It was a positive sign that on Labour Day the NDP came out in support of an immediate $15 minimum wage for federally-regulated workers. However, this one step forward was followed by another step backwards. The NDP’s Labour Day statement also tied further increases to the minimum wage to the concept of a “living wage”, Continue readingNDP’s living wage is a dead-end for workers
NDP
by Emily Leedham On Rank & File Radio – Prairie Edition, Avi Lewis, Co-founder and Strategic Director of the Leap, shares the untold story of the Leap Manifesto, labour and the 2016 Federal NDP convention in Edmonton, Alberta. We also talk about the pressing need to bridge the labour and climate justice movements, and what Continue readingThe Untold Story of the Leap, Labour & the 2016 Federal NDP Convention
By Bob Barnetson Last week, Alberta’s United Conservative government introduced legislation designed to suspend the arbitration of wage re-openers in most public-sector collective agreements. This move is widely expected to give the government time to cook up wage-freeze or wage-rollback legislation. There’s good coverage and analysis of this decision elsewhere. One of the more interesting twitter exchanges about this that Continue readingLabour Politics and Deflection
By Gerard Di Trolio Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh’s volte-face on liquified natural gas (LNG) projects in British Columbia is a welcome development. The policy reversal seems to stem from the recent victory of the Green Party in the Nanaimo-Ladysmith by-election on May 6 which saw the NDP lose a seat they previously held. Whatever Continue readingThe Pipeline Divide
By David Bush With just days to go until Ontario voters go to the polls it worth remembering what is at stake in this election. The Ontario Liberals have been in power since 2003. It is clear their government is well past its due date. Years of scandals, Bay Street policies and austerity have left Continue readingWhat’s at stake in the Ontario election
By Gerard Di Trolio Regardless of who wins, the outcome of the June 7 provincial election in Ontario will have consequences for workers. The NDP will keep Bill 148 and the $15 minimum wage. But the NDP has said it will go further promising more changes that the labour movement has long been demanding. The Continue readingWhat Ontario workers can expect from a NDP government
By Nora Loreto The thing about the Ontario Liberals is this: they’re clever politicians. They understand what is popular and how to win elections. When you’re a social movement activist, this means two things: it’s near impossible to force their hand in years two and three of a mandate, but in years four and one, Continue readingThe political anemia of the Ontario NDP will be their demise
By David Bush Last fall the Facebook page North99 exploded onto the social media scene. It went from nothing in the Fall of 2017 to one of the largest progressive social media accounts in the country almost overnight. It currently has 40,000 likes on Facebook, not quite half as many as Press Progress, a similiar social Continue readingNavigating Ontario’s online political front groups
By Roy J. Adams In his speech to the NDP convention, Jagmeet Singh promised a number of initiatives to deal with growing inequality: close tax loopholes, jack up the corporate tax rate and institute a national pharmacare program. All well and good but all of that has been promised before and has not yet managed Continue readingWhy the NDP should be stumping for unions and collective bargaining
By Nora Loreto NDP delegates overwhelmingly voted in favour of free higher education on Sunday afternoon in Ottawa at their policy convention. Of the hundreds of motions served, it was endorsed by the greatest number of riding associations. The NDP’s new policy on tuition fees now explicitly supports eliminating tuition and other administrative fees, eliminating Continue readingFree Higher Education Resolution Passes Overwhelmingly at NDP Convention
By Nora Loreto Emotions ran high on Saturday night as a motion about Israel/Palestine came to convention floor. The motion was one of twelve about Israel and Palestine that had been served to the convention, including one motion that received the support of more than 30 riding associations. Of the hundreds of motions served, only Continue readingContentious Debate Over Justice for Palestine at NDP Convention
By Nora Loreto During the leadership race, Jagmeet Singh made carding and street checks one of his priorities. Day two of the NDP policy convention started by debating this policy, motivated by an impassioned and radical speech from Hamilton city councilor Matthew Green. The motion was served by the riding associations of University-Rosedale and Brampton Continue readingNDP convention: Motions without action?