By C. Rockarts On Thursday, February 27, over 7,000 teachers, students, and public sector workers rallied in Edmonton in support of maintaining quality public services. The ‘March for What Matters’ was hosted by a coalition of teachers, parents, artists and students. It was organized in response to cuts to education, health care and the looming Continue readingChallenging Alberta’s Austerity
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By Doug Nesbitt Across the country, the right-wingers are outraged once again about the loss of thousands of potential jobs in the Alberta oil sands. Teck Resources, the Vancouver-based energy company, pulled its proposal to develop a new massive oil sands mine north of Fort McMurray. Jason Kenney wasn’t the only politician choking for air Continue readingOil politicians only care about fantasy jobs, not real jobs
Dear Brother John A. Costa,International President of the Amalgamated Transit Union I hope this letter finds you well. Let me introduce myself. My name is Blake McCall and I am an active rank and file member of ATU Local 107 in Hamilton, Ontario. I have been a member for just under five years. I am Continue readingLetter to ATU International President
by Zaid Noorsumar About 100 frontline health care workers at a nursing home in Ontario are being denied wage increases by the Ford government even though the employer wants to pay them more. Service International Employees Union (SEIU) reached an agreement last summer with Mariann Home, a non-profit long-term care facility located in Richmond Hill. Continue readingFord invokes wage-cap law for long-term care workers
by Emily Leedham As the Co-op Refinery’s unionized workforce enters their third month of a lockout, Federated Co-operatives Ltd. (FCL) is expanding on-site camps for replacement workers. Unifor 594 refinery workers have been fighting rollbacks to their pensions and savings plans. “If they’re bringing in extra camps to house these workers, it’s for one reason, Continue readingCo-op’s weak OH&S fines highlight labour laws stacked against Unifor 594
by Lisa Cameron for the Halifax Workers’ Action Centre On April 1st, 2020, Nova Scotia’s minimum wage will increase to $12.55 per hour. Up by $1, this is the largest annual minimum wage increase the province has seen since 2010. Credit for the minimum wage increase is due, in large part, to the Fight for Continue readingOne dollar more is not enough for Nova Scotia
by Kyle HoskinGarbageman, CUPE Local 1287 What a meeting! This past Friday in Niagara, the Ontario Federation of Labour met with the community and labour to discuss how we plan to rally against Doug Ford’s Regressive Conservatives convention on February 21-22 at the Scotiabank Centre in Niagara Falls. The room had 46 participants with a Continue readingNiagara prepares for Feb.22 Ontario PC convention
by Emily Leedham On Wednesday February 5, Federated Co-operatives Ltd. CEO Scott Banda gave a shout out to United We Roll, the group responsible for last year’s well-publicized but small convoy to Ottawa claiming to defend oil and gas workers. “…I kind of noticed that United We Roll was here as well,” said Banda. “Thank Continue readingStrange new allies for FCL CEO Scott Banda
by Emily Leedham “I will always stand with Saskatchewan and the great people that reside across this great province.” Evidently, this statement from Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe doesn’t include 750 oil refinery workers who have been locked out for nearly two months by Federated Co-operatives Ltd. for trying to save their pension and savings plans. Continue readingUnited We Rollback Pensions: Refinery lockout exposes right-wing hypocrisy
Today on Rank & File Radio, an on the ground report from the Unifor 594 lockout at the Co-op Refinery in Regina, Saskatchewan. Previous coverage: Dance Parties, Personal Growth, and Police: Three Days with Locked Out Regina Oil Workers https://www.rankandfile.ca/dance-parties-personal-growth-and-police-three-days-with-locked-out-regina-oil-workers/ Labour unites around Unifor 594 after arrests at refinery lockout https://www.rankandfile.ca/labour-unites-around-unifor-594/
by Emily Leedham “Cops are towing vehicles, threatening arrests, FYI. Gate 7.” my friend Geoff* texts me. “Oh shit,” I texted back, getting up from the couch to find my ski pants. I was staying with friends in Regina, Saskatchewan to cover the Co-op Refinery lockout where around 750 refinery workers – members of Unifor Continue readingDance Parties, Personal Growth, and Police: Three Days with Locked Out Regina Oil Workers
by Bob BarnetsonFirst published January 23 at Labour & Employment in Alberta There were a bunch of trade unionists leafleting drivers entering the Co-op Gas Bar on St Albert Trail in Edmonton this morning. We were asking drivers to get their gas somewhere else to apply consumer pressure to the Co-op Refinery in Regina. The Continue readingSo I almost died on a picket line…