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People depend on public services; services depend on people to deliver them.
CUPE 87 – We make Thunder Bay & District Work
Our workers who represent 17 bargaining units throughout Northwestern Ontario, touch every part of life: they fix roads, provide emergency care, test drinking water, connect us with library resources, run ice rinks, work at daycares, lead community workshops, and much more. We’re facing tough economic times, and that’s when we need affordable, reliable public services most.
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Membership Meetings
Our membership meetings are held on the third Wednesday of every month. We are now hosting Hybrid meetings, you are welcome to join us at the office or attend virtually, please contact the office for a meeting invitation.
Michelle can be reached at (807) 345-9511 or at cupe87secretary@tbaytel.net
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Professional Volunteer Firefighters of the Municipality of Shuniah
Professional Full-time Firefighters are essential service, and they do not have the right to strike, and have Interest Arbitration to settle any outstanding matters that cannot be met at the bargaining table. Professional Volunteer Firefighters do have the right to strike.
The Professional Volunteer Firefighters of the Municipality of Shuniah absolutely have the right to strike, but it will be used as a last resort. These Professional Volunteers live in the Municipality of Shuniah, as a firefighter it is engrained in your Soul to protect your family, neighbours, residents, and keep your community safe. Most of the Professional Volunteer Firefighters which organized with CUPE, currently hold Full-time positions with other employers, and still commit to responding to calls for the Municipality of Shuniah.
CUPE has developed a campaign for the Professional Volunteers i.e., radio ads have been running for quite a few weeks, mail outs have just gone out to the residents of Shuniah asking for their support and new messaging will unfold in the very near future. The Professional Volunteer Firefighters are part of CUPE Local 87 which is the biggest local in Northwestern Ontario, over 700 members strong are committed to supporting the Professional Volunteer Firefighters. CUPE and the Professional Volunteer Firefighters are doing all they can to avoid a strike and are ready to go back to the table with a Conciliation Officer.
The Government has mandated as of July 2026, Professional Volunteer Firefighters, must have and continue to have the same certification and training as a Fulltime Professional Firefighters. We have not tabled the same wages of a Fulltime Professional Firefighters but a wage that recognizes the mandated certification and training, commitment to the community, and the Health Issues that are associated to all Professional Firefighters. The Shuniah Professional Volunteer Firefighters are First Responders from Hodder Avenue to Superior Shores on 11/17 East, that certification is also mandatory. Speaking with our members, mental health becomes an issue as you cannot unsee what you have seen in this line of work, PTSD is high within this working environment. Physical Health, breathing in toxins, working with chemicals all Professional Firefighters have a high-risk of cancer. The Canadian Government stated between 2005 and 2016, 86% of occupational fatality claims for Canadian firefighters were linked to cancer. A Firefighter has a 9% higher risk of a cancer diagnosis, and a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer than the general public.
CUPE and the Shuniah Professional Volunteer Firefighters want the Employer, the Residents of Shuniah to know they are asking for reasonable wages to compensate for the dangerous work they do to protect the very Community they live in. Please reach out to Mayor and Council of Shuniah and tell them to bargain a fair wage for the men and women who protect Shuniah.
The parties have negotiated a collective agreement, the only outstanding issue the parties cannot agree on is hourly wages and responsibility pay for the Captains. Under the current point system, there are approximately 18 firefighters, the more firefighters that respond to calls, the less pay they receive. If you have less Firefighters, under the current system, the more pay is received. Captains under the same point system currently receive an additional amount of money for their responsibility pay.
Deryk Fournier
CUPE Local 87 President