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MAKING HISTORY
Topic
BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS A TIME FOR US TO BE GLAD AND SAD.
Glad to celebrate the countless and many unsung achievements and victories of black people. And sad because, despite it all, we are still not free from the scourge of racial discrimination.
Black history IS Canadian history. The two should not be divided. Our common history must, and will, include standing with black Canadians until they are paid fairly, treated fairly, and given rights and respect every Canadian deserves.
BAD ACTORS
Topic
STEPHEN McNEIL HAS GOT IT IN FOR UNIONS. The evidence is as clear as the three court challenges his government faces over recent changes made to labour laws in Nova Scotia.
But the McNeil government is hardly alone. Disrespect for labour rights protected by our Charter of Rights and Freedoms continues to be as common in Canada as snow in February. This unfortunate reality is clearly set out in the latest edition of Backgrounder: Summary of current Charter challenges and their impact on union security in Canada.
SICK LIES
Topic
Roger Fowler writes poems to remember and honour his many friends and former GE workers who have died of cancer.
THE BOSS LIED TO THEM FOR YEARS AND THEY KNEW IT. They knew their work was making them sick. They knew a study by the boss that said it wasn’t was bogus. Now the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) says the workers were right all along.
SCREW U
Topic
MOST OF OUR UNIVERSITY TEACHERS ARE GETTING SCREWED. They have few benefits, and no pension plan for retirement. They are paid by the course, with no guarantee that they will have their contracts renewed next term. They live like this for years, even decades.
They’re expendable.
UNIONS MATTER
Topic
UNIONS MAKE DEMOCRACY WORK BETTER. They don't just leave government up to the politicians. They believe the best way to keep our democracy strong is to get us all to use it and use it and use it. That is the best way we have to make democracy live up to its promise of government of, for and by the people.
TEAM SPIRIT
Topic
Chris Long joins teammate Malcom Jenkins in NFL players protest against racial inequality and police brutality in the USA
THEY ALL WANNA BE IN ON IT. All the players associations in the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB—they have all teamed up with the World Players Association in support of the Universal Declaration of Player Rights
The declaration was unveiled December 14 2017 at a gathering of 40 players’ unions reps hosted by the NFL Players association.
WORKED TO DEATH
Topic
Olivier Bruneau was crushed and killed on the job in Ottawa in 2016
WHO’S FAULT IS IT THAT JESUS SANCHEZ IS DEAD? Nobody asked that question in 1996. Now Oliver Bruneau is dead too.
There should have been an inquest 20-some years ago when Jesus Sanchez fell 13 metres to his death on the job. Ontario law makes it mandatory. But there was no inquest. Nobody can say why.
BURNING DESIRE
Topic
LIANE TESSIER HAS A BURNING DESIRE TO SEE JUSTICE DONE. It brought her victory in her battle against systemic sexual discrimination and workplace harassment in the Halifax fire department. But none of if came easy.
Halifax Fire Chief Ken Stuebing delivered a formal apology to Liane on behalf of the Halifax fire service and the the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission at a public news conference on Decemember 18.
Topic: Unions Matter
They fight for fairness for all
LIFE GETS BETTER FOR EVERYONE wherever and whenever unions are strong. Studies prove it.
Studies prove when unions win higher pay the wages of all workers rise—even for those not in unions.
Studies also prove overall life gets better because of union activity. The more unions there are in a country the more government does to protect human and civil rights and the more it uses taxes to provide social benefits to everyone—regardless of income level.
Unions successfully fought to expand the Canada Pension Plan in 2016, and as a result all workers will see their CPP benefits increase in the future.
It was the strength of unions that gave us all Medicare, unemployment insurance, workers compensation, and safer workplaces. Today unions in Canada are fighting for universal Pharmacare for all Canadians.
Union membership reflects how much Canadians value fairness: the more we value fairness the more unions thrive; the more unions thrive the closer we come to fairness for all.
