By Bob Barnetson Last week, CBC ran an article with some preliminary data about how Alberta’s new labour laws are affecting unionization. In 2017, Alberta allowed organizing drives with the support of 65% or more of workers to be certified without a vote (called card-check certification). Previously, any organizing drive required a vote of all the Continue readingOrganizing increases in wake of Alberta labour law changes
organizing
By James Napier Unifor claims to be the “largest private sector union” in Canada. It would be more accurate to describe them as the largest union-raiding organization in Canada. Unifor now spends more time and money raiding other unions than they do organizing un-organized workers. Almost 60% of “new” members in the first 3 months Continue readingRaiding over organizing for Unifor?
Brad Walchuk On a cold and snowy February day, some 250 Teaching Assistants in the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3902, one of the oldest teaching/graduate assistant unions in North America, held a rally in support of their bargaining team on the last day of negotiations before they expected to trigger a countdown to Continue readingNeoliberal campuses have millenials going union
By Doug Nesbitt, David Bush and Gerard Di Trolio For the last week Ontario has been ground zero over the struggle for a higher minimum wage. On Wednesday workers struck back against greedy employers and inequality with 17 coordinated protests across the province. The actions were directed at the most high profile offender, Tim Hortons, Continue readingBad boss, no donut: Workers strike back
By Robert Devet Efforts are well underway to establish a Workers Action Centre in Halifax, something that could make a big difference for low wage workers who do not enjoy the protection of a union. Workers Action Centres educate workers about their rights, and support workers who are being cheated or discriminated against by their Continue readingWorkers Action Centre, fight for decent work coming to Halifax
By Joe Fahey How many members attend your union meetings? And how do you feel about that? Whether it’s just a handful or a hundred, no activist is ever satisfied. But you can drop a whole load of frustration if you stop expecting a majority of members to travel to the union hall for a Continue readingBring the Union Meeting to the Members
by Doug Nesbitt Near the end of 2016, new owners took over the Georgian Bay Retirement Home, a private facility in Penetanguishene, the lakeside Ontario town of about ten thousand people. The new owners were Edgecon, a property management and construction company. To manage day-to-day operations, Edgecon brought in consulting company Caymans Staffing Solutions. The Continue readingOrganize! Georgian Bay workers want a union
By Sam Gindin The profound defeat of the U.S. labour movement over the past three to four decades is usually measured by the loss of things that workers once took for granted like decent wages and benefits. A less quantifiable but ultimately more decisive indicator is the retreat from possibilities. By extension, the labour movement’s Continue readingThe power of deep organizing
In part two of our interview with Bob Barnetson, we talk about the state of organized labour in the province, from union organizing to political support for the New Democrats, from the Cold Lake lockout of care workers to the $15 minimum wage. Be sure to read part one of our interview here. Bob Barnetson Continue readingAlberta workers under the NDP, part two
By Jason Ide For a union bargaining team, a contract survey can be one of your most useful tools. But like any tool, it works best for certain jobs, and there are things that it just can’t do. Contrary to what you might think, contract surveys are not the place to start finding out the Continue readingUsing your contract survey to maximum effect
By Alan Hanson, mobilization director for UFCW Local 400 in Washington, D.C. The last time you organized a petition or voted to strike, were any of your co-workers caught off guard by the way the boss reacted? Was someone disciplined—or promoted? Did the CEO send out a misleading letter, or show up on night shift Continue readingInoculate Your Co-Workers against the Boss’s Tactics
By Jesse Cullen Students play an unique and important role in our society (disclaimer: I am a student). By virtue of attending a college or a university, students generate wealth as whole industries and communities are built around post-secondary institutions. Through college apprenticeships, university research, learning, and teaching, students produce social goods such as knowledge, Continue readingStudent unions as a weapon for the working class