Canadian Union of Public Employees | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Canadian Union of Public Employees

The Canadian Union of Public Employees, founded 1963 with 86 000 members, is a merger of the National Union of Public Employees and the National Union of Public Service Employees.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees, founded 1963 with 86 000 members, is a merger of the National Union of Public Employees and the National Union of Public Service Employees. CUPE members are employed mainly in municipal and provincial governments and their agencies, and in schools, universities, hospitals, nursing homes, electrical utilities, libraries, social service agencies and airlines. CUPE's main function has been to bargain collectively for improved working conditions and to press for progressive labour and social legislation. It is Canada's largest labour union, with 460 000 members, of whom 55% are women.

See also Public service unions.

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