Canada Post withdraws lockout notice | Trudeau’s relationship with labour hits bumps | CUPW says no to arbitrating pay equity Mississauga library workers on strike | Saskatchewan government downloads deficit to schools | Pearson airport privatization? | Toronto GoodLife trainers vote to unionize | Montreal construction wildcat | Who makes minimum wage? | Flexible hours and exploitation
Canada Post Fight
Canada Post drops lockout threat
Toronto Star, July 10
Canada Post has backed off a threat to lock out 50,000 of its unionized workers on Monday. Talks resumed Sunday and Canada Post has issued a statement that says it has withdrawn its lockout notice. Labour Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk issued a statement earlier Sunday encouraging the two sides to continue their discussions beyond midnight. Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers were talking again in hopes of reaching a deal in the face of a management lockout threat.
Canada Post’s lockout is a sham
Rankandfile.ca, July 5 2016
A 72 hour lockout notice has been issued by Canada Post. Here is what is really happening. Canada Post is refusing to bargain. They have only tabled one offer during negotiations and routinely issued misleading statements that the union is asking for $1 billion in demands. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) is trying to negotiate for pay equity for the Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers, which is a heavily female dominated occupation.
Liberals hit bumps in relationship with labour
iPolitics, July 9, 2016
Justin Trudeau said he was convinced unionized workers would vote Liberal.
The Liberal leader was about to fly to a campaign stop on the east coast instead of taking part in any Labour Day activities, and there were six weeks left in the election campaign. It was enough time to convince organized labour to back the Liberals instead of the New Democrats, he said at the time. The Liberals respected organized labour, he added, vowing a new relationship after years of abysmal relations under the Conservatives.
Conservatives vow to “stand up” for door-to-door mail delivery
Press Progress, July 9, 2016
Are Conservatives stealing ideas from the NDP or did they forget the last decade ever happened? A fundraising e-mail sent to supporters Friday criticizes the Trudeau Liberals for breaking a campaign promise to restore door-to-door mail delivery and boldly suggests the Conservatives will “stand up” for “door-to-door delivery for all Canadians.”
Sisters and Brothers: we’re here to win, not gamble away our rights
Canadian Union of Postal Workers, July 7, 2016
We often say “solidarity” to each other. But now comes the real test of solidarity for our union. Do we practice what we preach or is “solidarity” just a catchphrase? Do we still believe that an injury to one is an injury to all? The solidarity that we share between us is the only way we will survive this. If we show each other our solidarity, not only will we survive, we will win.
Four issues driving the CUPW and Canada Post negotiations
Rabble.ca, July 6, 2016
In a few short days, Canada Post workers may be locked out by their employer. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), which represents 50,000 workers, and Canada Post have been negotiating since November over a new collective agreement, without any sign that they are close to ending negotiations.
Replace Canada Post management
London Free Press, November 6, 2015
No one voted for the corporate managers at Canada Post. CEO Deepak Chopra makes more than our prime minister, and his 22 vice-presidents take home fat bonuses for cutting services and jobs. But their austerity agenda is a hangover from the Stephen Harper years that Canadians decisively rejected a few weeks ago. Why do they think they can still call the shots without listening to Canadians?
Mississauga library workers hit the picket line
Rankandfile.ca, July 6, 2016
Things haven’t been too great for our Mississauga librarians. With almost everything going digital and with the introduction of self-checkouts, some librarians have been let go while others have had their hours drastically cut.
“What was previously the job of three workers, has now been reduced to one,” says one worker on the picket lines.
Saskatchewan government off-loads its deficit on schools
Leader-Post, July 9, 2016
What’s now crystal clear is that it is the rest of us — not the Saskatchewan Party government — that will bear the brunt of the economic malaise. Heck, at a time of the oil downturn, the Sask. Party conveniently increased its own job opportunities by boosting the number of MLAs in the Saskatchewan legislature to 61 from 58.
Pearson airport might be for sale
BlogTO, July 4, 2016
Toronto’s Pearson Airport could hit the market as the Federal governments looks into selling off major airports in order to fund other infrastructure projects, reports the Toronto Star today. Canada’s major airports are operated by not-for-profit airport authorities, like the Greater Toronto Airports Authority that runs Pearson. But in order to generate billions of dollars, the Liberals are exploring whether or not to privatize these transportation hubs.
Toronto GoodLife trainers vote to unionize
CP24 July 7, 2016
A group of trainers at the country’s largest chain of fitness clubs has voted to unionize. More than 600 personal trainers working at Toronto GoodLife Fitness locations voted to be represented by the Workers United Canada Council, according to a release by the organization.
Contract jobs, ‘flexible’ work open door for employer abuses
The Tyee, July 6, 2016
Multiple university degrees and more than five years of work experience haven’t afforded Darcy Vermeulen the stability of a permanent job. Instead, he floats from one company to another, working in different offices and even from his own couch. “People don’t hire into permanent positions anymore, it’s constantly a sea of contract after contract,” said the 28-year-old, who currently works for a community engagement firm.
Montreal workers wildcat at superhospital work site
CBC staff, July 6, 2016
Construction workers at the new CHUM superhospital site in downtown Montreal walked off the job Wednesday morning to protest working conditions. More than 1,000 workers put their tools down and gathered on the street outside around 8:30 a.m. They returned to work about three hours later after officials gave them assurances that the hospital’s air conditioning system would be running by next Monday.
Who Earns Minimum Wage?
Canadian Dimension, June 30, 2016
Minimum wages have been getting a lot of attention lately. And for good reason. Workers earning minimum wage often struggle to get enough hours, don’t have predictable schedules or advance notice of shifts, and many don’t even have access to unpaid sick days. Alberta’s current government was elected on a plan to raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2018, and the Nova Scotia NDP recently tabled a bill that would have the minimum wage increase each January, eventually reaching $15 in 2019.