Labour Force Survey, September 2012 The number of employed Canadians edged up in September from the month before, with 52,000 jobs added to the economy. Still, the unemployment rate rose 0.1 percentage points to 7.4% as more people participated in the labour market. In the past year, employment has increased 1.0%, with most of the Continue readingWeekly labour news update, 5 October 2012
News
Union advantage A recent report released by the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) shows that the average unionized worker makes over $5 an hour more than their non-unionized counterparts. This comes to a culmulative value of almost $800 million each week across the unionized workforce. The report, titled “The Union Advantage in Canadian Communities”, is based Continue readingWeekly news update, 28 September 2012
Marikana Massacre On August 16, 34 South African platinum miners were gunned down and killed by a special police unit. The miners were employed by platinum mining giant, Lonmin, in the Marikana region of the South Africa. In response to the massacre, Lonmin chairman, Roger Phillimore said in a statement, “We are treating the developments Continue readingWeekly news update, 13 September, 2012
[audio:https://www.rankandfile.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/RFR_Sept5_1730.mp3|titles=September 5 2012 episode] Click here to download PSAC 901 President, Doug Nesbitt, and PSAC 901 Chief Steward, Jonathan Rose, talk about the state of the Canadian labour movement and trade union activity in the year ahead.
[audio:https://www.rankandfile.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RFR_Aug22_1730.mp3|titles=August 22 2012 episode] Click here to download We spend the half-hour in discussion with Roger Annis, a former aerospace workers and member of the International Association of Machinists, on a variety of subjects ranging from the CAW’s recent aerospace policy paper, to the proposed CAW-CEP merger, to recent development at Air Canada, to the Continue readingAugust 22 episode
The Canadian Autoworkers 1st Constitutional and Bargaining Convention being held in Toronto from August 20-24 is being webcast live at www.caw2012.ca. Rank and File Radio will be playing segments of some of these speeches on this week’s show. The webcast schedule includes the following speeches: Ken Lewenza, president, Canadian Autoworkers Monday, 10am EST Paul Moist, Continue readingWatch the CAW convention live
Court rules Harper’s wage restraint constitutional | UVic support staff | New Brunswick lobster dispute | Edmonton taxi strike | Machinists oppose Lufthansa contract | UAW colludes against Teamsters | Ontario teachers | CAW and the Big Three
[audio:https://www.rankandfile.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RFR_Aug15_1730.mp3|titles=August 15 2012 episode] Click here to download Following our weekly labour news update, we play an excerpt of the “Rethinking the Politics of Labour in Canada” book launch in Toronto on June 17, 2012. The book is a collection of essays edited by Stephanie Ross and Larry Savage. The excerpt is from the excellent Continue readingAugust 15 episode
On August 2, 2012, Pete Pinlac (Jose Eleuterio Pinlac) was able to stop in Vancouver on route to a conference in Toronto and spoke on trade union organizing in Philippines, especially how it relates to MAKABAYAN’s strategies in the broader class struggle, and the need for internationalism. Pete is the chair of the KPD, a Continue readingInternational Workers Solidarity – Vancouver & the Philippines
[audio:https://www.rankandfile.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RFR_Aug8_1730.mp3|titles=August 8 2012 episode] Click here to download Following our weekly labour news update, we play a talk delivered by Dan Coffman, president of ILWU local 21 in Longview, Washington, about the lengthy and defiant struggle of longshore workers against attempts to introduce non-union work at the port. The talk was delivered in Chicago on Continue readingAugust 8 episode
Ontario teachers dispute | Verizon workers set for strike | Queen’s University staff vote on agreement | Nissan organizing, UAW | VIA Rail protest, Halifax | NB lobster protest | Labour law reform “consultation”, SK | Edmonton nurses strike
CEP-CAW merger talks | CAW and the Big Three | Alberta government & labour statistics | British workers and the Olympics | Air Canada | Peterborough Baskin-Robbins | Locked-out ConEd workers