SAVE CANADA POST Canadians were shocked to hear of the plans of Canada Post to begin dismantling residential delivery of mail across Canada, raise prices of mail, and deeply cut its workforce. This decision will have a serious impact on working families and communities across Canada. It will particularly hurt people with disabilities and seniors.
It is clear that this action is part of the ongoing austerity agenda of the Harper Conservatives, which seeks to make workers pay for the 2008 financial melt-down caused by corporate greed and speculation. It continues the pattern of attacks on fundamental labour rights, exploitation of foreign temporary workers, and gutting of social programs such as Employment Insurance. Armine Yalnizyan’s insightful response is a must-read.
The Toronto & York Region Labour Council will extend our full support to CUPW and its local unions in our region in whatever form of fight-back the union undertakes. We support the union’s call for to preserve public postal service and improve Canada Post’s financial position by expanding parcel delivery and adding banking and financial services. Send a message to your Member of Parliament – www.cupw.ca
It is clear that this action is part of the ongoing austerity agenda of the Harper Conservatives, which seeks to make workers pay for the 2008 financial melt-down caused by corporate greed and speculation. It continues the pattern of attacks on fundamental labour rights, exploitation of foreign temporary workers, and gutting of social programs such as Employment Insurance. Armine Yalnizyan’s insightful response is a must-read.
The Toronto & York Region Labour Council will extend our full support to CUPW and its local unions in our region in whatever form of fight-back the union undertakes. We support the union’s call for to preserve public postal service and improve Canada Post’s financial position by expanding parcel delivery and adding banking and financial services. Send a message to your Member of Parliament – www.cupw.ca
A JOB SHOULD LIFT YOU OUT OF POVERTY… “A job should lift you out of poverty, not keep you in it”. Not many years ago, that statement would have seemed unnecessary to most Canadians. But in today’s economy, the assertion that people working a full-time job should not be in poverty is not so obvious. The statement is at the core of the
challenge facing the Ontario government – does it believe that poverty will be addressed without fundamentally addressing the issue of poverty wages? Labour Council is part of the coalition fighting for a $14 Minimum Wage www.RaiseTheMinimumWage.ca
Read the Star Op-Ed on raising the Minimum Wage by Labour Council’s John Cartwright and Andria Babbington www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/09/26/ontarios_minimum_wage_frozen_too_long.html
Download the Labour Council presentation to the Minimum Wage Advisory Panel here.
Joint Statement by Community and Labour Groups Concerning Federal Changes to Employment Insurance
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STUDENT + LABOUR UNITY On June 12th over 70 representatives of student unions, campus labour unions and members of the Labour Council met to dialogue about their common interests in tackling austerity. The symposium called "Students and Workers Unite" was hosted by Labour Community Services, the Labour Council and the Canadian Federation of Students - Ontario office.
Workers and students discussed the many challenges faced in the post-secondary arena with added pressures of declining government support and increased privatization on university and college campuses. The common consensus build was that a united front of both students and workers must be presented in order to protect public education. Campus labour unions and student unions committed to building a framework of ongoing communication and mutual solidarity in each of Toronto’s three universities.
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TOGETHER - FAIRNESS WORKS The Canadian Labour Congress is launching a major effort to highlight the values of
the union movement under the banner “Together Fairness Works”. Labour Day celebrations will take place in cities and towns across the country, some of which have not had a Labour Day event in many years. In the fall, the CLC will roll out an extensive ad campaign, and special meetings of union leaders in 17 cities.
This is an ambitious program. It builds on lessons learned by unions in the U.S. and Australia – that labour must
be pro-active in framing its role in society, before anti-union forces enact legislation to weaken labour rights. It also builds on the success of the Labour Council’s Workers’ Rights campaign, which has trained hundreds of campaigners to
engage union members in the workplace. To read complete statement click here. To see how these issues connect go to www.LowWageEconomy.ca | CLC: Together FAIRNESS WORKS
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challenge facing the Ontario government – does it believe that poverty will be addressed without fundamentally addressing the issue of poverty wages? Labour Council is part of the coalition fighting for a $14 Minimum Wage www.RaiseTheMinimumWage.ca
Read the Star Op-Ed on raising the Minimum Wage by Labour Council’s John Cartwright and Andria Babbington www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/09/26/ontarios_minimum_wage_frozen_too_long.html
Download the Labour Council presentation to the Minimum Wage Advisory Panel here.
Joint Statement by Community and Labour Groups Concerning Federal Changes to Employment Insurance
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STUDENT + LABOUR UNITY On June 12th over 70 representatives of student unions, campus labour unions and members of the Labour Council met to dialogue about their common interests in tackling austerity. The symposium called "Students and Workers Unite" was hosted by Labour Community Services, the Labour Council and the Canadian Federation of Students - Ontario office.
Workers and students discussed the many challenges faced in the post-secondary arena with added pressures of declining government support and increased privatization on university and college campuses. The common consensus build was that a united front of both students and workers must be presented in order to protect public education. Campus labour unions and student unions committed to building a framework of ongoing communication and mutual solidarity in each of Toronto’s three universities.
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TOGETHER - FAIRNESS WORKS The Canadian Labour Congress is launching a major effort to highlight the values of
the union movement under the banner “Together Fairness Works”. Labour Day celebrations will take place in cities and towns across the country, some of which have not had a Labour Day event in many years. In the fall, the CLC will roll out an extensive ad campaign, and special meetings of union leaders in 17 cities.
This is an ambitious program. It builds on lessons learned by unions in the U.S. and Australia – that labour must
be pro-active in framing its role in society, before anti-union forces enact legislation to weaken labour rights. It also builds on the success of the Labour Council’s Workers’ Rights campaign, which has trained hundreds of campaigners to
engage union members in the workplace. To read complete statement click here. To see how these issues connect go to www.LowWageEconomy.ca | CLC: Together FAIRNESS WORKS
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UNION ADVANTAGE Toronto benefits from union wages Researchers at the Canadian Labour Congress have found that on average unionized workers in Toronto earn $4.36 an hour more than do non-union workers. That extra money in the pockets of the city’s
573,100 unionized employees translates into an added $90 million every week paid into the local economy. At the provincial level, unionized workers in Ontario earn $6.11 an hour more on average than do non-union workers. That adds an extra $351.6 million per week to the provincial economy. Click here for the flyer
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DEFEND WORKERS RIGHTS Stephen Harper and Tim Hudak are promoting changes to labour law that would drive down wages and harm Canadian society. Ontario Conservative leader Tim Hudak has announced that he will weaken unions by making major changes to labour laws – if he wins the next Ontario election. Prime Minister Harper has already pushed Bill 377 through Parliament. This legislation was designed to disrupt unions by requiring extraordinary financial reporting. Next in line is Bill 525, making it far harder for workers to join unions in a number of sectors. To learn about the campaign to defend workers against these attacks, click here.
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COMMUNITY BENEFITS + TRANSIT Metrolinx is building a Light Rail Transit (LRT) network worth $8.4-billion across Toronto. Labour Council is working with a number of community groups and unions to achieve a Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) to ensure that residents from marginalized and low-income communities have a chance at some of the jobs created between now and 2020. www.communitybenefits.ca
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FIX EI - SCRAP THE CHANGES People in greater Toronto need to start fighting to improve unemployment insurance, and defend what is left of this vital social safety net. Only 1 in 5 unemployed Torontonians received Employment Insurance (EI) benefits at any given time last year and the recent changes by the Conservatives government will only make matters worse. Many workers will now be forced to accept jobs that pay up to 30% less than their previous income or risk being cut off benefits. The role of construction union hiring halls is being severely curtailed.
“This reform will undermine overall wages and will have huge long-term implications on local economies across Canada” said Armine Yalnizyan, a senior economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, as she traced the history of unemployment insurance at a special teach-in on EI changes held in June 2013. Good Jobs for All coalition is leading the effort to scrap the changes in bring back a system that covers all workers between jobs. www.goodjobsforall.ca
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COMMUNITY BENEFITS + TRANSIT Metrolinx is building a Light Rail Transit (LRT) network worth $8.4-billion across Toronto. Labour Council is working with a number of community groups and unions to achieve a Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) to ensure that residents from marginalized and low-income communities have a chance at some of the jobs created between now and 2020. www.communitybenefits.ca
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FIX EI - SCRAP THE CHANGES People in greater Toronto need to start fighting to improve unemployment insurance, and defend what is left of this vital social safety net. Only 1 in 5 unemployed Torontonians received Employment Insurance (EI) benefits at any given time last year and the recent changes by the Conservatives government will only make matters worse. Many workers will now be forced to accept jobs that pay up to 30% less than their previous income or risk being cut off benefits. The role of construction union hiring halls is being severely curtailed.
“This reform will undermine overall wages and will have huge long-term implications on local economies across Canada” said Armine Yalnizyan, a senior economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, as she traced the history of unemployment insurance at a special teach-in on EI changes held in June 2013. Good Jobs for All coalition is leading the effort to scrap the changes in bring back a system that covers all workers between jobs. www.goodjobsforall.ca
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FIRST VICTORY FOR BANGLADESHI WORKERS Mobilization by global union federations and NGOs may have changed the rules of the game for garment workers in Bangladesh. A number of major companies have signed an accord on worker safety measures, including H&M, Marks & Spencer, Carrefour, Loblaws and Benetton. In agreeing to the binding programme of fire and building safety reforms based on independent inspections, worker-led health and safety committees and union access to factories, signatories commit to underwrite improvements in dangerous factories
and properly confront safety problems. But Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, has refused to sign on.
CAW member Joachim Victor Gomes and John Cartwright co-authored a letter in last week’s Star - "What do Bangladeshi workers deserve."
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and properly confront safety problems. But Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, has refused to sign on.
CAW member Joachim Victor Gomes and John Cartwright co-authored a letter in last week’s Star - "What do Bangladeshi workers deserve."
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MONTREAL SOLIDARITY, January 2013 Leaders of the Montreal and Toronto Labour Councils signed a Common Declaration of Solidarity mid-January in Montreal. A group from Toronto including President John Cartwright, Organizer Preethy Sivakumar and Steve Shallhorn of Labour Education went for three days of intense learning about the work of the Montreal Council, and Cartwright addressed their
Delegates meeting on January 15th. This builds on an ongoing exchange between the two Councils and the decision by our Labour Council to develop a greater understanding of Quebec labour’s unique role in our movement. To read the Declaration click here. To see the video of President John Cartwright click the link below http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJolYGedOcY To download the backgrounder on solidarity click here |
ONTARIO HEALTH COALITION
We are a non-partisan group committed to maintaining and enhancing our publicly-funded, publicly-administered health care system. For further information about Ontario Health Coalition and to find out how you can help please visit the website at www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca |