When asked why he’s planning to support the Global Climate Strike slated for September 20, Larry Hopkins, a rail crew driver for the transportation and maintenance company Hallcon, says the reason is simple: “I want to help preserve and protect our personal safety. Because right now, we’re in a climate emergency that is very bad Continue readingWhat Backing The Climate Strike Means For Unions
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Earlier this year baristas employed by the Smiling Goat learned the hard way how vulnerable they are. This summer employees of a coffee shop in Bedford received a similar grim reminder. To the surprise of both its customers and its employees, The Nook Espresso Bar and Lounge closed its Bedford location in late July of Continue readingBaristas fight back after Halifax coffee shop closes
Forty-nine thousand auto workers are on strike at General Motors in the largest private sector strike since the last time union and company clashed, in 2007. Production has stopped at 55 factories and parts centers. According to various analysts, the strike could cost GM $50 million to $100 million per day in profits. Before the Continue readingGM Strikers Say ‘No More Tiers!’
In January 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that “[t]he right to strike is an essential part of a meaningful collective bargaining system” and effectively made blanket bans on public sector strikes unconstitutional. As was required of all provinces in the wake of the ruling, Alberta’s then-New Democratic Party (NDP) government enacted legislation in 2016—Bill 4, An Continue readingRethinking Alberta’s essential services legislation
In August, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) released their report “A Rising Tide to Lift All Boats”, making several recommendations to improve existing employment legislation in Nova Scotia. This 2019 report is a follow-up to the 2012 CCPA report, and provides and updated and in-depth critique of the laws currently governing employment relationships Continue readingNova Scotia’s workers are falling behind
Last week, negotiations between the Canadian Union of Public Employees’ (CUPE) bargaining agent the Ontario School Board Council of Union (OSBCU) and the province move to mediation as bargaining makes no progress for the 55,000 education workers CUPE represents across Ontario. RankandFile.ca spoke with OSBCU President Laura Walton about the role of the government and Continue readingOntario’s education workers inch closer to strike position
The party that wins the Manitoba election on Sept. 11 will prove crucial to ensuring unions in the province can defend the rights of their workers. Changes have occurred under the Pallister government that has negatively affected many of UFCW’s members, Local 832 president Jeff Traeger said. The current Labour Relations Act, Employment Standards Code, Continue readingManitoba election results critical to unions
Karen Cocq from the Migrant Rights Networks discusses the #UniteAgainstRacism campaign, why it matters and how you can get involved. “We are struggling to make ends meet, while the rich keep getting richer. Instead of fixing this, politicians are using anti-immigrant racism to distract us. Sign this pledge to tell politicians that you will not Continue readingIt’s time to #UniteAgainstRacism
“We’ve heard that people like to make memes about Doug Ford. Could you describe one of them?” asks a journalist from a mainstream media outlet. “I’m sorry, I can’t,” replies Amina Vance, an 18-year-old organizer of the Students Say No (SSN) group fighting Ford’s cuts to public education. “Let me tell you another story.” Memes Continue readingLessons from high-school organizers fighting Ford’s education cuts
Prime Minister Trudeau was met with protests and chants against his government at the beginning of the Labour Day parade in Hamilton. Trudeau was invited by LiUNA, and was not given microphones and a stage to speak. Trudeau’s SUVs, police and security detail arrived before the march began as he took selfies among the crowd. Continue readingHamilton Hammers Trudeau at Labour Day
On Thursday, August 22, Manitoba’s health care unions underwent a massive shift, with CUPE becoming the largest health care union in the province over MGEU. As mandated by the PC government’s Bill 29, the Health Care Bargaining Review Act, health care workers were required to vote whether to remain with their present union, or join Continue readingPallister’s forced health care votes shakes up MB union numbers
On June 28, Bill 9, The Public Sector Wage Deferral Act received royal assent and came into effect in Alberta. The bill affects approximately 180,000 public sector workers and 24 collective agreements across the province, and delays wage arbitration negotiations for public sector unions until after October 31, 2019. The impact of Bill 9 on Continue readingBattling Kenney’s Bill 9