By Doug Nesbitt, November 30, 2013 Reprinted from The Bullet The closure of the Leamington, Ontario Heinz factory by mid-2014 will result in 740 job losses in the industrial and agricultural region of southwestern Ontario between London and Windsor, Ontario. Over thirty tomato farms are losing contracts with Heinz which will also put 350 migrant worker Continue readingHeinz Leamington: Ripe for a Cooperative
"Right-to-Work"
Forget Duffy. Harper’s real war is with unions by Tasha Kheiriddin, National Post – October 31 While the political showdown making news this month has pitted Prime Minister Stephen Harper against Senator Mike Duffy, a more important battle is shaping up for the 2015 election. It’s between the Conservative Party and organized labour — as Continue readingLabour News Update: November 4, 2013
“Made in the USA” documentary critiques Hudak’s plans for a low-wage Ontario September 20, 2013 The Ontario Public Service Employees Union has chosen the sidelines of the Ontario PC Convention as the right venue to premier a new documentary about Ontario PC leader Tim Hudak’s plan to bring American-style labour laws to Ontario. The embattled Continue readingLabour News Update: 1 October 2013
On September 12 the Greater Toronto Workers’ Assembly hosted a forum about the coming fight over “right to work” laws in Ontario and the rest of Canada. The panel addressed how the labour movement and the left should strategically fight these laws and grow the power of working and marginalized people. The panel was moderated Continue readingPrime Your Mind for Resistance to the ‘Right to Work’ Lie
We continue our Unifor Interview Series with Dave Coles, former president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union (CEP), and now a member of Unifor. Before being elected CEP president in 2006, he served six years as the Western Regional Vice President of the CEP. He was involved in the merger talks between CAW and Continue readingUnifor Interview Series: Dave Coles, former CEP president
A weekly digest of labour and labour-related news Canada PSAC going to federal court over forced vote at CBSA PSAC communication, July 2013 Ratification of Agreement Ends Airport Strike PSAC new release, 22 July 2013
Federal Conservative MP, Blaine Calkins, introduced Bill C-525, “An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code, the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act and the Public Service Labour Relations Act (certification and revocation – bargaining agent), on June 5, 2013. What will change under Bill C-525? Cards representing 45% of a bargaining unit are required Continue readingMired in scandal, the federal Conservatives ramp up their anti-union campaign
On May 1, 2013, Ontario Tory MPP and labour critic, Randy Hillier (Lanark–Frontenac–Lennox and Addington) introduced two pieces of right-to-work style (RTW) legislation, Bill 64 “Defending Employees’ Rights Act (Collective Bargaining and Financial Disclosure by Trade Unions), 2013” and Bill 63 “Labour Relations Amendment Act (Ontario Labour Relations Board), 2013”. Bill 64 prohibits trade unions Continue readingRight-to-work in Ontario
Caterpillar closing its tunnelling plant by mid-April 2014, throwing 330 people out of work Toronto Star, May 3 2013 Alberta government insists union pay millions for ‘cost they put on taxpayers’ during wildcat strike Calgary Herald, May 2 2013 St. John’s NL airport strike drags on as high tourism season looms Montreal Gazette, May 7 Continue readingLabour News Update, May 8 2013
By Andrew Stevens Sweeping changes to Saskatchewan’s labour relations and employment standards legislation are on the verge of being passed. Bill 85, the Saskatchewan Employment Act, will dramatically transform the laws governing trade unions and industrial relations in the province. The Saskatchewan Party government, led by Premier Brad Wall, insists that the changes will simply Continue readingSaskatchewan: A Beachhead of Labour Law Reform?
In this week’s labour news update: Bill 115 & Ontario teachers OLRB ruling: Ontario government vs ETFO Idle No More Porter Airlines strike Walmart challenge in Saskatchewan New Brunswick nurses CAW drive at Toyota “New Normal” in Canadian IR Right-to-Work in Ontario Employment Insurance Temporary Foreign Worker program The Great Walmart Walkout UAW organizing at Continue readingLabour news update – January 15 2003
Commend the Canadian Union of Postal Workers for their ongoing solidarity work at home and abroad Please support the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) and their international solidarity work. CUPW has come under attack for sending delegates to the 2012 World Social Forum – Free Palestine. Emails can be sent to Dave Bleakney, dbleakney@cupw-sttp.org Continue readingRank and File News Update, December 17, 2012