In May 2006, the Ontario wing of CUPE voted unanimously to pass a resolution to support the “ international campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel until that state recognizes the Palestinian right to self-determination .”

CUPE National responded to the Ontario resolution by stating that: " CUPE National respects the right of its chartered organizations to take a stand on all issues.

In January 2009, CUPE Ontario's University Workers Coordinating Committee proposed a resolution banning Israeli academics from speaking, teaching or researching at Ontario universities.

" CUPE Ontario subsequently removed its call to boycott individual academics from its website with a statement that " this is not a call to boycott individual Israeli academics.

He has been a Canadian Union of Public Employees ( CUPE ) activist since he went to work for Ontario Hydro in 1976.

He served as CUPE Ontario president from 1992 to 2009, representing 225, 000 workers in the public sector.

CUPE Ontario is the largest provincial division.

Under Sid Ryan ’ s leadership, CUPE Ontario focused on issues such as privatization, forced mergers, cutbacks, and restructuring.

In early 2009, CUPE Ontario's Sid Ryan and The Council of Canadians ' Maude Barlow teamed up in a 15 city tour of Ontario to promote public drinking water systems and to oppose the bottle water industry.

With the first phase of the tour declared a huge success, CUPE Ontario added a Northern Ontario phase that spring.

In 2006, under Sid Ryan's leadership, CUPE Ontario voted to endorse a global campaign of boycott and divestment against the State of Israel's " apartheid-like policies " towards the Palestinians.

Among the supporters, Willie Madisha wrote, " With great pride, I congratulate CUPE Ontario for their historic resolution on May 27 in support of the Palestinian people -- those living under occupation and those millions of Palestinian refugees living in the Diaspora.

The resolution was condemned by Steven Schulman, Ontario Regional director of the Canadian Jewish Congress ( CJC ), who stated that " For a respected labour union to engage in such a vote, which is completely one-sided and based on mistruths, is shocking ," and the CUPE Ontario's press release regarding the vote " reads like a piece of propaganda.

Bruce Katz, Jewish co-president of Palestinian and Jewish Unity ( PAJU ) Montreal, stated, “ I wish to congratulate you and CUPE Ontario for your valiant support for the cause of Palestinian human rights …”

Mark Goldberg, vice-chairman of CJC Ontario Region, accused CUPE of being disengenious with its claim that the boycott was not directed at individual academics, asking rhetorically: " How do you boycott institutions without boycotting individuals in the process?

Len Rudner, also with CJC Ontario Region, stated that: " While workers face an uncertain economic future and students at one of Canada's largest universities are scrambling to recover from a lengthy strike that has jeopardized the current academic year, it boggles the mind to consider that CUPE Ontario's leadership has no matter more pressing than promoting a resolution that is bigoted on its face and discriminatory in its intent.

The Conservative Government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper criticized the CUPE Ontario resolution again Israel as " intolerant.

When Ontario's two largest unions, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union ( OPSEU ) and the Canadian Union of Public Employees ( CUPE ), both boycotted the talks, the government decided to enact the initiative unilaterally.

CUPE's national president, Paul Moist, issued a statement declaring that the resolution " would violate the anti-discrimination standards set out in the CUPE Constitution and that " I will be using my influence in any debates on such a resolution to oppose its adoption.

CUPE's national president, Paul Moist, rebuked Ryan and issued a statement declaring his opposition to the motion saying, " I believe such a resolution is wrong and would violate the anti-discrimination standards set out in the CUPE Constitution ...

He served 10 years as the president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 1572, and was a CUPE national representative for a brief period preceding his election to the legislature.

Weekly regulars on the panel included outspoken freelance writer David Menzies, liberal Muslim Tarek Fatah, journalist and broadcaster Marianne Meed Ward, new media personality Andrew Lawton, CUPE leader Sid Ryan, legal agent and socialist Harry Kopyto and high profile guests including prominent politicians.

Ryan also stated that CUPE will investigate whether its pension plans are investing in companies developing weapons in Israel.

Ryan also served as general vice-president of CUPE National until 2009.

In June 2007, Ryan stated that CUPE resolution against Israel " was heard around the world.

Ryan and CUPE were sharply criticised by Jonathan Kay, a columnist for the National Post, who called it " disgusting anti-Israeli bigtory ", the Canadian Jewish Congress and

In a letter ( which was published in the National Post ), a group of members of CUPE 3902 at University of Toronto sharply criticized Ryan and the Resolution.

Ryan was recognised for his work as an International Peace Observer in Northern Ireland and his championing of Palestinian rights, specifically, his strong support for CUPE Ontario's Resolution 50 which calls for union members to support the international campaign of boycott, diverstment and sanctions against Israel.

" Opposition Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff wrote an op / ed piece which stated that his party " condemns the CUPE resolution in the strongest possible terms.

" Carolyn Egan, President of the Steelworkers Toronto Area Council, stated that Steel workers “ Respect CUPE Ontario's record of solidarity with the oppressed, both inside and outside the labour movement, and respect CUPE Ontario's initiative to educate its members and the entire labour movement on the plight of the people of Palestine, and to take practical action in defence of Palestinian human rights.

On January 13, approximately 8 days after its initial announcement, the CUPE removed its call to boycott individual academics from its website and replaced it with statement that stated that called instead for a boycott " aimed at academic institutions and the institutional connections that exist between universities here and those in Israel.

" Frank Dimant, B ’ nai Brith Canada ’ s executive vice-president, stated that the motion “ marginalizes its supporters here at home and disenfranchises CUPE members who are supportive of democratic Israel and its right to defend its citizens against terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah .” He also stated that everyone who voted in favour of the resolution was “ promoting hatred and advancing a discriminatory agenda that is at odds with Canadian values of tolerance, respect and human rights for all.

CUPE 3903 spokesperson Tyler Shipley said his local would be supporting the boycott, and that it would be " unconscionable for us not to take some sort of action.

The LabourStart website was initially hosted by Solinet, the website of the Canadian Union of Public Employees ( CUPE ) and its editor was based in Israel, on Kibbutz Ein Dor.

Directors, in Board meetings on July 26, August 9, and 23, have outlined that they are bound by confidentiality in their collective agreement with CUPE 5396, and can not disclose the justifications for terminating the employee.

Staff are members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees ( CUPE ), the Administrative and Professional Staff Association ( APSA ), or Polyparty.

Made up of former City Councilor, Ellen Woodsworth, CUPE activist Donalda Greenwell-Baker, arbitrator Dave Ages and youth activists Nathan Lusignan, Rachel Marcuse, Carlo Bodrogi and Lucas Schuller, all seven members of the slate were elected with a mandate to seek an electoral coalition with Vision Vancouver.

In Canada, for example, almost all graduate employees are members of a CUPE local.

After a garbage strike in 1995, Holyday and Etobicoke council tendered the garbage collection contract, and inviting CUPE and private operations to bid.

Etobicoke was the only area in Toronto not affected by the 2009 garbage strike, with the sick day accumulation plan being one of the unresolved issues between the city and CUPE.

Strong connections between CUPE 3903 and OCAP were developed when 3903 members took part in a 78 day strike in the winter of 2000 / 2001.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees ( CUPE, French: Syndicat Canadien de la fonction publique ) is a Canadian trade union serving the public sector-although it has in recent years organized workplaces in the non-profit and para-public sector as well.

CUPE is the largest union in Canada, representing close to 615, 000 workers in health care, education, municipalities, libraries, universities, social services, public utilities, transportation, emergency services and airlines.

CUPE is affiliated with the Canadian Labour Congress.

" By the time of Little's retirement, CUPE had already grown to 210, 000 members and had eclipsed Steel as the largest affiliate to the Canadian Labour Congress.

Hartman led CUPE to involve itself in broader struggles for social justice and equality, and emphasized the role of social unionism, as opposed to the more conservative business unionism practiced by many North American unions.

Rose's time as the defining face of CUPE was marked by membership growth from 294, 000 to 407, 000 members ( largely through organizing ), a strengthening of CUPE ’ s infrastructure and rank-and-file skills, and his outspoken opposition to Brian Mulroney-era wage restraint, free trade, the GST, privatization, deregulation, and cuts to public services.

Under Rose ’ s leadership, CUPE was particularly effective in improving pay and working conditions for women.

In 1991, Judy Darcy followed Rose and became the defining face of CUPE.

Darcy was firmly committed to the union's involvement in broader social issues, and under her tenure CUPE strongly attacked the invasion of Iraq, condemned Canada's involvement in ballistic missile defense, and spoke out loudly in favour of same-sex marriage.

CUPE has an extremely decentralized structure, in which each local elects its own executive, sets its own dues structure, conducts its own bargaining and strike votes, and sends delegates to division and national conventions to form overarching policy.

Although CUPE has a national headquarters in Ottawa, it is relatively small — the vast majority of its staff are scattered across over 70 offices across the country.

CUPE locals are affiliated directly to the National body, and affiliation in Provincial CUPE bodies is optional.

CUPE National provides locals with support and assistance through National Representatives, who are employees of CUPE National.

National Representatives are assigned to specific locals to assist the democratically-elected officers of CUPE locals in various aspects of the operation and functioning of the local union.