CUPE urges members to accept tentative deal for school support staff

Union leaders representing school support workers voted Saturday to accept a tentative contract with the province.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees Ontario reached the tentative deal last weekend, just hours before the January 1 deadline allowing the Liberal government to impose contracts on teachers' and school staff.

Union president Fred Hahn says the union's bargaining committee believes the agreement deals with issues like pensions and job security, which are important to CUPE members and supports services in schools.

Hahn says the leadership is recommending the general membership vote to accept the contract in the coming weeks.

"We believe it will be a difficult conversation for our members because this (contract) is significantly different," he said at a news conference.

"That said, we also know that our members understand very much the situation that we are in. We are confident that the democratic process — they'll go and vote and I have every confidence in our members and whatever they vote, will be the right thing."

© The Canadian Press, 2013