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National Post

As the Strike at Villa Columbo Approaches One Month, Community Groups Rally in Support of CUPE 5525

Article content TORONTO — As workers at the Villa Columbo Supportive Housing Unit in North York are approaching one month on the picket lines, community organizations and their union are showing up to support them. Management at Villa Columbo, a subsidiary of Villa Charities, walked away from the bargaining table one month ago, after tabling a proposal full of concessions and a payment package well below the poverty line. Villa Columbo has since hired strike breakers, also known as scabs, and is refusing to return to good-faith negotiations with the Union. These 25 personal care workers have been marching ever since, filling the neighbourhood with chants and bullhorns. Article content On Tuesday, June 24 th, the members of CUPE 5525 will be joined by CUPE National President, Mark Hancock, and National Secretary Treasurer, Candace Rennick, as well as members of Anakbayan, a Filipino youth organization that supports social and economic justice causes in North York and Migrante, Ontario. Article content Article content 'Scab labour is a despicable, immoral tactic used by unscrupulous employers to try to break unions,' said Mark Hancock, National President of CUPE. 'Villa Columbo thinks it can bully these 25 women into accepting poor pay and bad working conditions. We're here to tell them that these workers aren't alone – they have the support of over 755,000 CUPE members across the country.' Article content 'These women deserve the basic respect to have a living wage,' added Candace Renick, National Secretary Treasurer for CUPE. 'This community, and all of CUPE will keep standing beside them until Villa Columbo and Villa Charities gets back to the table.' Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content For more information, please contact: Article content Article content Article content Article content