Statement on Collective Bargaining – Oxfam Canada and CUPE Local 2722
Oxfam Canada and CUPE Local 2722 have been engaged in collective bargaining for the renewal of the Collective Agreement that expired on March 31, 2025.
After more than a year of negotiations, the process reached an impasse. As of June 11, unionized employees have been exercising their legal right to strike. Oxfam Canada respects that right and remains committed to reaching a negotiated agreement.
Oxfam Canada’s staff play a vital role in advancing our mission. Their commitment to this work, in Canada and in support of partners around the world, is something we deeply value.
With the strike now underway, and aligned with our commitment to transparency, we want our supporters and allies to have clear and more detailed information about where things stand.
Our proposal
Oxfam Canada’s proposal is built around two priorities: protecting the strong employment conditions that staff have built over decades of bargaining, and offering meaningful wage increases in a difficult environment.
On wages, our proposal provides a 6.5% increase for all employees. This is in addition to an approximate 3% annual economic step increase for staff who have not reached the top of their salary band, meaning that under our proposal the majority of staff would receive a combined annual increase totaling approximately 15.5% over three years.
Oxfam Canada is committed to being a living wage employer. All salaries under our proposal are above the average for the broader Canadian economy, and well above the average for the non-profit sector in Canada.
Our proposal also preserves the generous benefits package currently in place for all Oxfam Canada staff, including up to 72 days of paid leave per year, in addition to bereavement and compassionate leave; full employer coverage of health, dental, and life insurance premiums; a 95% employment insurance top-up for maternity/parental leave up to 50 weeks, and during extended sick leave; a 5.25% pension contribution; and the option of remote work and flexible work hours.
Oxfam Canada’s highly flexible leave framework is grounded in trust, dignity, and confidentiality. Our Collective Agreement includes a range of paid leaves – such as compassionate leave, sick leave, and special leave – that staff can access when they need time off for a range of personal needs, including gender-affirming care, experiences of domestic violence, and diverse family responsibilities.
The context we are bargaining in
Collective bargaining has been taking place against a backdrop of significant disruption to the international development sector. Close to a third of global aid has been cut over the past two years, with the steepest losses in humanitarian response and support to the Least Developed Countries — precisely where needs are greatest. The human cost of these cuts is real and growing.
One of Oxfam Canada’s fundamental commitments is to mobilize resources in service of programs and partners in the Global South, and to transfer an increasing share of those resources to the frontlines of poverty, conflict, and injustice.
This reality and these commitments have shaped our approach throughout bargaining. We have sought to protect strong working conditions for staff in Canada today while ensuring those commitments remain sustainable for Oxfam Canada and its mission over the long term.
Where we go from here
As an organization rooted in feminist principles and guided by values of equality and accountability, we hold ourselves to a high standard as an employer and our position through bargaining has reflected that commitment.
We believe our proposal represents a fair and reasonable basis to conclude this Collective Agreement. Oxfam Canada remains open to a resolution and hopes one can be reached quickly — for our staff, our partners, and the people we serve.