Manitoba Tories attack | Saskatchewan budget | Federal budget | CNRL workplace deaths inquiry | Nova Scotia classrooms | Chrysler outsourcing | CHS strike in Ontario | D-J Composites lockout | USA women’s hockey strike

Manitoba Tories ready legislative assault on labour
Scott Price, Rankandfile.ca
March 24 2017
The Manitoba Tory government has introduced several bills over the last week that freeze public sector wages, reduce the number of bargaining units in health care, the introduction of “ride-sharing” companies like Uber, election law changes and changes to various regulatory acts. All of this is ahead of the provincial budget set to be released April 11.
Canadian Hearing Society strike continues in Ontario
CBC News
March 24 2017
CBC Metro Morning speaks with Stacey Connor, president of the union, CUPE Local 2073, as well as Gary Malkowski, the vice-president of stakeholder and employer relations at CHS. He is also deaf. This is a transcript of their conversation.
Saskatchewan budget
Saskatchewan’s cruel and unusual budget
Simon Enoch, Behind the Numbers
March 23 2017

Corporations and wealthy get tax breaks, consumers pay more
DC Fraser, Regina Leader-Post
March 24 2017
Half of all long-term care residents will have to pay higher fees
CBC News
March 22 2017
Passengers outraged by scrapping of Saskatchewan Transportation Company
Jason Warick, CBC News
March 22 2017
Some cities losing half their provincial funding
CBC News
March 25 2017
Saskatchewan’s austerity budget comes too late
Sarath Peiris, CBC News
March 22 2017
Inquiry into Chinese workers’ deaths in CNRL site is a farce
David Thurton, CBC News
March 23 2017
Two temporary foreign workers, Genbao Ge and Hongliang Lui, were killed and four others injured when a storage tank roof collapsed on them at a Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. site near Fort McMurray in 2007. But the inquiry into the tragedy, which begins Friday in Fort McMurray, will focus only on whether an air ambulance should have been dispatched to transport Ge to the hospital.
Recommendations made for Nova Scotia classroom improvements
Francis Campbell, Localxpress
March 23 2017
The committee was struck in early March, a provision of the legislation passed the month before to impose a contract on the province’s 9,300 public school teachers. The 14-member committee tasked with identifying ways to improve classroom conditions in the province’s public schools has recommended more than a dozen significant changes.
Federal budget
Liberal privatization plans ready for take off
Gerard Di Trolio, Rankandfile.ca
March 23 2017

Federal Liberal budget: Crumbs for Canadians
Rick Smith, Broadbent Institute
March 22 2017
Young Canadians to get budget that serves insecure, low-wage jobs
Press Progress
March 23 2017
Vast majority of new housing funds delayed for more than 5 years
Alex Ballingall, Toronto Star
March 22 2017
Good first step but childcare money not nearly enough
Laurie Monsebraaten, Toronto Star
March 22 2017
Budget silent on Phoenix pay fiasco
Andrew Seymour, Ottawa Citizen
March 22 2017
Tax perk for wealthy CEOs costs Canada $840m in revenues
Sophie Harris, CBC News
March 20 2017
Private financing wrong direction for Canadian infrastructure bank
Toby Sanger, CUPE
March 20 2017
D-J Composites trying to break union with lockout
Geoff Barlett, CBC News
March 22 2017
It’s been 92 days since aerospace manufacturer D-J Composites locked out 34 of its employees at its plant in Gander, and now the union representing the workers says the company is asking for even more concessions.
NHLPA support US women’s hockey team’s boycott for equal pay
Sportsnet
March 24 2017
The NHL Players’ Association says it’s a bad idea for USA Hockey to recruit replacement players for the women’s world hockey championships. The American players chosen to represent the defending champions have threatened to boycott the tournament unless their federation gives them more equitable treatment, financial and otherwise.
Chrysler plans to outsource Windsor trucking division’s nearly 300 jobs
Sarah Sacheli, Windsor Star
March 24 2017
Almost 300 workers — 288 hourly and seven salaried — work in the transportation division, said LouAnn Gosselin, Fiat-Chrylser spokeswoman. Chiodo said most drivers make a little more than $35 per hour while outside contractors pay their drivers as little as $15 per hour with no benefits. The union representing workers at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Windsor Assembly Plant says it will fight the company’s plans to outsource its trucking division.