The Impact of Member Engagement—Fighting Ford, One Rally at a Time

The fight to protect public education is ongoing, but it’s important to take a moment now and again to reflect on the successes of the work done that’s been done by thousands of OSSTF/FEESO members.

Since the March 15, 2019 announcement of major cuts to education by the Ford government, OSSTF/FEESO has be standing up and calling for #NoCutsToEducation. We have seen local momentum grow each week as Districts organize rallies outside MPP offices, host town halls, participate in local anti-Ford actions, and continue to have the one-on-one conversations with members of our communities.

It is becoming clear that Ontarians do not support the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party’s slash and burn approach to governing. Ford and his government have the lowest approval rating in the history of Ontario politics. This is thanks, in part, to the amazing work that has been undertaken by members in all corners of the province.

Below is a rundown of what’s been happening around the province in our Ford Fightback campaign:

• Over 60 local rallies at the offices of MPPs demanding #NoCutsToEducation
• Numerous education town halls offering members of the community the opportunity to have their say about the future of public education
• Continued messaging about the effects of cuts to education through OSSTF/FEESO’s social media channels, including almost 30 infographics, various front line member videos, local and provincial news ads in over 10 languages, and countless unique local actions
• The Here for Students website has garnered over 200,000 letters to MPPs in support of public education—yes, 200,000 individual letters
• Targeted mail card drops have reached over 1.3 million Ontarians, and targeted phone messages have reached over 300,000, urging them to contact their MPPs directly, and drawing continued attention to the issue in the Ontario Legislature
• April 6 brought out tens of thousands of concerned Ontarians who stood united at Queen’s Park at the Rally for Education
• #RedForEd Fridays continue to demonstrate our site-based solidarity
• More than 30,000 No Cuts to Education buttons have been shared throughout the province

This is just a small sampling of what we’ve done so far. The pressure is mounting and our resolve is strong. As the summer continues, take a moment and consider the small, medium, and large actions you can take. The article Don’t Burn Dinner—Keep the conversation going without ruining a summer gathering provides a light hearted approach to having the difficult conversations that we must continue to have.