Ann hosts final tele town hall as President

On Thursday, December 29th, CUPE Local 79 held its second union telephone town hall meeting for City of Toronto members. The purpose of the meeting was to talk about the union’s contract negotiations with the City. The meeting was hosted by outgoing Local 79 President Ann Dembinski and incoming Local 79 President Tim Maguire. The meeting was Ann’s final mass-communication with members as President of the union, a position she’s held for the last 11 years. We... Read More

Bridgepoint members raise $15,000

Local 79 members from Bridgepoint Hospital held a fundraising raffle to help in the construction of a Wellness Centre at the hospital.  Today, Local 79 sent a $15,000 cheque to Bridgepoint, a combination of money raised from the raffle and a donation from CUPE Local 79. A big congratulations to all the Bridgepoint Local 79 members who made this possible!    Read More

Members raise over a million for charity

On December 13, 2011, City of Toronto employees presented a $1,260,000 cheque to United Way Toronto, far exceeding their fundraising goals. “The City of Toronto has raised more than $1 million annually for 11 years in a row, thanks to a dedicated team of co-ordinators and canvassers from the Toronto Public Service and its partners, who volunteer each year to help those who need it the most,” said City Manager and Campaign Patron Joseph Pennachetti in a press release. United... Read More

Study dispels myths about public sector pay

Who gets paid more, public or private sector workers? The recession and resulting public deficits have put a spotlight on the pay of workers in the public sector. Read More  Read More

Dembinski: ‘Workers axed, not management’

On Friday, December 9th, 2011, Ann Dembinski appeared as a guest columnist in The Toronto Sun. Read More  Read More

Marking 63 years of universal human rights

The 63rd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Sixty three years ago, in the wake of the horrendous cruelty committed during the Second World War, the world was determined to end human rights violations. In 1948, on December 10, the first global treaty on human rights — the Universal Declaration of Human Rights — was signed at the United Nations. Canadian Law Professor John Humphrey was involved in drawing up that historic document, which was the first international... Read More

Dembinski to Budget Committee: Budget is reckless and irresponsible

The following was delivered by Local 79 President Ann Dembinski on December 7, 2011 as a deputation to the Budget Committee Special Meeting.  Read More  Read More

Dec 6: Ending Violence Against Women

December 6 is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in Canada. Read More  Read More

2nd Annual Dinner & Dance

Local 79′s 2nd Annual Dinner & Dance was a sold-out affair that lasted well into the night. Read More  Read More

City’s budget plan a ‘litany of broken promises and attacks on Toronto’s most vulnerable,’ CUPE Presidents say

TORONTO, ON– The leaders of three Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Locals representing City of Toronto Employees warned that the city’s most vulnerable people will suffer the most if Council does not step in and stop a budget that guts the services all Torontonians rely on. “No one who cares about this City can sit quietly while this administration puts forward a budget of cutbacks and layoffs that will jeopardize the services people depend on and will hurt our... Read More