Over the next week, Rankandfile.ca will be publishing a series of interviews with Unifor union leaders, staff, and rank-and-file members. We kick off our series with Bruce Allen, an outspoken member of the CAW/Unifor. [audio:https://www.rankandfile.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/bruce-allen-final.mp3|titles=Bruce Allen interview] (listen on YouTube) Bruce is Vice-President of the former CAW Local 199 (now Unifor) representing St. Catharines General Continue readingUnifor Interview Series: Bruce Allen, Local 199
union democracy
The merger of the Canadian Autoworkers (CAW) and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union (CEP) into a single union called Unifor is taking place August 31-September 1 in Toronto. Unifor will consist of over 300,000 members, creating the largest private sector union in Canada. The convention will be webcast live and a schedule can be Continue readingThe Unifor Convention: A short primer
by David Bush originally published at Rabble.ca, August 6 2013 As the Canadian labour movement stumbles from defeat to defeat in this crisis period it is worth asking why this is the case. What accounts for the trade union movement’s inability to mount an effective political resistance to austerity? Is it the poor and unimaginative Continue readingThe missing piece: The far-left in the workplace
by David Bush Since the economic crisis the union movement in Canada has faced a number of defeats at the bargaining table and on the picket line. On top of that the union movement has had to do battle with a slew of regressive legislative attacks on collective bargaining at the provincial and federal level, Continue readingRank and file power and union reforms
A dozen Ontario teachers from an Eastern Ontario high school sent this letter to the Provincial Executive of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF). It addresses former OSSTF president Ken Coran’s recent announcement to run for the Ontario Liberal Party in the London-West by-election. Rankandfile.ca has blocked out the names of the signatories and Continue readingOSSTF members’ letter to Provincial Executive re: Ken Coran
by Doug Nesbitt Recent Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) president Ken Coran shocked many teachers, education workers and trade unionists this past week when it was announced he would run as an Ontario Liberal in the London-West by-election later this summer. Why would Coran run for the same party that had used the authoritarian Continue readingKen Coran: Anatomy of a Sellout