Description: Michelle Laurie, president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 258, is challenging incumbent president Jim Sinclair for the leadership of the B.C. Federation of Labour. Source: The Province (Vancouver) Date: 11/10/2012 Link: http://www.theprovince.com/business/Sinclair+challenged+Federation+Labour/7530828/story.html Related links: Statement from Michelle Laurie The B.C. Federation of Labour “Renew the Fed” Renew the Fed Facebook page… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Chapter 3 – HIstory of the Canadian Union Movement
Protesters picket Raitt
Description: A group of about 20 federal government workers protested government job cuts at an appearance in Cape Breton by Labour Minister Lisa Raitt. Source: CBC Date: 10/29/2012 Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/10/29/ns-raitt-protest.html Related links: Cape Breton Post story Earlier story Canada Post to close N.S. undeliverable mail office Canada Employment and Immigration Union Glace Bay Service Canada… Read more »
Ontario PCs attack public sector unions
Description: Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak has promised to take on public sector unions, accusing them of buying votes in a byelection his party lost to the New Democratic Party. Source: The Globe and Mail Date: 09/07/2012 Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/hudak-readies-to-battle-unions-after-by-election-loss/article4526251/ Related links: National Post story CBC story Toronto Sun story Ontario Public Service Employees Union… Read more »
CAW sees cause for hope in auto talks
Description: Days after threatening to strike all of the Big Three automakers at the same time, Canadian Auto Workers president Ken Lewenza says the companies seem willing to take part in “constructive dialogue.” Source: Reuters Date: 09/07/2012 Link: http://ca.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idCABRE88617C20120907?sp=true Related links: CTV story Windsor Star blog Conservative MP criticizes CAW – Windsor Star CAW Ford… Read more »
Unions and the middle class
Description: Columnist Antonia Zerbisias argues that “when union membership thrives, so does the middle class.” Source: The Toronto Star Date: 08/31/2012 Link: http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/1249944–is-decline-of-unions-leading-to-decline-of-middle-class Related links: Thomas Walkom column Vancouver Sun column Article: Some analysts see hope for renewal Globe and Mail story Questions for discussion: Summarize Antonia Zerbisias’s arguments. Do you agree? How would an… Read more »
A crisis for organized labour
Description: This is a “precarious moment for the labour movement,” say experts and labour leaders. Source: The Globe and Mail Date: 03/24/2012 Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/the-sorry-state-of-our-unions/article2380055/singlepage/tgam.ca/politics Related links: Air Canada workers stage wildcat strike Canadian Labour Congress Canadian Union of Public Employees Sam Gindin, York University Gregor Murray, University of Montreal Pradeep Kumar, Queen’s University Questions for… Read more »
Halifax ‘Canada’s strike central’
Description: A series of industrial disputes has made Halifax “emblematic of a much larger year of labour unrest” across the country, the Globe and Mail’s Jane Taber writes. Source: The Globe and Mail Date: 03/06/2012 Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/halifax-labour-woes-a-symbol-for-a-nation/article2360939/ Related links: CTV – Dalhousie strike averted Health care workers take strike vote CBC – Tentative deal in… Read more »
‘A moment of truth for Canadian labour’
Description: As two of Canada’s largest unions explore a merger, a confidential union report says that labour must become more relevant to Canadians. Source: The Toronto Star Date: 01/26/2012 Link: http://www.thestar.com/article/1121505–unions-must-change-quickly-to-survive-says-secret-report-by-cep-caw Related links: Canada.com story Canadian Business story CTV story The CAW The CEP Questions for discussion: Why do you think these two unions are… Read more »
Employers ‘have warmed to work stoppages’
Description: Jim Stanford, an economist with the Canadian Auto Workers union, writes that employers, who once opposed work stoppages, are now eager to lock out unions. Source: The Globe and Mail Date: 01/20/2012 Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/management-has-warmed-to-work-stoppages/article2308417/print/ Related links: Federal government strike and lockout database Major work stoppages in Canada, 2011 Conference Board of Canada expects more… Read more »
NDP leadership candidates woo unions
Description: Candidates for the leadership of the New Democratic Party are competing to line up support from unions. Source: The Globe and Mail Date: 01/06/2012 Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/topp-lands-calverts-support-as-ndp-rivals-burnish-union-credentials/article2294036/ Related links: The New Democratic Party The Canadian Labour Congress Brian Topp Thomas Mulcair Paul Dewar Peggy Nash Questions for discussion: Why are NDP leadership candidates seeking union… Read more »