On Thursday, October 24, the Alberta government released the provincial budget, which was nothing short of a brutal frontal assault on province’s public services, workers and the poor. The government outlined it would cut program spending by 2.8% over the next four years. This 2.8%, the largest cut to provincial program spending in 25 years, Continue readingKenney’s cuts
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Increasingly, unions in Canada have embraced strategic voting as a preferred strategy to defeating Conservative politicians. But does it really work? While the specific calculus for strategic voting changes with each election, and the results are mixed at best, evidence suggests the strategy offers very little to the labour movement over the long term. Union-led Continue readingDo union-backed strategic voting campaigns really work?
Today, Oct. 17, at 14:45, a group of 40 activists gathered in front of Ontario Premier Ford’s office in Etobicoke. By the time they had arrived, ten people had already entered Ford’s office to occupy it. They were there to demand that the government take responsibility for the five deaths at Fiera Foods, one of Continue readingOccupy Ford: No more workplace deaths
In Nova Scotia, your boss can demand proof that you’re sick, even if it’s just a short term illness. Those requests make life miserable for workers and put stress on an already overburdened medical system. For many short-term sicknesses, a trip to the doctor is really not necessary. To recover from a common cold, for Continue readingGet rid of sick notes
The outcry over the fifth death of a temporary worker at Fiera Foods is putting pressure on Premier Doug Ford to fix the laws that place temp workers in harm’s way. Temp workers need to have equal rights and protections under the law because employers, like the owners of Fiera, will never provide them voluntarily. Continue readingThese men make the wounds: Fiera Foods CEO Boris Serebryany
This is Day 23 for the United Auto Workers’ strike vs. GM. Today’s Detroit Free Press says at least three items have not been resolved: How long it takes “in-progression” workers (the second tier) to move up to their top level. It’s currently eight years to move from $17 an hour to $28—and their ceiling Continue readingWhat’s Behind GM’s Hardball Stance vs. UAW?
On Sunday night hours from a strike deadline, CUPE representing 55,000 Ontario education workers, announced they achieved restored services for students and a fair contract for workers. For months, the government has been playing hardball with workers, students and parents in the education system. But workers, students and parents are fighting back. CUPE’s incredible win Continue readingWalk-in to Fight Ford’s Education Cuts
On Wednesday afternoon, 125 labour and community activists assembled outside of Fiera Foods for a solidarity rally organized by Fight for $15 & Fairness and Jane and Finch Action Against Poverty (JFAAP). Last week, Enrico Miranda, a 57 year old father of two, was killed at work. As Toronto Star journalist Sara Mojtehedzadeh reported: “He Continue readingNo More Deaths: Rally at Fiera Foods
It is a tragic irony that General Motors (GM) chose its hundredth anniversary in Oshawa to announce the December 2019 closure of its Oshawa assembly plant. This means the loss of over 15,000 jobs in Ontario: 2,200 GM assembly jobs, 300 salaried positions, 500 temporary contract positions, 1,000 inside and 1,000 outside supplier jobs, and Continue readingTake the Plant, Save the Planet
On September 27, workers across the world went out on strike in the largest global climate strike in history, walking out of their classrooms and workplaces to protest government inaction on climate change. This comes following the September 20 ‘School Strike for Climate’, which saw millions of young people and students in over 150 countries Continue readingCanadian Unions and a Green New Deal
A week after mass mobilizations across the globe the climate strike is coming to Canada. Major actions are set to take place right across the country. In Montreal, 300,000 are expected for the main rally. Eleven unions are participating and the city is offering free public transit for the day. This massive show of force Continue readingThe climate strike is a gift for unions
About fifteen years ago, I was working with a union doing organizing work while on leave from my unionized job that I worked at to pay for my education. It was my first official role in a union other than being a steward on the floor. The union had paired ‘newbies’ with ‘experienced’ people. I Continue reading#MeToo in labour