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Whether your in Trades or Non-Trades, CUPE728 wants to make sure that all of our Maintenance Workers know they are highly valued and appreciated. On the surface, maintenance work may seem like a behind the scenes kind of business. In reality, it is essential to the functioning of our schools. Maintenance workers ensure our entire community has access to safe and functioning schools.  On the first Friday of March, we dedicate that day to all the Maintenance Workers in Surrey Schools.  Without them, our schools would not function.  Thank you!

Today and every day, CUPE celebrates women’s union activism.

CUPE women have always been at the forefront of the fight for gender justice. At the bargaining table, through political action, and on the picket lines, women are powerful leaders in our union. CUPE feminists have used collective power to fight for stronger public services, fair wages, employment equity, and better working conditions.

Yet, women are still far more likely to be subjected to violence and harassment at work, especially if they are also young, persons with disabilities, Black, Indigenous, or gender-diverse or migrant workers. CUPE is working to end gender-based violence in all its forms – at work, at home, and in our union.

As we fight for gender justice, we recognize that all struggles for human rights are interconnected. Solidarity is a powerful tool, and we unite with women across the globe demanding peace and a fairer world.

To achieve justice for all women, we must dismantle all forms of oppression that women face including racism, transphobia, ableism, homophobia, and colonialism.

This International Women’s Day, CUPE urges members to:

Take action:

• Join Momentum’s Facts Over Fear campaign and learn more about how to stop the spreading of misinformation from the far right about trans youth and adults.
• Join the Canadian Labour Congress  Workers Together campaign to express your personal connection to gender justice and your commitment to electing a pro-worker government.
• Take steps to implement CUPE’s Anti-Racism Strategy in your local.
• Encourage women in your local to join committees, to run for elected positions, and to apply to programs for women. CUPE’s Women in Leadership Development (WILD) program is expanding to new regions this year and applications are now open.

Check out:

• CUPE’s Stop Workplace Sexual Violence guide and pamphlet to raise awareness, support survivors and challenge sexual violence.
• CUPE’s bargaining tools on harassment, domestic violence and other equity issues.
• CUPE’s violence prevention kit.
• CUPE’s fact sheet on menstruation, menstrual health, and menopause in the workplace.
• The Disabled Women’s Network of Canada’s report Deaf and Disabled Women and Gender-Diverse People and the World of Work, which aims to empower advocacy and develop meaningful strategies that support Deaf and disabled women and gender-diverse people to navigate the world of work more effectively.
• The upcoming survey results from the CLC, along with researchers at Western University and the University of Toronto, who ran their second Canada-wide Respect at Work survey in 2025. Nearly 5,000 workers took part in the first survey back in 2020. The results of the first survey were released in March 2022 and can be found here.
• The Native Women’s Association of Canada’s Annual Scorecard on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two=Spirit, Transgender, and Gender-Diverse (MMIWG2SG+) People
• Oxfam Canada’s reflections from a decade of gender programming.

Spread the word:

• Download or order free copies of CUPE’s International Women’s Day poster.

World Plumbing Day recognizes the critical link between health and plumbing facilities. Indeed, the bathroom plays a significant role in maintaining our health all around the world. Everybody understands the role of sanitized, plumbing solutions to cut germs in their paths.

Just how many germs live in your bathroom is unclear, but it’s the place where you can find some of the most harmful bacteria, such as bacillus, gram-negative rods, cocci, and gram-positive rods. These different bacteria types are harmful to the human population and can cause a variety of health concerns such, skin infections and pneumonia. Some types are also resistant to antibiotics, which brings a completely new meaning to World Plumbing Day.

Indeed, good plumbing is not just a nice thing to have to keep your bathroom looking pretty. It’s the safest and quickest way to maintain and protect your health.

For more information, click https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/world-plumbing-day/

For those 728 members that will be off during Spring Break, have a wonderful time. This is a break that is well deserved! In our busy lives, it may be hard to take time to relax and re-charge.  Check down below for suggestions.

CUPE728 is constantly grateful for all our members and their commitment.  On March 18, we want to highlight all our Utility Workers.  They work around the clock to make sure our schools are run safely at a

The first Wednesday of April is Paraprofessional Appreciation Day. While we may not use the term ‘paraprofessional’, those CUPE728 members that fall under the Student Support Department would be considered Paraprofessionals.

Student Support members play important roles in schools and help make classrooms more inclusive. They add another layer of support to the classroom, allowing students to have more opportunities each day. When students, teachers, and families embrace paraprofessionals as key members of the education team, everyone benefits.