Well, quite a bit. The University of Regina Faculty Association which represents 1400 employees, attained a strike mandate in November 2018, seeking wage increases to match inflation and job security for sessional instructors, among other things. URFA’s contract expired in June 2017. URFA and Administration are currently in mediation. And the U of R Students’ Continue readingWhat is going on at the University of Regina?
Saskatchewan
Editor’s Introduction The Saskatoon Co-op strike has been on since November 1 with strikers fighting against an increasingly ugly employer that wants a two-tier contract that would sell out all future hires. Recently, the case for backing the strikers was made by Andrew Stevens and Charles Smith. A new opinion piece with a different view Continue readingSaskatoon Co-op Strike: Reply to Pohler
By Emily Leedham Host of Rank and File Radio – Prairies Edition On February 8, the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix wrote a feature on Keesan Corey, a 19-year old business student and strikebreaker at the Saskatoon Coop. Hundreds of UFCW Local 1400 members have been on strike at the Saskatoon Coop for over 3 months since November Continue readingThe scab, his mom, and the soul of the Coop
Rank & File Radio – Prairie Edition on CKUW 95.90 FM provides Canadian labour news and analysis across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. This show is an independent partner with RankandFile.ca and supported by listeners like you through Patreon, and UFCW Local 832. —Support via Patreon!— www.patreon.com/rfradioprairie Thanks to everyone who has supported this show since Continue readingStella’s workers unionize | SK Co-op workers strike through Christmas | Crashing Liberal parties
by Emily Leedham The Co-op is the only grocery store in Martensville, Saskatchewan, population 10,000, and its workers have been on strike for almost a month. The Martensville Co-op workers are in the same UFCW Local 1400 bargaining unit as the Co-ops in Saskatoon, where hundreds of workers are also on strike fighting a two-tiered Continue readingThe Co-op Strike: Big Solidarity in Little Martensville
On the latest episode of Rank and File Radio – Prairies Edition, we cover the strike of over one thousand Co-op workers in Moose Jaw and Saskatoon, all members of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1400. Moose Jaw workers have been on strike for just over a month. A few days ago, Saskatoon workers Continue readingCo-op workers strike in Moose Jaw and Saskatoon
By Gerard Di Trolio On Thursday August 16, workers at the Tim Horton’s in the small town of Canora, Saskatchewan will vote for the second time on whether to certify Workers United Canada Council to represent them. The previous certification vote was held in June 2017. The circumstances of the re-vote for certification called by Continue readingWhy a union drive at a Tim Horton’s in small town Saskatchewan matters
By John Thornton Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC) Annual Reports, available online, suggest that between 2010 and 2012 the Sask Party had figured out how to run STC. Ridership had increased in 2010, the first year-over-year increase in ridership since the NDP lost the election of 2007. Two seat sales had offset a 2010 fare increase; Continue readingHow the Saskatchewan government killed STC
By Denise Leduc On May 21, After being at the bargaining table for almost four years, workers at Variety Place in Outlook, Saskatchewan were locked out by their employer. Variety Place is an organization that provides residence and day programs for individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities. The workers of Variety Place have been without Continue readingLockout in small town Saskatchewan
By Andrew Stevens and Charles Smith Saskatchewan’s 2017 budget landed with an unenthusiastic thud last week. Riddled with cuts, job losses, public sector wage reductions, and tax increases, the Saskatchewan Party’s austerity budget has garnered few friends, with critics ranging from organized labour movement to small businesses. The government’s budget has several fiscal goals: aggressively tackle Continue readingSaskatchewan’s 2017 Austerity Budget
In a January 17, 2017 decision, the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board (SLRB) denied an employer’s attempt to remove supervisory employees from a unit of CUPE at the Saskatoon Public Library. In its revision to Saskatchewan’s labour relations legislation in 2014, the government crafted a new, supervisory class of employee. As Rankandfile.ca co-editor, Andrew Stevens, wrote in 2014, some Continue readingSask Labour Relations Board rejects employer’s attempt to carve out “supervisory employees”
By Larry Kowalchuk When we were preparing to file an argument for damages for the violation of the freedom of association right to strike after having the Supreme Court validate that losing the right to strike violated freedom of association, we looked at its impact. Back in 2008 the Government of Saskatchewan introduced the Public Continue readingBeing Sisters and Brothers: Losing Freedom of Association Hurts