Striking OPSEU/SEFPO members descend on the Treasury Board with a strong message for Premier Ford: “Come to the table, fund our services, end the strike.”
Toronto, ON, July 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- More than 1,000 striking community, health and social services workers showed up at the doorstep of Ontario’s Treasury Board today to call on the Ford government to do the right thing and end the strike.
They were joined by fellow union members and allies at the Treasury Board Secretariat and the CN Tower, wearing their now hard-to-miss purple shirts with bubbles and leaflets in hand.
Jeff Tynes, a member of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 361 and leader in the Worth Fighting For campaign, noted that on Tuesday striking workers received an unfriendly reception when they went to the constituency office of Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance and current President of the Treasury board.
“Our members were met by police, rather than those elected to represent us,” said Tynes, “The Ford government wants to pretend this isn't their problem. They want to wait us out. But we aren’t going anywhere.”
The union has invited all employers to come to the table for mass mediation as early as next Monday, but held today’s action to underscore the Ford Government’s responsibility to not only deliver the funding necessary to end the strike, but to take a seat at the table.
Throughout the strike, Premier Ford and conservative MPPs have denied any involvement or responsibility for the dispute, despite being the direct funder for the agencies that employ these workers. Many of these agencies have cited funding shortfalls for service cuts, layoffs, and the inability to repay workers retroactive wage increases owed to them due to the government’s unconstitutional Bill 124.
“While the Premier has been off shaking hands with politicians in the US, in Alberta, or on a golf course raising money for his political party, our members have been walking the picket lines during heat waves fighting for their communities,” said OPSEU/SEFPO President JP Hornick.
Meanwhile, workers have been steadfast with their message that this fight isn’t just about wages – it's about the future of services the most vulnerable Ontarians rely on.
These workers support some of the most vulnerable people, including: children and adults with disabilities, women feeling violence and abuse, people with mental health and addictions issues, people experiencing homelessness, and adults with developmental disabilities and complex care needs.
“Try as he might, nothing Ford does can drown out or erase the powerful voices and presence of these care workers standing up for their communities,” said Laurie Nancekivell, First Vice-President/Treasurer of OPSEU/SEFPO. “These workers are the ones ‘Protecting Ontario’ communities, not Doug Ford and his multi-million-dollar ad buys.”
Last month Ford said he wished the workers could be ‘locked in a room’ with their employers to hash out a deal, attempting to further distance his government’s responsibility to fund these services.
“Pull up a chair, Doug. It's time for you to sit down with the workers who care for some of Ontario's most vulnerable people – and their employers - and do your part to end this strike and protect the future of community, health and social services,” added Hornick.
Katie Arnup, OPSEU/SEFPO Communications Ontario Public Service Employees Union / Syndicat des employés de la fonction publique de l'Ontario (OPSEU/SEFPO) 647-881-2939 karnup@opseu.org Jolene Cushman, OPSEU/SEFPO Communications Ontario Public Service Employees Union / Syndicat des employés de la fonction publique de l'Ontario (OPSEU/SEFPO) 416-518-2368 jcushman@opseu.org
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