By Samantha Ponting and Andrew Stevens On Feb. 26, 2014, the WestJet Professional Flight Attendants’ Association (WPFAA) began a certification drive to unionize WestJet flight attendants, amidst resistance from management. The WPFAA is an in-house representative organization seeking union certification under the Canada Labour Code. It has hundreds of members, and is “organized to empower Continue readingThe Struggle to Organize WestJet Flight Attendants
union drive
By Gerard Di Trolio Cleaners in several office buildings in downtown Toronto and their allies held a protest last Friday to raise awareness of a number of major issues they have with their employers as part of the ongoing Justice for Janitors campaign organized by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 2. Contractors providing cleaning Continue readingCleaners rally for justice
by Gerard Di Trolio The April 15 announcement that production of the top selling Toyota Corolla would no longer be built in Canada has reignited the union drive at Toyota’s assembly plants in Cambridge and Woodstock, Ontario. The current drive was launched in late 2013, and began to cool down late last year. However it Continue readingToyota organizing drive renewed as Corolla production stops
CEO pay soars | Storms ahead for Quebec labour | Ontario mental health staff cuts | Castlegar agreement ratified | Corner Brook firefighters | Ontario public service bargaining | Migrant workers in Lebanon From RankandFile.ca: In case you missed them during the holidays! Happy New Year from RankandFile.ca 2014: The Canadian Labour Movement in Review Continue readingR&F’s Labour News Update – January 5, 2015
By Ryan Lum In late October, it was announced that a class action lawsuit has been launched by current and former Canadian Hockey League (CHL) players, alleging that the league owes them over $180 million in compensation for failing to pay the minimum wage. By making players sign contracts agreeing to compensation less than the Continue readingCHL and players face off over workers’ rights
CLC Presidential Race | Temporary foreign workers | BC sawmill explosions | BC teachers | Crown Holdings Toronto strike | Chinese shoe factory strike | Toledo autoworkers strike | Federal job cuts | Tuition fees & work hours | Nova Scotia & right-to-strike CLC Presidential Race CLC Presidential Candidate Primer Candidate websites Hassan Husseini: “Take Continue readingRankandfile.ca Weekly Labour Update – April 21 2014
Nova Scotia’s Bill 37 | Unifor Toyota drive | Edmonton layoffs | Hassan Husseini | Inequality | Gender pay gap | OPSEU and the LCBO | Anti-UAW firm | GM’s murderous decision Nova Scotia’s Bill 37: News Round-up Bill 37: Cutting Nova Scotia’s unions off at the knees Larry Haiven, testimony to the Nova Scotia Continue readingRankandfile.ca Weekly Labour Update – April 7 2014
On February 25 the Greater Toronto Workers’ Assembly hosted a talk by labour organizer and author Jane McAlevey. In her recent book, Raising Expectations (and Raising Hell), McAlevey describes her experiences in the labour movement organizing bold, large scale campaigns in right to work Nevada and elsewhere in the US, drawing lessons about the potential Continue readingRaising Expectations (and Raising Hell) – A Talk By Labour Organizer Jane McAlevey
By David Bush and Jason Edwards Wages, working conditions and fair treatment are, above all else, determined by workers’ collective power. For the majority of workers, collective power, and consequently industry standards, is defined in large part by their ability to bargain collectively. The uneven power relations between workers and employers within the capitalist system Continue readingThe Labour Board of Nova Scotia: Stifling Free Collective Bargaining
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
by Doug Nesbitt The unionization of baristas in Halifax has earned mainstream news coverage, including CBC Radio’s “News at Six” and well-researched articles in the press addressing wider issues of low wages and lack of job security for young workers. In contrast, some commentary in the right-wing press perpetuates common but false claims about work Continue readingFive myths about barista work and unionization