CUPE 3902 was shocked and devastated to learn of Monday’s horrific attack in North York, Toronto.

Three members of CUPE Ontario were among the victims of the attack. Renuka Amarasinghe, a single mother and a nutrition services worker in CUPE 4400, was killed in the assault. Amir Kiumarsi, a chemistry instructor and Chief Steward at our sister local, Ryerson University’s CUPE 3904, remains in intensive care. Amaresh Tesfasamariam, a registered practical nurse and member of CUPE 79, is in critical condition.

GoFundMe pages have been created to support these CUPE members and their families:

As further details emerge, as a union we must reaffirm our commitment to equality and our opposition to hatred and oppression. We begin our meetings by reading our equity statement in order to remind ourselves that diversity in our society is a strength. It is important to remember and act on those values as we recover from this tragedy.

All members of CUPE 3902 have access to leaves under their Collective Agreement which cover situations of acute distress or trauma. If you have been affected by the attack and do not know how to access your leave provisions, please contact us at office.coordinator@cupe3902.org or 416-593-7057.

Members of CUPE 3902 Units 3 & 5 have access to the University of Toronto’s Employee & Family Assistance Plan (EFAP): http://benefits.hrandequity.utoronto.ca/efap/

Morneau Shepell has opened a 24/7 bilingual crisis hotline for anyone affected by the incident in Toronto. The crisis hotline number is 1-844-751-2133.

Additional support is also available through the following resources:

We join CUPE Ontario and other locals in our region in remembering the importance of our support for one another in these difficult times.

In solidarity,

The CUPE 3902 Executive Committee