By Samantha Ponting On April 23, SeaTac airport worker Socrates Bravo and community organizer Claudia Alexandra Paras spoke to delegates of Organize BC’s Canroots 2016 Conference about the massive referendum victory that forced the small US city of SeaTac into implementing a $15 living wage –adjusted for inflation – for its 6,000 airport and hotel Continue readingLessons from the SeaTac Living Wage Victory
working poor
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 Jesse Bauman Karen Maleka is a part-time personal support worker. She works in and around Cambridge, taking care of sick people, old people, people who can no longer care for themselves. Each week she works 35 to 40 hours, and yet her employer classifies her as a part time employee. I met Karen last Continue readingHow a $15 Minimum Wage Reduces Poverty and Saves Us All Money
Fast food strikes | Turkish mining disaster | BC teachers | Alberta teachers | Canada Post layoffs | Artists’ compensation | Ontario election | Skill shortage myth | Saskatchewan Employment Act Fight for $15: Fast food workers strike in 130 American cities Julia Kann, Labor Notes May 15 2014 Fast food workers struck in 130 Continue readingRankandFile.ca Weekly Labour Update – May 19 2014
In our third installment of the Unifor Interview Series with union leaders, staff, and rank-and-file members, we speak with Roxanne Dubois about Unifor’s Community Chapters. Roxane is a staff member of the CEP and now Unifor, and is a former chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students. She presented a discussion paper on community chapters Continue readingUnifor Interview Series: Roxanne Dubois on Community Chapters
Dave Bush speaks with Shay Enxuga, an activist with the Baristas Rise Up (BRU) campaign. Shay recently authored the article Queer Struggles are Class Struggles which looks at the experience of queer and trans workers in the low wage service sector. Shay speaks about the working experiences of young queer and trans workers and their Continue readingRank and File Podcast With Shay Enxuga
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
The low wage service sector is one of the most difficult sectors for workers to form unions. The small workplaces’ lack of union tradition, high staff turnover and aggressive anti-union managers and owners in the sector have meant that most unions have stayed away from organizing places such as coffee shops. In Halifax, Nova Scotia Continue readingBaristas Rise Up in Halifax
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
Halifax cabbies | CP Rail | CAW 444 elections | Saint John media workers | Global youth unemployment | Toronto’s working poor | Flaherty’s EI reforms | Corporate criminal negligence | Charest’s Bill 78 Halifax cabbies consider unionizing Taxi drivers in Halifax, Nova Scotia are considering unionizing. Gary Jollymore, an independent cab driver in the city, Continue readingWeekly labour news update, May 23 2012