In the latest instalment of the Work in the West interview series, Professor Charles Smith discusses the broader implications of the 2019/2020 Co-op Refinery lockout for the labour movement in Saskatchewan, including the privileging of property rights over workers’ rights, the Wagner model of industrial relations in Canada, and the use of the courts as Continue readingLocked Out: Charles Smith on the 2019-2020 Co-op Refinery lockout
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In the latest instalment of the “Work in the West” podcast, former Unifor Local 594 president Kevin Bittman opens up on the 2019-2020 lockout at the Co-op Refinery in Regina. In this episode, he reflects on the implications for labour solidarity, the role of government in private-sector strikes, and the future of labour in the Continue readingLocked Out: Kevin Bittman on the 2019-2020 Co-op Refinery lockout
By Doug Nesbitt It’s a sad state of affairs when a Conservative Party leader comes across as the champion of workers and unions. Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole has started the election by making big announcements. His plans are said to be pro-union and pro-worker. After his Labour Day 2020 address, we made the case: Continue readingCorporate O’Toole’s bait and switch scheme
In this podcast, Dr. Bruce Curran of the University of Manitoba talks about the Manitoba PC government’s 2017 wage restraint legislation, the Public Services Sustainability Act, and why it was struck down by the courts in 2020. Dr. Curran discusses what the court decision got right while offering up criticisms.
By Lisa Cameron Workplace infections have been the primary cause of COVID-19 outbreaks in hard-hit areas across Canada, yet 54 percent of Nova Scotian workers lack guaranteed access to paid sick leave; a benefit proven to help prevent the spread of illnesses and keep the public safe. In September 2020, the federal government implemented the Continue readingNova Scotia still needs paid sick days
In this latest installment of the Work in the West podcast, University of Regina’s Dr. Emily Eaton provides an overview of her research on the idea of a “just transition” in the oil & gas industry.
In this latest installment of the Work in the West interview series, Sara Birrell talks about Saskatchewan’s long-term care crisis. This includes a discussion about staff-resident relationships during COVID-19, and experiences of residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more, please check out Sara Birrell’s article “The slow crisis in Saskatchewan’s long-term care” published in Briarpatch Continue readingSaskatchewan’s long-term care crisis
In this latest episode of Work of the West, we are joined by Janice Jarvis, President of Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) Local 823 in the Salmon Arm and Revelstoke area of British Columbia. Janice discusses the state of working conditions at Canada Post during the COVID-19 pandemic and the impacts of back-to-work legislation Continue readingInterview: Working at Canada Post under Harper, Trudeau and the Pandemic
By Doug Nesbitt Momentum is growing among postal workers to reject a deal that would extend existing union contracts with Canada Post by two years. The two contracts cover Urban Ops, and Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMCs). That’s 50,000 Canada Post workers in total, and all members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers Continue reading‘No’ campaign emerges to kill dubious Canada Post deal
We continue the “Work in the West” podcast and interview series with labour law scholar Judy Fudge on her research interests with a focus on “modern slavery” and its connections with the COVID-19 pandemic, and research on migrant labour.
In our latest episode of the Work in the West podcast, industrial relations researcher Sean Tucker discusses the large-scale infection and deaths of workers in Alberta’s meatpacking industry due to COVID-19, particularly at the Cargill plant at High River. In the spring of 2020, the Cargill High River plant was the site of the largest Continue readingCargill, Alberta meatpacking, and the COVID-19 Pandemic
In this latest episode of the Work in the West podcast, Suzanne Mills, Adriane Paavo, and Benjamin Owens talk about their research project that looks at the experiences of 2SLGBTQ+ workers in Sudbury and Windsor and what unions can do to improve work experiences. They shed light on the aims, methodology, findings, and implications of Continue readingA Conversation about Work, Inclusion and 2SLGBTQ+ people in Sudbury and Windsor