Description: Jerry Dias, the new leader of Unifor, says it is time for unions to go on the offensive. He promises to spend 10 per cent of the newly merged union’s revenues on organizing and increasing membership. Source: The Globe and Mail Date: 08/31/2013 Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/newly-elected-unifor-leader-says-he-is-taking-labour-movement-on-the-offensive/article14063604/ Related links: Unifor Canadian Press story Globe story on… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Chapter 13 – Future Issues
US fast-food workers strike for higher minimum wage
Description: Despite protests by fast-food workers around the U.S., Congress appears to have little interest in increasing the minimum wage. Source: CNN Date: 08/30/2013 Link: http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/29/politics/minimum-wage-congress-obama/index.html?iref=allsearch Related links: New York Times editorial The minimum wage in Canada Toronto Star column CBC story Questions for discussion: Give a brief description of the reasons U.S. fast-food workers… Read more »
Steelworkers, TWU to merge
Description: The United Steelworkers union, which represents 225,000 Canadian workers, and the Telecommunications Workers Union, which represents 13,000, have tentatively agreed to merge – the second large private-sector union merger of the year. Source: CBC Date: 08/30/2013 Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2013/08/30/steelworkers-telecommunications-union-merger.html Related links: Union media release Canadian Press story Canadian Labour Reporter story The United Steelworkers The… Read more »
Unions good for local economies, CLC report argues
Description: A Canadian Labour Congress report says unionized workers earn an average of almost $5 an hour more than their non-union counterparts, pumping more than $78 million a week into local economies. Source: Ottawa Citizen Date: 08/21/2013 Link: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Higher+union+wages+pump+extra+money+into+local+economy+labour+congress+says/8818168/story.html Related links: The CLC report CBC story Winnipeg Free Press story Dr. Ian Lee Windsor lawyer… Read more »
Unions merge in hopes of reversing decline
Description: With organized labour on the defensive across the country, the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada are merging to create a 300,000-member union called Unifor. Source: The Globe and Mail Date: 08/08/2013 Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/unions-political-calculus-with-numbers-come-power/article13678660/ Related links: Unifor CAW CEP Financial Post story CTV story Questions for discussion: Who… Read more »
Temporary foreign worker case opens in Federal Court
Description: A Federal Court in Vancouver is hearing arguments concerning the hiring of more than 200 temporary Chinese workers for a mine in northeastern B.C. Source: CBC Date: 04/09/2013 Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2013/04/09/bc-mine-foreign-temporary-workers-chinese-hd-mining.html Related links: RBC apologizes in foreign worker controversy Earlier update Union safety complaint The Temporary Foreign Worker Program The International Union of Operating Engineers,… Read more »
ILO criticizes federal government
Description: The International Labour Organization has found that the federal government violated international law when it imposed back-to-work legislation on Canada Post workers. Source: Doorey’s Law of Work Blog Date: 04/05/2012 Link: http://lawofwork.ca/?p=6463 Related links: Earlier story The ILO The ILO decision Federal labour ministry Canada Post Canadian Union of Postal Workers statement Questions for… Read more »
After four years, foreign workers receive settlement
Description: Latin American workers who helped build a Vancouver rapid transit line have finally received the money awarded to them in a 2008 human rights ruling. Source: Canadian Press/Globe and Mail Date: 04/02/2013 Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/foreign-workers-who-helped-build-vancouvers-canada-line-win-wage-fight/article10701631/ Related links: Story from November, 2012 Story from 2008 The Construction and Specialized Workers’ Union Local 1611 SNC-Lavalin B.C. Human… Read more »
Ottawa wants to talk sick leave, pensions with unions
Description: The federal government wants to look at “changes to the labour relations regime,” including sick leave, pensions and compensation, to help balance the budget. Source: CBC Date: 03/21/2013 Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2013/03/21/ottawa-public-servant-sick-benefits.html Related links: Winnipeg Free Press editorial Federal budget Public Service Alliance of Canada media release Earlier story Questions for discussion: Describe briefly the current… Read more »
CBSA to appeal child-care decision
Description: The Canada Border Services Agency is appealing a ground-breaking decision from the Federal Court of Canada that ruled employers have an obligation to accommodate employee child-care needs. Source: Canadian Labour Reporter Date: 03/19/2013 Link: http://www.labour-reporter.com/articleview/17532-cbsa-to-appeal-federal-court-family-status-decision Related links: Lexology law blog Federal Court decision Earlier story CBSA Public Service Alliance of Canada Canadian Human Rights… Read more »
