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
green transition
by Emily Leedham After two weeks of pressure from the Oshawa community, General Motors announced yesterday it would re-open a portion of the plant to manufacture one million masks per month for health care workers. Former Oshawa GM workers and health care workers held a joint-press conference on Thursday, April 9 demanding the Oshawa complex Continue reading“A great first step”: Workers respond to GM Oshawa plant conversion for PPE
by Emily Leedham To address the shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other medical equipment such as ventilators, workers are demanding former General Motors plant in Oshawa be converted to produce these supplies to support frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. “There’s a dire shortage of that equipment, it’s being rationed,” Michael Hurley, President Continue readingWorkers demand Oshawa GM plant converted to produce medical equipment
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
ATU Canada has sponsored an audio documentary called Still Waiting for the Bus: The Unnatural Death of Prairie Intercity Transit, made in partnership with Winnipeg-based documentary producer and RankandFile.ca editor Emily Leedham. This documentary explores the impacts of losing the Saskatchewan Transportation Company and Greyhound bus services in Western Canada. It also interrogates the claims that Continue readingATU demands a national public intercity transit service
It is a tragic irony that General Motors (GM) chose its hundredth anniversary in Oshawa to announce the December 2019 closure of its Oshawa assembly plant. This means the loss of over 15,000 jobs in Ontario: 2,200 GM assembly jobs, 300 salaried positions, 500 temporary contract positions, 1,000 inside and 1,000 outside supplier jobs, and Continue readingTake the Plant, Save the Planet
On September 27, workers across the world went out on strike in the largest global climate strike in history, walking out of their classrooms and workplaces to protest government inaction on climate change. This comes following the September 20 ‘School Strike for Climate’, which saw millions of young people and students in over 150 countries Continue readingCanadian Unions and a Green New Deal
On Friday, September 27th, an estimated 12,000 people met in front of the Manitoba Legislature in Winnipeg to participate in a global climate strike, organized by Indigenous youth and students. But where was organized labour? After the rousing conference and events marking the 1919 General Strike Centenary earlier this year, is labour leadership more interested Continue readingWhere was Organized Labour at Winnipeg’s Climate Strike?
A week after mass mobilizations across the globe the climate strike is coming to Canada. Major actions are set to take place right across the country. In Montreal, 300,000 are expected for the main rally. Eleven unions are participating and the city is offering free public transit for the day. This massive show of force Continue readingThe climate strike is a gift for unions
When asked why he’s planning to support the Global Climate Strike slated for September 20, Larry Hopkins, a rail crew driver for the transportation and maintenance company Hallcon, says the reason is simple: “I want to help preserve and protect our personal safety. Because right now, we’re in a climate emergency that is very bad Continue readingWhat Backing The Climate Strike Means For Unions
Guest: Jamie Kirkpatrick, Program Manager, BlueGreen CanadaBlueGreenCanada.ca Blue Green Canada is an alliance between Canadian labour unions, environmental and civil society organizations to advocate for working people and the environment by promoting solutions to environmental issues that have positive employment and economic impacts. Student Climate Strikes Are Structure Testsbriarpatchmagazine.com/articles/view…ructure-tests Help RankandFile.ca get a new website!www.gofundme.com/f/rankandfile
James Hutt, senior manager of programming at the Leap, discusses ongoing work to connect labour and climate justice movements, including an upcoming webinar.