of CUPE 2189 voted to ratify their new collective agreement. These roughly 250 members work at the YWCA Toronto as child care workers, housing support staff, settlement workers, violence against women counsellors and in other critical roles supporting the most vulnerable women and gender diverse people in the city. They entered this round of bargaining in desperate need for a fair raise in the shadow of Bill 124 but YWCA Toronto's first offer would have done little to help workers catch up. "Workers are going to food banks, missing rent payments, struggling just to get by. This was a make-or-break negotiation for us and I am so incredibly proud of the effort and care our members put into organizing and mobilizing for what is fair," said Amanda Kinna, a business administrator with the YWCA Toronto and president of CUPE 2189. "Nearly every person who works at the YWCA Toronto has a second or third job. We have families. We have the daily stress of trying to survive at the poverty line in this city. Despite that, we showed what is possible when workers build their power." The contract includes a flat rate raise amounting to an average increase of 11 per cent over three years, money which will go a long way to helping the 70 percent of CUPE 2189 members who struggle to pay their monthly bills. The deal also ends the practice of double on-call at the Woodlawn location, provides an additional day of union work for the president so they can continue to strengthen the local, and includes a one-time signing bonus on top of the annual grid increases. "The effort that went into getting these workers educated, informed, and prepared to fight is a much-needed reminder that all workers can fight for what they deserve. Regardless of the size of the local, when workers organize and fight together, we win together," said Fred Hahn, president of CUPE Ontario. "Frontline community workers are among the lowest paid in the province and this win is going to serve as a north star, motivating other workers to fight for fair wages while giving negotiators support to ask for more at the table." Widespread community support was key to this securing this deal, with hundreds of community members attending rallies and over one thousand community members sending messages to the YWCA Toronto Board of Directors. "We are a group of mostly women supporting some of the most marginalized women and gender diverse people in the city. We've felt ignored for so long. To suddenly be seen, embraced, and supported by the community was deeply meaningful," said Kinna. "We're proud to work at the YWCA Toronto. We're going to keep doing our jobs, keep supporting the people who need us, and keep building our power." od/COPE491 View source version on Contacts Jesse Mintz, CUPE Communications Representative416-704-9642 | jmintz@
National Post
26-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
Months Of Organizing Pays Off as CUPE 2189 Members at YWCA Toronto Ratify Landmark New Deal
Article content TORONTO — Over the course of months, a small cadre of dedicated labour activists turned a large but largely untested group of workers at the YWCA Toronto into a union prepared to fight for fair pay. Article content Article content It took hundreds of in-depth and often emotional conversations, union education, and strike training. The result was weekly informational pickets at rotating locations, record setting membership participation, and the ultimate prize: a new contract that workers are proud of. Article content Last week, members of CUPE 2189 voted to ratify their new collective agreement. These roughly 250 members work at the YWCA Toronto as child care workers, housing support staff, settlement workers, violence against women counsellors and in other critical roles supporting the most vulnerable women and gender diverse people in the city. They entered this round of bargaining in desperate need for a fair raise in the shadow of Bill 124 but YWCA Toronto's first offer would have done little to help workers catch up. Article content 'Workers are going to food banks, missing rent payments, struggling just to get by. This was a make-or-break negotiation for us and I am so incredibly proud of the effort and care our members put into organizing and mobilizing for what is fair,' said Amanda Kinna, a business administrator with the YWCA Toronto and president of CUPE 2189. 'Nearly every person who works at the YWCA Toronto has a second or third job. We have families. We have the daily stress of trying to survive at the poverty line in this city. Despite that, we showed what is possible when workers build their power.' Article content The contract includes a flat rate raise amounting to an average increase of 11 per cent over three years, money which will go a long way to helping the 70 percent of CUPE 2189 members who struggle to pay their monthly bills. The deal also ends the practice of double on-call at the Woodlawn location, provides an additional day of union work for the president so they can continue to strengthen the local, and includes a one-time signing bonus on top of the annual grid increases. Article content 'The effort that went into getting these workers educated, informed, and prepared to fight is a much-needed reminder that all workers can fight for what they deserve. Regardless of the size of the local, when workers organize and fight together, we win together,' said Fred Hahn, president of CUPE Ontario. 'Frontline community workers are among the lowest paid in the province and this win is going to serve as a north star, motivating other workers to fight for fair wages while giving negotiators support to ask for more at the table.' Article content Widespread community support was key to this securing this deal, with hundreds of community members attending rallies and over one thousand community members sending messages to the YWCA Toronto Board of Directors. Article content 'We are a group of mostly women supporting some of the most marginalized women and gender diverse people in the city. We've felt ignored for so long. To suddenly be seen, embraced, and supported by the community was deeply meaningful,' said Kinna. 'We're proud to work at the YWCA Toronto. We're going to keep doing our jobs, keep supporting the people who need us, and keep building our power.' Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
Business Wire
26-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Months Of Organizing Pays Off as CUPE 2189 Members at YWCA Toronto Ratify Landmark New Deal
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Over the course of months, a small cadre of dedicated labour activists turned a large but largely untested group of workers at the YWCA Toronto into a union prepared to fight for fair pay. It took hundreds of in-depth and often emotional conversations, union education, and strike training. The result was weekly informational pickets at rotating locations, record setting membership participation, and the ultimate prize: a new contract that workers are proud of. Last week, members of CUPE 2189 voted to ratify their new collective agreement. These roughly 250 members work at the YWCA Toronto as child care workers, housing support staff, settlement workers, violence against women counsellors and in other critical roles supporting the most vulnerable women and gender diverse people in the city. They entered this round of bargaining in desperate need for a fair raise in the shadow of Bill 124 but YWCA Toronto's first offer would have done little to help workers catch up. 'Workers are going to food banks, missing rent payments, struggling just to get by. This was a make-or-break negotiation for us and I am so incredibly proud of the effort and care our members put into organizing and mobilizing for what is fair,' said Amanda Kinna, a business administrator with the YWCA Toronto and president of CUPE 2189. 'Nearly every person who works at the YWCA Toronto has a second or third job. We have families. We have the daily stress of trying to survive at the poverty line in this city. Despite that, we showed what is possible when workers build their power.' The contract includes a flat rate raise amounting to an average increase of 11 per cent over three years, money which will go a long way to helping the 70 percent of CUPE 2189 members who struggle to pay their monthly bills. The deal also ends the practice of double on-call at the Woodlawn location, provides an additional day of union work for the president so they can continue to strengthen the local, and includes a one-time signing bonus on top of the annual grid increases. 'The effort that went into getting these workers educated, informed, and prepared to fight is a much-needed reminder that all workers can fight for what they deserve. Regardless of the size of the local, when workers organize and fight together, we win together,' said Fred Hahn, president of CUPE Ontario. 'Frontline community workers are among the lowest paid in the province and this win is going to serve as a north star, motivating other workers to fight for fair wages while giving negotiators support to ask for more at the table.' Widespread community support was key to this securing this deal, with hundreds of community members attending rallies and over one thousand community members sending messages to the YWCA Toronto Board of Directors. 'We are a group of mostly women supporting some of the most marginalized women and gender diverse people in the city. We've felt ignored for so long. To suddenly be seen, embraced, and supported by the community was deeply meaningful,' said Kinna. 'We're proud to work at the YWCA Toronto. We're going to keep doing our jobs, keep supporting the people who need us, and keep building our power.' od/COPE491
National Post
06-05-2025
- General
- National Post
Looming Strike Points to Deep Seated Problems at YWCA Toronto
Article content TORONTO — The workers who run the YWCA Toronto's homeless shelters often leave work and go to food banks. Many of those who help families find stable housing live with the daily stress of how they're going to afford their own rent. This simmering crisis of poverty and precarity among YWCA Toronto workers has led to a possible historic strike at the feminist agency in less than three weeks. Article content Article content A No-Board report was delivered yesterday by the Ontario Labour Relations Board, meaning that more than 250 YWCA workers – members of CUPE 2189 – will be in a legal strike position as of May 22. A strike will impact mental health services for survivors of trauma, employment supports for women looking for work, shelters and housing programs for families facing homelessness, parenting and childcare programs, and more. Article content 'We work with some of Toronto's most vulnerable, women, women identifying people, and families. But the YWCA has made their own workers vulnerable too. This work is mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting and there is absolutely no reason why we should be pushed into poverty or forced to use food banks doing jobs that save lives,' said Amanda Kinna, a business administrator at the YWCA and president of CUPE 2189. 'Investing in workers with better wages and job security will help improve the services we offer and avoid a strike.' Many of CUPE 2189 members work second or third jobs to make ends meet. Still, over 70% struggle to pay their bills and 10% regularly use food banks. Most glaringly, the vast majority of members are paid so little as to quality for the YWCA's own rent-geared-to-income housing support programs. Article content 'If women came to us with these salaries, we'd help them find and keep housing. That means that the YWCA knows it's paying us poverty wages, and they are fine with it,' said Kinna. Some YWCA staff earn a little as $38,000 a year. 'The YWCA talks about building a more equitable, feminist society but they only apply that goal to management and the women we serve, not workers.' Article content CUPE 2189 members saw their wages capped at 1% by the Progressive Conservative government's wage suppressing Bill 124 legislation during a period of skyrocketing inflation. While workers fell further behind, management awarded themselves double digit raises. Faced with reasonable proposals that would help members live in the communities they serve, the YWCA offered workers 2.5%, and a hardship loan. Article content 'I give this job my all but it doesn't give me enough. I have a second job. I work seven days a week. That doesn't leave any time for my own children,' said Elizabeth Legenza, an intake worker with the YWCA for 15 years. 'We love what we do and we don't do it for the paycheque. But that desire to give back cannot be weaponized against us to the detriment of our own families. Our jobs are critical. So is our well-being.' Article content CUPE 2189 members remain hopeful that the YWCA and their funders will see the justice of investing in their workers when they return to the table on May 15. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
Business Wire
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Wire
Looming Strike Points to Deep Seated Problems at YWCA Toronto
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The workers who run the YWCA Toronto's homeless shelters often leave work and go to food banks. Many of those who help families find stable housing live with the daily stress of how they're going to afford their own rent. This simmering crisis of poverty and precarity among YWCA Toronto workers has led to a possible historic strike at the feminist agency in less than three weeks. A No-Board report was delivered yesterday by the Ontario Labour Relations Board, meaning that more than 250 YWCA workers – members of CUPE 2189 – will be in a legal strike position as of May 22. A strike will impact mental health services for survivors of trauma, employment supports for women looking for work, shelters and housing programs for families facing homelessness, parenting and childcare programs, and more. 'We work with some of Toronto's most vulnerable, women, women identifying people, and families. But the YWCA has made their own workers vulnerable too. This work is mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting and there is absolutely no reason why we should be pushed into poverty or forced to use food banks doing jobs that save lives,' said Amanda Kinna, a business administrator at the YWCA and president of CUPE 2189. 'Investing in workers with better wages and job security will help improve the services we offer and avoid a strike.' Many of CUPE 2189 members work second or third jobs to make ends meet. Still, over 70% struggle to pay their bills and 10% regularly use food banks. Most glaringly, the vast majority of members are paid so little as to quality for the YWCA's own rent-geared-to-income housing support programs. 'If women came to us with these salaries, we'd help them find and keep housing. That means that the YWCA knows it's paying us poverty wages, and they are fine with it,' said Kinna. Some YWCA staff earn a little as $38,000 a year. 'The YWCA talks about building a more equitable, feminist society but they only apply that goal to management and the women we serve, not workers.' CUPE 2189 members saw their wages capped at 1% by the Progressive Conservative government's wage suppressing Bill 124 legislation during a period of skyrocketing inflation. While workers fell further behind, management awarded themselves double digit raises. Faced with reasonable proposals that would help members live in the communities they serve, the YWCA offered workers 2.5%, and a hardship loan. 'I give this job my all but it doesn't give me enough. I have a second job. I work seven days a week. That doesn't leave any time for my own children,' said Elizabeth Legenza, an intake worker with the YWCA for 15 years. 'We love what we do and we don't do it for the paycheque. But that desire to give back cannot be weaponized against us to the detriment of our own families. Our jobs are critical. So is our well-being.' CUPE 2189 members remain hopeful that the YWCA and their funders will see the justice of investing in their workers when they return to the table on May 15. Quick Facts: CUPE 2189 represents roughly 250 workers who staff emergency shelters, violence against women shelters, permanent housing sites, and other programs across Toronto. A 2024 survey revealed that: 71% of workers struggle to pay monthly bills. 46% of workers have cut back on food each month. 72% of workers can't save money or have drained their savings account. 10% of workers regularly use food banks. :od/cope491
