By Doug Nesbitt “André Ouellet, Canada’s [Liberal] foreign affairs minister, threw human rights out of the whole issue of trade,” He [Craig Kielburger] told the delegates indignantly. “He said that Canada isn’t the world’s Boy Scout.” (Laughter. Meaningful pause). “Well, I’m a Boy Scout-” (Prolonged surge of laughter and applause). “And this just means that Continue readingWE, the United Way, and labour’s charity problem
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By Zaid Noorsumar Robin Nelson’s 79-year old mother has endured more than four months of isolation during the pandemic in a long-term care home in Lakefield, Ontario. Ann Nelson, who has suffered three strokes, has intensive care needs. Even before the pandemic, Robin says the resident-to-staff ratio wasn’t sufficient to provide the level of care Continue readingOntario’s nursing homes continue to face critical staffing challenges
By Jeremy Appel Black labour leader and activist Nicholas Thompson hosted a Facebook livestream Thursday night responding to the Public Service Alliance of Canada’s (PSAC) decision to disinvite journalist and activist Nora Loreto from an upcoming anti-racism workshop. PSAC is the country’s largest federal sector union, representing 200,000 members. Thompson invited fellow PSAC leader and Continue readingBlack PSAC union leader & activists call for PSAC National to re-invite Nora Loreto to anti-racism workshop
A one per cent budget increase could pay for appropriate staffing in long-term care homes By Zaid Noorsumar A new report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives demonstrates how the fiscal policies of successive Ontario governments have led to immense pain and hardship for long-term care residents, their families and the workforce. For decades, Continue readingOntario’s fiscal policies have wrecked long-term care
By Lisa Cameronon behalf of the Halifax Workers’ Action Centre A former employee of LaFarge Canada is accusing the company of gender discrimination after years of poor treatment she attributes to her sex. Cindy Lawrence* was hired in December of 2011 at Lafarge Canada’s Brookfield plant just south of Truro, Nova Scotia. She worked until Continue readingFired while pregnant: Former LaFarge worker blows whistle on sexism
By John McCracken The largest and one of the deadliest outbreaks of Covid-19 in a long-term care (LTC) facility in Canada is raising serious questions about how Nova Scotia’s government has handled the crisis – and whether ignoring early warnings from frontline workers and their unions had deadly consequences. The Northwood Centre in Halifax is Continue readingNS authorities ignored early warnings from long-term care workers and unions
By Zaid Noorsumar The recent announcement by the Ford government to provide an additional $4 per hour for 16 weeks has been welcomed by home care workers, but they also say the sector needs fundamental transformation. “It’s a nice little bonus, but it’s not going to come anywhere close to fixing home care,” says Tammy Continue readingPandemic pay doesn’t cut it for Ontario’s home care workers
By Ryan Hayes A group of Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) with the Halton District School Board (HDSB) were in the midst of a union drive when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. With schools closed and physical distancing rules in effect, workers had to quickly shift gears and experiment with new approaches in order to win their Continue readingHow ECEs formed a union during COVID-19
by Anna Bianca Roach Foodora workers laid their bikes on the ground, stood two metres apart, and blocked Richmond Street traffic in front of the company’s office on Friday afternoon. The workers chanted and gave speeches protesting Foodora’s recent decision to withdraw from the Canadian market. Foodora couriers won the right to unionize roughly two Continue readingCouriers block traffic to protest Foodora’s withdrawal from Canada
By Zaid Noorsumar The Ontario Health Coalition is holding an online Day of Action today, May 1, to demand the Ontario PC government and Premier Doug Ford fix long-term care. The hashtag #FixLTCFord is being used by the Coalition and its supporters on Twitter and other social media platforms. In addition to demanding the elimination Continue readingDemands grow louder in Ontario to end for-profit nursing homes
By Rick Beer OSSTF member, Toronto District School BoardCandidate for Toronto Teacher Bargaining Unit president Some people believe that education workers should be grateful to have kept their jobs and their paycheques under the current circumstances – education workers should have gratitude for another contract containing real wage cuts. Some people believe that education workers Continue readingOSSTF tentative agreement: Why I’m voting NO
by Emily Leedham After two weeks of pressure from the Oshawa community, General Motors announced yesterday it would re-open a portion of the plant to manufacture one million masks per month for health care workers. Former Oshawa GM workers and health care workers held a joint-press conference on Thursday, April 9 demanding the Oshawa complex Continue reading“A great first step”: Workers respond to GM Oshawa plant conversion for PPE