By Doug Nesbitt During the infamous inflation crisis of the 1970s, Pierre Trudeau’s Liberals imposed strict wage controls on workers in late 1975. The federal government created a handpicked corporate-aligned “Anti-Inflation Board” to impose below-inflation wage caps on collective agreements across the private and public sectors. Unions organized a million-strong one-day general strike in October Continue reading1970s Inflation Crisis: When Trudeau hammered workers
Articles
By Ben Sichel What gives unions their power? On the surface, the answer is simple: strength in numbers. A single worker has little power to negotiate wages or resolve conflict with an employer, but a united group of workers does. This is the union movement’s foundational and most important principle. But often, it can feel Continue readingBuilding an organizing union
“We’re not in this together” By Ritch Whyman and Lee Gilchrist The new “automated” warehouse opened by Sobeys in Terrebonne, Quebec is shut down for three months by 190 striking workers. They win an immediate wage increase of up to 28%, and an additional 12% wage increase over three years. The contract is ratified by Continue readingThe Pandemic and the Return of Class Struggle
By Doug Nesbitt Coal miner, trade unionist and socialist Albert “Ginger” Goodwin died July 27 1918 after being gunned down by Dan Campbell, a special constable for the Dominion Police. Goodwin’s murder led to the 1918 Vancouver General Strike a week later on August 2, 1918. Yorkshire – Cape Breton – Vancouver Island Goodwin was Continue readingOur History: Albert “Ginger” Goodwin
Editor’s Note: This is a revised version of an earlier article. We’d like to make clear that Scott Doherty, Naureen Rizvi, and Lana Payne are not implicated in the kickback scandal and were not investigated for a breach of Unifor’s Code of Ethics. Unifor documents are available for download here. By Lee Gilchrist On July Continue readingReleased Unifor docs still keeps Dias Scandal under wraps
By Tony Leah There are two important resolutions submitted to the Unifor Constitutional Convention being held in Toronto from August 8-12. One calls for Unifor to fight for Equal Wages and Pensions (R-13), and the other calls for Improved Pensions Now (R-14). Can the companies afford this? The figures here are from General Motors, but Continue readingCan GM afford Equal Pay and Increased Pensions?
By Jeremy Appel After two years without a contract, unionized staff at Canada’s National Observer have reached their first agreement with management, continuing a trend of journalists at new media outlets organizing their workplaces. The five-year contract offers immediate pay increases for most staff, a company-contributed pension plan, equipment and expense allowances, overtime compensation and Continue readingNew media unions gain ground, secure first contracts
By Alia Karim, Kevin Brice-Lall and Taylor Welsh On June 30, over 330 e-commerce logistics workers in a Hudson’s Bay Company warehouse in Scarborough, Ontario, won their nine-day strike for wage increases, retro pay, and no concessions. In battles they posted on Twitter, the strikers turned away trucks and scab buses trying to get into Continue readingHow Scarborough warehouse workers defeated HBC
By Doug Nesbitt On June 29, 1981, some 23,000 inside postal workers began what would become a long 42-day strike. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) stayed out and won 17 weeks of paid maternity leave at 93% of full wages. CUPW’s breakthrough agreement sets a standard for other unions, although CUPW was simply Continue readingThe 1981 postal workers’ strike for maternity leave
By Lee Gilchrist On Monday June 6, 51-year-old welder Quoc Le was crushed under a 2,000 pound bulkhead while working on a rail car. Le was pronounced dead after paramedics rushed him to hospital. Le’s workplace death is the third at National Steel Car in 21 months. Labour responded immediately by calling a protest at Continue readingHamilton unions attack National Steel Car’s bloody record
A Rankandfile.ca editorial Well, Ontario, that was a shitty election! This is an important occasion to go back to basics and think about how organized labour is going to fight Doug Ford and the Ontario PC Party. First, let’s dispense with a story being spun by the mainstream media. As the votes were still coming Continue readingBack to basics for Ontario labour
Op-ed by Scotty Hertz The massive condo project getting rammed in around the corner from our house has been super quiet lately. The orange vests gathering at the morning tailgate were down to about eight workers at last count in mid May. I spoke to a worker as he was clocking off one day, just Continue readingDivision, neglect opens door to Ford’s union conquests