Why this election matters at YYZ

We’ll get straight to the point, as airport workers we must vote in the upcoming federal election.

Not only because it is our democratic right and duty as Canadians, but because this election could have a direct impact on our working conditions due to many of us being federally regulated workers. This means its Ottawa, not Queen’s Park, who is in charge of administering many of our labour standards at YYZ.

No matter what company we work for at Pearson, we are all being forced to run this neoliberal race to bottom. This has resulted in never ending demands for concessions, cut backs, changes in contracts and demands for us to work more for less.

Unfortunately, the current Conservative government has attacked us at every opportunity since gaining power in 2006. It has been so bad that even the UN’s International Labour Organization (ILO) has condemned the Harper Conservatives for its suppression of airport workers’ freedom of association and our right to bargain free of government interference.

It doesn’t have to be this way!

We are in a position to create positive change in our government, but it is only possible if we join together on October 19th and cast our ballot.

Forty thousand (40,000) of us work at YYZ making us the largest workplace in all of Canada. With numbers this large, we can exert real political influence on this election. By voting together we can help remove a government who has systematically infringed upon workers rights and attacked the working class.

Change is possible but it takes energy and solidarity. As the election approaches, we will be handing out more materials about why this vote is important to us all.

Align yourself with the party you feel best represents the interests of the working class and get out and vote.

Solidarity YYZ!
Toronto Airport Workers’ Council

This article was originally published at Socialistproject.ca.