Recap: CIPP Van Tour

July 10, 2026 | It's time for respect

Last year more than 70% of you signed the Bargaining Expectations Petition. The success of the petition showed that CIPP members from across the City of Ottawa are united in calling on your employer to meaningfully engage in collective bargaining and to be treated with respect.

In 2026, CIPP members have been busy, participating in days of action, and attending town halls to put pressure on the City to recognize the important work you and your colleagues do.  

The next goal was to connect with more CIPP members and also make a statement of solidarity with your Negotiating Team. With that goal in mind, on Tuesday, June 2, the CIPP Van Tour hit the road! 

Over three weeks the CIPP Van Tour stopped at 18 worksites, meeting 300+ members. The tour went from Richmond to Orleans and everywhere in between to map out what CIPP really looks like. Along the way, having conversations about bargaining and the issues unique to each worksite and team.  

Your strong participation throughout the van tour demonstrated the evolution and ongoing journey CIPP has been on growing your union to increase bargaining power.

Every day on the van tour you and your colleagues showed up wearing CIPP colours to express your support for your negotiating committee. You held up banners and wore pins to make your commitment to getting a fair deal known.

The van tour culminated on Thursday, June 18 with a pizza party in the cafeteria at the Mary Pitt Centre. At this final stop, the CIPP Van Tour Map was displayed, showing Polaroid pictures of all the worksites and members who participated. 

Much of the success of the van tour is owed to the members of the negotiating committee and CIPP Connect who connected with their colleagues all over the city.  And to you, each CIPP member who came out to show support!

There is much work ahead for every member of CIPP to secure a new collective agreement that accurately honours the value of your work. Whenever you and your colleagues wear your pins or lanyards or display your CIPP sticker, you are demonstrating your solidarity and unwillingness to be ignored. CIPP members are the professionals who care for this city; it’s time for respect.