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The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is Canadian trade union serving the public sector though it has, in recent years, organized workplaces in the non-profit and para-public sector as well. CUPE was formed in 1963 by merging the National Union of Public Employees and the National Union of Public Service Employees. It has grown to become Canada's largest union, providing a strong voice in support of workers' rights, equality and top quality public services.
With more than half a million members across Canada, CUPE represents workers in health care, education, municipalities, libraries, universities, social services, public utilities, transportation, emergency services and airlines.
CUPE members are service-providers, white-collar workers, technicians, labourers, skilled trades people and professionals. More than half of CUPE members are women. About one-third are part-time workers
The union has 70 offices across the country.
The union is considered one of the more progressive unions in the country and has moved towards social unionism as opposed to the business unionism practiced by many North American unions. The union has a highly decentralized structure, however, which some critics believe makes it difficult for it to organize concerted action and leaves the union highly balkanized with policies and strategies varying widely from local to local and sector to sector.
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