By Lisa Cameron As businesses continue to re-open across Nova Scotia, workers adjust to employment during the time of COVID. The unprecedented nature of the pandemic has raised several legal questions about an employer’s duty to respect health and safety protocols for the sake of their staff, and the public. The Halifax Workers’ Action Centre, Continue readingFired for quarantine
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By Doug Nesbitt This Labour Day, the new Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole released a video talking frankly about the massacre of jobs in manufacturing, energy and forestry. He says too many are “living in quiet desperation.” In the video, O’Toole attacks not just “big government” for lousy free trade negotiations, but also “corporate and Continue readingBeware the Corporate O’Toole
By Barbara Fletcher I have always been a helper. For over 20 years, I have done the work of a PSW (Personal Support Worker), and I am good at it. I work in home care, the purpose of which is to keep people out of LTC (Long-term Care) and hospitals. It is better mentally, and Continue readingI help them stay in their homes; I want to stay in mine
By Cole Rockarts On Wednesday, July 29, Alberta’s United Conservative Party government passed the Restoring Balance in Alberta’s Workplaces Act, which aims to control how union dues can finance political activities and legislate restrictions on where unions can picket. The bill claims it will save employers $100 million dollars per year by “reducing red tape”, Continue readingIt’s going take more than the courts to stop Kenney’s Bill 32
I’m a teacher in Saskatchewan and my provincial government is trying to send me back to work to a room crowded full with the normal number of kids a building with 100s of people using the same few toilets with no safety measures in place and no extra funding to make it safe I want Continue readingEducation worker speaks out about reopening
By Doug Nesbitt “André Ouellet, Canada’s [Liberal] foreign affairs minister, threw human rights out of the whole issue of trade,” He [Craig Kielburger] told the delegates indignantly. “He said that Canada isn’t the world’s Boy Scout.” (Laughter. Meaningful pause). “Well, I’m a Boy Scout-” (Prolonged surge of laughter and applause). “And this just means that Continue readingWE, the United Way, and labour’s charity problem
By Zaid Noorsumar Robin Nelson’s 79-year old mother has endured more than four months of isolation during the pandemic in a long-term care home in Lakefield, Ontario. Ann Nelson, who has suffered three strokes, has intensive care needs. Even before the pandemic, Robin says the resident-to-staff ratio wasn’t sufficient to provide the level of care Continue readingOntario’s nursing homes continue to face critical staffing challenges
By Jeremy Appel Black labour leader and activist Nicholas Thompson hosted a Facebook livestream Thursday night responding to the Public Service Alliance of Canada’s (PSAC) decision to disinvite journalist and activist Nora Loreto from an upcoming anti-racism workshop. PSAC is the country’s largest federal sector union, representing 200,000 members. Thompson invited fellow PSAC leader and Continue readingBlack PSAC union leader & activists call for PSAC National to re-invite Nora Loreto to anti-racism workshop
A one per cent budget increase could pay for appropriate staffing in long-term care homes By Zaid Noorsumar A new report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives demonstrates how the fiscal policies of successive Ontario governments have led to immense pain and hardship for long-term care residents, their families and the workforce. For decades, Continue readingOntario’s fiscal policies have wrecked long-term care
By Lisa Cameronon behalf of the Halifax Workers’ Action Centre A former employee of LaFarge Canada is accusing the company of gender discrimination after years of poor treatment she attributes to her sex. Cindy Lawrence* was hired in December of 2011 at Lafarge Canada’s Brookfield plant just south of Truro, Nova Scotia. She worked until Continue readingFired while pregnant: Former LaFarge worker blows whistle on sexism
Editor’s note: The following is a statement from the Amazon Workers Collective. Rankandfile.ca is sharing this call-out in the interest of advancing the cause of mutual protection in the workplace, unionizing Amazon, and taking on Jeff Bezos and his corporate empire. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the rotten core of our economic system. Wall Street Continue readingAmazon workers in Canada call for workplace organization and power
By Zaid Noorsumar The Ontario PC government of Premier Doug Ford has rejected the Official Opposition’s call to remove profits from the province’s home care sector. During the standing committee meetings for Bill 175 on Monday and Tuesday, the government struck down all of the amendments proposed by the opposition parties. The NDP proposed 19 Continue readingFord government defeats amendment to remove profits from home care