Local CUPE representatives are celebrating following a deal struck today, that would see them return to work and Bill 28 rescinded, as a win for all unions.

“Monumental victory for the union movement,” says CUPE 2486 Head Shop Steward Devin Klassen, “this is a bill that should have never been passed in the first place and it really united workers across this province.”

CUPE 2486 represents custodial and maintenance staff employed by the Lakehead Public School Board.

In a statement posted only on their social media pages the board provided this update for operations:

We are pleased to welcome back our CUPE colleagues beginning tomorrow (Tuesday, November 8th). We would like to thank families and staff for their patience throughout the recent and ongoing provincial negotiations. We very much value the work CUPE staff members do every day. Cafeteria services at secondary schools will also resume on Tuesday, November 8th

On Friday, less than 15 hours after Bill 28 had initially been passed union support from the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation, Unifor, SEIU Healthcare, Catholic School Teachers Association, and the Elementary Teachers Federation were among the picketers out front of Thunder Bay – Atikokan MPP Kevin Holland’s office on James Street.

Klassen says he was kept in high spirits from that support noting the recent events play as an important reminder as to why unions exist.

“There is an old union saying, ‘an injury to one is an injury to all’, and when Ford passed this bill it really united all workers across the province.”