Call for Solidarity

As of Thursday February 11th, nine women in Charlottetown, PEI are marking five months of striking for hours of work that allow them to earn a living wage, to pay their bills, to be entitled to benefits and to have a stable family life.

They are joined by hundreds of supporters from unions across the province. 

Wherever you happen to be, anywhere across Canada or around the world, you can join in the solidarity.  It takes just a few seconds.  Click HERE to send a prepared solidarity message.

Employees of Canadian Blood Services (CBS) in Charlottetown began their strike on Labour Day. The strikers are the folks who collect from donors the blood, platelets and plasma used in our health care system. Just possibly the blood you or a friend or a relative has needed in the past. Or will need in the future.

The main issue to be resolved to is maintaining a minimum number of hours for some of the positions in the bargaining unit. All 11 members of Local 19 of the Nova Scotia Union of Public & Private Employees(NSUPE) are part-time. They want to know that CBS will maintain at least some of the jobs as real job or in other words, jobs that have enough hours to continue to be eligible for benefits and to have enough income for them to be able to support their families. The Union is not looking for guaranteed jobs, just that the jobs that are there not be broken into more jobs with fewer hours.

Canadian Blood Services wants total flexibility -- an on-demand, completely flexible work force. No negotiations have taken place since the strike began.

Send CBS a message: get back to table and bargain a fair agreement!
Share your message of support via Facebook, Twitter, and email.

Thank you for thinking warm thoughts for the folks walking the line during the harsh PEI winter!

In Solidarity,

Derek Blackadder

in partnership with
LabourStart Canada, NSUPE - Nova Scotia Union of Public & Private Employees, and The BCTF

---