On September 25, the Precarious Workers Coalition/Coalition des travellers precaires demonstrated in front of Quebec’s Ministry of Labour in order to give Minister Sam Hamad a letter containing the coalition’s demands and a explanation about the current situation on precarious work in the province. Unfortunately the Minister was not available, so the letter was squeezed under his door in front of security. The Coalition made clear that the Continue readingPrecarious workers confront Quebec’s Minister of Labour
Temporary Foreign Workers
BC teachers | Baristas Rise Up | Bombardier strike | Federal minimum wage | Federal PS bargaining | Regina pensions | Cameco lockout | Native court workers | Edmonton senior care layoffs | Temporary foreign workers | Ontario mines safety report | Kellogg’s London Striking BC teachers 99.4 percent for binding arbitration Tamsyn Burgmann, CTV Continue readingRankandFile.ca Weekly Labour News Update: September 15, 2014
Coming out of a productive four days of workshops and cross-union collaboration at the Peoples’ Social Forum, RankandFile.ca has developed some reflections on some of the major labour struggles panning out across the country. From the attack on BC teachers to abuse in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, the public is facing its fair share Continue readingFour major battles for the Canadian labour movement
The constellation of Canada’s temporary foreign worker programs and the role of advocacy organizations like the Immigrant Workers Centre – An interview with Enrique “Kike” Illanes A RankandFile.ca series on the Temporary Foreign Worker Program By Andrew Stevens Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program, and its oldest iteration, the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP), is once Continue readingForeign workers and labour organizing in Quebec
Reflections on the development of Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) – An interview with Karl Flecker A RankandFile.ca series on the Temporary Foreign Worker Program By Andrew Stevens On July 24, RankandFile.ca spoke with Karl Flecker, who, until February, was the National Director of the Canadian Labour Congress’ Anti-Racism and Human Rights Department. Flecker Continue readingModel Program – Or Mistake?
Canada Post privatization | Temporary Foreign Workers | Thunder Bay Bombardier strike | sex work | Education debates | Energizer plant closure | Toronto Wheel-Trans wage cuts | Labour Force Survey | LA, Long Beach trucker strike The Smoking Gun: Harper’s plan to privatize Canada Post Mike Palecek, Rabble.ca July 11, 2014 After repeated denials Continue readingRankandFile.ca Weekly Labour Update – July 14 2014
RankandFile.ca co-editor, Andrew Stevens, recently published a report with the Canadian Centre of Policy Alternatives (CCPA) on the growth of temporary foreign workers in Saskatchewan. Since 2005, the number of foreign workers in the province has increased over 600%, from around 1,300 to almost 10,000 in 2012. There are now an estimated 11,000 to 12,000 Continue readingTemporary foreign workers in Saskatchewan’s economy
Organizing temporary foreign workers through worker-led associations By Samantha Ponting There are many reasons why labour unions have failed, on the whole, to build the collective power of migrant workers. Legislative restraints, transient workplaces, language barriers, and the geographical and social isolation of migrant workers make it difficult for trade unions to bridge divides. The Continue readingNew strides where few unions tread
An interview with Marco Luciano By Andrew Stevens Marco Luciano spoke with RankandFile.ca about the Alberta chapter of Migrante, an international migrant worker justice organization that he helped to establish in 2008. Marco also discussed the implications of the recently announced changes to the federal Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), and what the reforms will mean Continue readingJustice and solidarity with temporary foreign workers in Canada
An interview with Pablo Godoy By Samantha Ponting At this June’s Canadian Federation of Students’ (CFS) Semi-Annual General Meeting, a motion was served from a Toronto local calling for the CFS to take a position in opposition to the Temporary Foreign Workers’ Program (TFWP), noting that “the Temporary Foreign Workers Program has grown infamous for Continue readingBroadening the Debate on Precarious Work
A RankandFile.ca series on the Temporary Foreign Worker Program By Andrew Stevens Nearly two years after the provincial government launched its consultation paper on labour law reform, the Saskatchewan Employment Act (SEA) was finally proclaimed at the end of April. With it, the province’s symbolic Trade Union Act was put to an ignominious end, and Continue readingIs the Saskatchewan Employment Act ready for modern realities?
Canada Post | Richmond IKEA lockout | Hudak’s 100,000 job cuts | Temporary foreign workers | Sudbury mining deaths | Westray | Fast Food Strikes | Alberta pension For more comprehensive coverage of the CLC convention, stay tuned to RankandFile.ca. In the meantime check out our coverage so far. Polled public opposes Canada Post privatization Continue readingRankandFile.ca Weekly Labour Update – May 12 2014