As these technologies become more deeply embedded in our workplaces and communities, it is critical that they are developed and deployed in ways that protect workers’ rights, address growing concerns about job security, and do not deepen existing inequalities, especially for women and marginalized workers.

We welcome the federal government’s proactive approach to this issue and look forward to working together to ensure AI protects rights, strengthens equity, and benefits all workers.

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The post Statement from CLC President, Bea Bruske, on the Federal Government’s AI strategy appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Solidarity as a labour movement looks like participating in Pride events from coast to coast to coast, as well as continuing to celebrate and stand with 2SLGBTQI+ communities in defence of their human rights at work and in our communities all throughout the year, “said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

2SLGBTQI+ communities continue to be disproportionately impacted by the affordability crisis facing workers and their families across Canada. This is due to several factors including persistent wage gaps, employment discrimination, housing instability, rising health care costs and barriers, and higher rates of poverty.

• In 2025, 46% of 2SLGBTQI+ individuals found it difficult or very difficult to meet financial needs, compared to 39% of non-2SLGBTQI+ individuals. In addition, research also shows that racialized 2SLGBTQI+ communities face even greater income gaps.
• A report from EGALE Canada revealed that 72% of Two Spirit, trans, and nonbinary workers report facing workplace discrimination; and nearly half have quit jobs due to lack of acceptance. From that same report, 74% of 2SLGBTQI+ people shared that they hid or minimized their identity during the job search process, fearing the consequences of widespread discrimination.
• Finally, a new report on harassment and violence at work from the CLC highlights that this issue continues to disproportionately affect 2SLGBTQI+ workers, with approximately a third (65%) of respondents reporting experiences of harassment and violence at work due to their sexual orientation, the most common form of harassment being sexual harassment (53%).

The reality of ongoing inequities facing 2SLGBTQI+ communities highlights the importance of continued advocacy on 2SLGBTQI+ rights both at work and in our communities.

“Supporting inclusive workplaces where everyone can feel safe and proud to be themselves benefits everyone. And when workplaces flourish, so do our communities, and our economy.” said Bruske.

Unions are an essential part of this equation.

• Unions push to end violence at work: We pushed for and won Canada’s ratification of ILO C-190 in 2023, for a world of work free of harassment and violence, including gender-based violence.
• Unions challenge discrimination: Union reps used the collective bargaining process to pioneer anti-discrimination clauses, anti- harassment policies, recognition of same sex spouses and 2SLGBTQI+ families in benefit and leave policies, as well as access to gender affirming care.
• Unions defending our democracy: We called out governments and conservative right-wing forces for attacking the human rights of 2SLGBTQI+ communities to distract us from their economic mismanagement by scapegoating the most vulnerable among us.
• Pride in our trade union movement: We will continue to loudly and proudly be led by and uplift 2SLGBTQI+ workers and fight for a safe, just and inclusive Canada.

“Whether it’s in the streets proudly representing our labour movement at marches and parades, defending workers at the bargaining table, and fighting for human rights in every decision-making space, we’ll be there.

Canada’s unions are unwavering in our commitment to celebrate and advocate for the rights 2SLGBTQI+ communities, with solidarity at the heart of our pride.” said Bruske.

—

You can show your solidarity this 2026 Pride season by taking the pledge to stand up for 2SLGBTQI+ workers’ rights with the CLC.

The post Pride in our solidarity: Canada’s unions celebrate 2SLGBTQI+ workers this 2026 Pride season appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Delegates at the CLC’s most recent convention reaffirmed our commitment to fight for justice for workers in all their diversity. This includes combatting inequities and barriers facing people with disabilities by advocating for barrier-free workplaces and creating pathways—alongside employers and governments—towards meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities across Canada,” said Bea Bruske, President of the CLC.

Against the backdrop of a worsening affordability crisis—which is leaving more than 1.5 million people with disabilities below the poverty line in Canada—approximately one third of people with disabilities who are actively looking for work are shut out of the labour force, with racialized people with disabilities in particular facing significantly higher rates of unemployment.

In addition, persistent discrimination and ableism in the workplace continue to impact the experiences of workers with disabilities. Twenty percent of workers with disabilities consider themselves overqualified for their positions, which is a form of underemployment, and one-third of workers with disabilities aged 25–64 do not ask for accommodations for fear of negative consequences.

The impacts are serious:

• The hourly wage gap between workers with and without disabilities widened from $1.91 in 2023 to $2.22 in 2024. 
• Workers with disabilities get fewer hours on average due to involuntary part-time work, which results in a weekly wage gap of $115.20, almost $6,000 per year.

Unions have a proven track record of success when it comes to employment outcomes and persons with disabilities. In fact, sectors with higher unionization rates also tend to have better rates of hiring and retention of workers with disabilities. For example, workers with disabilities have been more successfully employed in the federal public sector (with a unionization rate of 76%), compared to the private sector (with a unionization rate of only 34%).

Unions are also powerful partners in designing and implementing employment programs that target workers with disabilities.  

• Unions work to eliminate physical barriers that limit workplace accessibility.
• Unions negotiate health benefits and leaves that are often crucial to workers with disabilities and push to extend these benefits to all workers by lobbying for universal pharmacare, leaves, and other supports.
• Unions have negotiated, or arbitrated, the accommodation needs of individual workers when necessary.
• Finally, unions have lobbied for improvements to legislation, including workers’ compensation legislation, short- and long-term disability plans, and accessibility improvements in our workplaces and our union spaces.

“The trailblazing work of union-driven inclusion models in workplaces across Canada means that the blueprints for success and effective partnerships with worker organizations are already there. Unions are ready to work together to eliminate barriers to accessibility in the workplace and in our communities,” said Bruske.

This year, National AccessAbility Week will also coincide with the recently adopted Injured Workers Day in Ontario. Canada’s unions have always recognized that any worker can become a worker with a disability at any time during their employment life cycle. That’s why we continue to fight for strong workers’ compensation and vocational supports that meet the needs of workers injured on the job.

Addressing workplace culture by promoting inclusivity and accessibility through education, awareness raising and training initiatives, while ensuring adequate workplace accommodations are already in place, and working proactively together with employers, government, and worker organizations, means that we can all enjoy safer, healthier and more accessible workplaces.

—

Learn more about what unions are doing to promote safer, healthier and more accessible workplaces. Check out the Workplace Health and Safety resources available on the CLC’s website.

The post National AccessAbility Week: Canada’s unions committed to barrier-free workplaces appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

In a submission released today, the CLC says the government is pairing long-overdue worker protections with proposals that would further restrict bargaining and normalize government intervention in labour disputes.

“The government cannot offer workers overdue protections with one hand while taking away bargaining power with the other,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

The submission focuses heavily on the federal government’s repeated use of section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to end lawful strikes and lockouts and impose binding arbitration.

Since 2024, the federal government has used section 107 eight times. In the previous four decades, the provision had never been used this way.

According to the CLC, those interventions have changed bargaining in the federal sector by signalling to employers that the government will step in when economic pressure builds.

“The right to strike only matters if employers believe workers are actually allowed to use it,” said Bruske.

The CLC also rejects calls from employer groups for further restrictions on strikes and bargaining timelines.

“It is backwards to blame workers for economic disruption while giving employers a pass for the low wages, unsafe conditions, and failed bargaining that lead to strikes in the first place,” said Bruske.

The submission also calls for stronger protections against wage theft and misclassification, expedited grievance arbitration, successor rights, stronger health and safety protections, and safeguards around AI and workplace surveillance.

The CLC says the consultation process itself was rushed and overly broad, giving stakeholders only weeks to respond to more than 60 questions spanning collective bargaining, AI, labour standards, health and safety, and insolvency law.

Link to the Executive Summary here.

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The post CLC warns Labour Code review cannot weaken bargaining rights under guise of reform appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“This is a victory for workers everywhere,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “The world’s highest court has made it clear: workers do have the right to strike under international law. That clarity matters enormously for workers, unions, governments, and employers alike. And we’re proud of the role that CLC played in securing this decision.”

The Landmark ruling confirms that the right to strike is protected under International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize, ending a decades-long dispute over one of the most fundamental rights workers possess.

The Canadian Labour Congress helped advance the case before the ICJ by pushing for the referral of the dispute through the International Labour Organization, contributing the Canadian labour context to the international union submissions before the Court, and supporting the legal effort financially.

“The Stakes for workers around the world were enormous,” said Lily Chang, the CLC’s Secretary Treasurer and Governing Body Member of the International Labour Organization. “Workers cannot have meaningful freedom of association or collective bargaining without the right to strike, and this ruling makes that crystal clear.”

The ruling comes at a critical moment as workers in Canada face growing pressure on collective bargaining rights and job action.

In Alberta, Danielle Smith’s provincial government used the notwithstanding clause to override Charter-protected rights of striking teachers. Federally, the government has increasingly used section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to break legal strikes and weaken workers’ bargaining power. Unions in federally-regulated industries are warning that the government’s broad and rushed consultations on changes to the Labour Code could further restrict the ability of workers to take job action.

The CLC says the ICJ ruling should serve as a clear warning to governments considering changes to labour laws in Canada.

“This ruling must be a line in the sand,” said Bruske. “The Canadian Labour Code cannot become a tool to erode one of the most fundamental democratic rights workers possess. The right to strike must be protected, respected, and upheld.”

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The post Canada’s unions ready to fight to protect public health care in Alberta appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Delegates overwhelmingly adopted a strong resolution opposing legislation from Premier Smith’s government that would entrench two-tier health care in Alberta by allowing physicians to charge patients whatever they want for medically necessary services.

The resolution also opposes any attempt to introduce similar legislation elsewhere in Canada and calls on the Prime Minister and federal Health Minister to fully enforce the Canada Health Act.

Delegates from Alberta took to the convention floor to share firsthand stories about the growing crisis in their province and urged fellow activists from across the country to stand united against the privatization of health care, including Alberta’s Bills 11 and 29.

“When you think about what makes Canada different from the United States, our public universal health care is on top of that list,” said Bruske. “Canada’s unions will defend our health care from Americanization.”

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The post Canada’s unions ready to fight to protect public health care in Alberta appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Attacks on 2SLGBTQIA+ rights, and all human rights, have no place in just and democratic societies like ours,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “When Canada’s unions fight for dignity and respect in the workplace and in our communities, we fight for everyone. We will always relentlessly defend human rights as workers’ rights everywhere, on the job and in our communities.”

“The global IDAHOBIT 2026 theme recognizes the importance of justice for all as foundational to truly democratic societies.

In Canada, we’ve seen the impact to our democracy firsthand when conservative and right-wing politicians recklessly undermine the human rights of 2SLGBTQI+ people and other vulnerable communities in service of their anti-worker political agendas.

Most recently, governments in New Brunswick, Saskatchewan and Alberta have attempted to set a dangerous precedent of restricting human rights through the indiscriminate use of notwithstanding clause, the same provincial tactic used to force Albertan teachers back to work in the fall of 2025.

Using this loophole, these governments are shamefully pushing legislation they know violates the charter-protected human rights of 2SLGBTQI+ communities. They are deliberately using the human rights of their own constituents as scapegoats to try to divide communities. Unions are calling it out for what it is: a right-wing tactic designed to distract us from their economic mismanagement and the reality that while these policies do nothing to address the worsening affordability crisis, it is ultimately workers and their families, along with the most vulnerable amongst us, that are left to pay the price of deepening economic inequities.

“When we say an injury to one is an injury to all, that includes human rights,” said Bruske, “Canada’s unions are Workers United Against Hate, and we will proudly, loudly and boldly defend these principles—including 2SLGBTQI+ rights—as critical to the very foundation of our democracy.”

In response to rising global criminalization of 2SLGBTQI+ rights, freedoms and identities, and an emboldened anti-rights movement around the world, Canada’s unions also extend our advocacy agenda to the world stage. The CLC is proud to be united with our allies against hate and continues to lend our ongoing solidarity and support of 2SLGBTQI+ rights/SOGIE rights in international spaces like at the United Nations Commission for the Status of Women, and at the International Labour Organization.

“From coast, to coast, to coast, as well as across borders, our solidarity will never waver.” said Bruske.

—

Join us and take a stand with 2SLGBTQI+ workers. Sign the pledge now!

The post Canada’s unions stay committed to defend 2SLGBTQIA+ rights this IDAHOBIT 2026 appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

As workers face rising inequality, precarious work, and growing pressure from automation and artificial intelligence, delegates at the Canadian Labour Congress’ 31st Constitutional Convention adopted an ambitious action plan to strengthen labour rights, expand access to unions and collective bargaining, and build worker power. 

CLC President Bea Bruske said workers should not be expected to absorb the costs of economic instability and corporate-driven change on their own. 

“Canadian workers are being squeezed from every direction,” said  Bruske. “Donald Trump’s trade war is putting jobs and industries at risk. Austerity and cuts to public services are weakening the supports workers and families rely on. At the same time, employers are using automation, AI, and algorithms to increase insecurity and weaken protections on the job. Workers are standing together to fight back

“Winnipeg has a proud labour history. In 1919, workers took to the streets to demand fairness, dignity, and a better future. Today, we are once again raising our voices to demand an economy that works for people, not just corporations and billionaires.”

According to Bruske, a union card is a worker’s ticket to better pay, safer workplaces, respect and dignity, and security in uncertain times. 

“This action plan is about rebuilding worker power in every sector of the economy, in every region in Canada, and ensuring labour rights keep pace with the realities of modern work,” said Bruske.

The “We Build Worker Power” action plan calls for changes to federal and provincial labour and employment laws that raise workplace standards, improve access to unions and effective collective bargaining, and remove governments’ special powers to override workers’ constitutional rights. It also takes aim at the impacts of artificial intelligence while calling for fair scheduling laws, 10 paid days of medical leave for every worker in Canada, and greater protections from psychosocial workplace injuries. 

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For media inquiries, please contact: 
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The post Thousands of union activists rally to protect Canadian jobs, improve working conditions appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Delegates will first take to the streets for a rally and march at noon, in support of protecting workers and jobs in Canada. The march will start at the RBC Centre and end at Winnipeg’s Union Centre.

On this final day of business for this 31^st Constitutional Convention, delegates will undertake numerous discussions and debates centred around building worker power in Canada.

Other highlights include:

•           An engaging panel discussion on building worker power in Canada moderated by Nat Wilson from Point Blank, featuring Pablo Godoy (UFCW), Deepak Kuller (USW), Munib Sajjad (OSSTF) and Jeremy Salter (IATSE).

•           Live musical performances by Mariachi Ghost and House of Gold Diamonds.

WHAT:

Fourth day of the CLC Constitutional Convention

WHEN:

Thursday, May 14, 2026

WHERE:

RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg (375 York Avenue, Winnipeg, MB)

* Key moments will be livestreamed here: https://www.youtube.com/@canadianlabour/streams

Additional programming details are available here: https://canadianlabour.ca/buildcarefight/

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The post CLC Convention Wraps with Leadership Vote and Vision for Workers appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Fighting injustice, discrimination, and inequality is hardwired into the labour movement’s DNA. 

“This plan is about building a labour movement and a country grounded in justice, reconciliation, inclusion, and human dignity,” said Bea Bruske, President of the CLC.  “Our strength comes from standing together against those who seek to divide and undermine us. Solidarity is how we fight back and how we win.” 

The “We Fight For Justice” action plan calls for transformative changes to Canada’s Employment Equity Act, campaigns that champion pay equity, confront gender-based violence and discrimination, and a renewed commitment from unions to put the principle of “nothing about us without us” into practice and work in collaboration with groups directly impacted by discrimination and inequities.

“Until all of us have made it, none of us have made it.”

This famous phrase from the great Rosemary Brown rang truer than ever for the thousands of delegates in Winnipeg.   

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The post Canada’s unions take action against racism, hate and discrimination appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

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The post Canada’s unions demand a care economy built on dignity and respect appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Wednesday’s plenary discussions will centre around building up Canada’s care economy through strong investments in the country’s care systems, and on making the world of work and our communities more equitable for all by fighting injustice, discrimination and inequality.

Other highlights include:

•           CLC Humanitarian Award being presented posthumously to the late Honourable Murray Sinclair.

•           A featured panel discussion on the importance of a strong care economy in Canada, led by Executive Director of the Canadian Women’s Foundation, Mitzie Hunter.

WHAT:

Day three of the CLC Constitutional Convention

WHEN:

Wednesday, May 13, 2026

WHERE:

RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg (375 York Avenue, Winnipeg, MB)

* Key moments will be livestreamed here: https://www.youtube.com/@canadianlabour/streams

Additional programming details are available here: https://canadianlabour.ca/buildcarefight/

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CLC Media Relations    
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The post CLC Convention Day 3: Workers Tackle the Care Crisis and Inequality appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Today the 2,000+ delegates to the CLC Convention said “enough is enough” with the adoption of an ambitious action plan to raise living standards, take on corporate greed and excess, and restore dignity and economic security for working people.

CLC President Bea Bruske was clear: Canadians are not only facing an affordability crisis, they are also facing a dignity crisis.

“Workers are being squeezed from every direction while corporate profits soar, and we’ve had enough of it,” said Bruske. “The plan put forward today by Canada’s unions will lower costs, raise living standards, and make dignity and security realities for everyone.”

The “We Fight for Dignity” action plan is focused on shifting government priorities towards the everyday housing needs of people over profit-making corporations and landlords, towards an investment in high-quality and low-cost public services, strengthening Canada’s social safety net, and stronger regulation of corporate behaviour.

“From fair tax policy to rent controls, to laws that ban price-gouging and the use of algorithms that target people for discrimination, Canada’s unions are ready to fight for everyday affordability, corporate accountability, and to restore the economic equality of workers everywhere,” said Bruske.

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The post Canada’s Unions Take Aim at Corporate Greed and the Cost-of-Living Crisis at the 31st Constitutional Convention appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Canada cannot build a resilient economy by outsourcing jobs, relying on fragile supply chains, or leaving workers behind,” said Bea Bruske. “This plan is about building the infrastructure, industries, and skilled workforce Canada needs, and making sure workers share in the prosperity they create.”  

The action plan prioritizes nation-building investments in public infrastructure, transportation, energy systems, skills training, apprenticeships, and workforce development to ensure a skilled and job-ready workforce for the future.  

It also advances for a worker-centred approach to building a worker-centred strategy through investments in clean electricity generation, public transit, electrification, climate adaptation, and industrial decarbonization while protecting and creating good union jobs.  

Canada’s unions will continue to push governments to use public procurement, strategic investment, and industrial policy to strengthen domestic supply chains, raise workplace standards, expand opportunities for marginalized workers, and ensure major projects deliver lasting community benefits.  

The plan also calls for stronger Employment Insurance protections, greater support for apprenticeships and vocational education, and a worker-centred trade agenda that prioritizes domestic capacity, labour rights, and economic sovereignty.

“This plan is about nation-building,” said Bruske. “It is about building a stronger, more resilient Canada that delivers for workers and communities.”

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The post Canada’s unions rally behind ambitious blueprint for jobs,  nation building and economic resilience appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Les discussions plénières de mercredi porteront sur le renforcement de l’économie canadienne des soins, grâce à de solides investissements dans les systèmes de soins du pays, et sur le moyen de rendre le monde du travail et nos collectivités plus équitables pour tout le monde en luttant contre l’injustice, la discrimination et les inégalités.

Voici d’autres faits saillants :

• Prix humanitaire du CTC décerné à titre posthume à l’honorable Murray Sinclair.
• Panel de discussion sur l’importance d’une économie des soins vigoureuse au Canada, animé par la présidente et directrice générale de la Fondation canadienne des femmes, Mitzie Hunter.

QUOI :
Troisième journée de l’Assemblée générale du CTC

QUAND :
Le mercredi 13 mai 2026

OÙ :
Centre des congrès RBC (375, avenue York, Winnipeg, Manitoba)

*Les moments clés seront diffusés en direct ici : https://www.youtube.com/@canadianlabour/streams

Des détails supplémentaires sur la programmation sont disponibles ici : https://congresdutravail.ca/batirprendresoinlutter/

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The post Troisième jour de l’Assemblée générale du CTC : les travailleurs s’attaquent à la crise des soins et aux inégalités appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Highlights include:

•           Cultural performances by the Ivan Flett Memorial Dancers, Red River Dancers, and Leonard Sumner.

•           Remarks from Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew.

•           Debate on the CLC action plan “We Build the Future,” focused on creating good union jobs, public investment, industrial strategy, workforce development, and a worker-centred transition to a green economy.

•           Panel discussions and debate connected to the “We Fight for Dignity” action plan, addressing affordability, wages, housing, inequality, and expanding public services.

WHAT:

Day two of the CLC Constitutional Convention

WHEN:

Tuesday, May 12, 2026

WHERE:

RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg (375 York Avenue, Winnipeg, MB)

* Key moments will be livestreamed here: https://www.youtube.com/@canadianlabour/streams

Additional programming details are available here: https://canadianlabour.ca/buildcarefight/

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CLC Media Relations 
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The post Day 2 of CLC Convention Focuses on Good Jobs, Dignity and Building the Future appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

WINNIPEG, MB — Thousands of union activists, workers, and labour leaders from across the country will gather in Winnipeg Monday as the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) opens its Constitutional Convention. 

Opening day will feature ceremonies, cultural performances, international guests, and major discussions on the future of democracy, workers’ rights, and the economy. 

Highlights include: 

• Opening ceremonies featuring live music, honoured guests, and international labour delegates. 

• A featured panel discussion on fighting for democracy in Canada and globally featuring CLC President Bea Bruske, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, and IndustriAll Europe General Secretary Judith Kirton-Darling. 

• Remarks from Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi. 

• Debate on resolutions and action plans focused on democracy, worker power, economic justice, and public services. 

WHAT:
Opening day of the CLC Constitutional Convention 

WHEN:
Monday, May 11, 2026 

WHERE:
RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg (375 York Avenue, Winnipeg, MB)
* Key moments will be livestreamed here: https://www.youtube.com/@canadianlabour/streams 

Additional programming details are available here: https://canadianlabour.ca/buildcarefight/ 

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For media inquiries, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca  

The post CLC Convention Opens Monday as Thousands of Workers Gather in Winnipeg appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The action plan recognizes that growing insecurity, declining trust in institutions and frustration with politics have created fertile ground for anti-democratic and extremist movements. The plan argues that strengthening economic security, fighting inequality, and expanding democratic participation are essential to building a healthy, inclusive, and resilient democracy. 

“When workers feel ignored, insecure, and shut out of political and economic 
decision-making, extremism fills the vacuum,” said Bea Bruske. “This plan is about rebuilding democratic participation from the ground up by strengthening workers’ voices, raising living standards, and ensuring ordinary people have real power in shaping Canada’s future.” 

The action plan commits Canada’s unions to advancing a good jobs strategy at the core of a broader democratic agenda to combat growing disaffection with politics and the rise of extremist political activity. It champions worker-centred economics, an affordability agenda, and steadily rising working-class living standards. 

Canada’s unions will continue to demand tax fairness, and expand public investment, including investment in public services, and concrete measures to reduce inequality and insecurity as part of a broader effort to address political frustration and alienation. 

The action plan also commits the labour movement to revitalizing democratic participation and accountability through greater transparency, civic engagement, and political participation and representation. 

Delegates are further committed to intensifying efforts to organize and mobilize workers politically, defend collective bargaining and the right to strike.  

The plan calls for stronger protections for human and labour rights in global supply chains, worker-centred trade policies, and continued solidarity with workers and social movements fighting for democracy, equality, and human rights around the world. 

“Democracy cannot survive when working people are left behind,” said Bruske. “Canada’s unions are committed to building a country where workers have security, dignity, and a real voice in shaping the future.” 

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The post Canada’s unions adopt action plan to fight extremism and rebuild democracy appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The Westray Disaster – like all workplace fatalities – was preventable.

More than three decades later, much remains the same. Far too many negligent employers are not held accountable for when workers are killed or seriously injured on the job.

In 2004, the Westray amendments were passed into law, establishing criminal liability for organizations – including corporations – for negligence of their fundamental duty to ensure the health and safety of workers.

 “In 2024 – the last year for which there is updated data – there were 1042 accepted fatality claims made to workers’ compensation boards, but over 20 years, there have been only 29 Westray charges. The enforcement of the Westray Law is so weak, it’s inexcusable,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Police, prosecutors, and regulators need training in the Westray Law so it is applied, and accountability reaches the senior leadership whose decisions or lack of decisions can put workers and the public at risk, so the law is the deterrent it is intended to be.”

The Canadian Labour Congress is calling for a coordinated, whole-of-government approach, involving federal, provincial, and territorial governments to ensure:

• Mandatory training for police and health and safety regulators on the proper application of the Westray amendments;
• The implementation of mandatory procedures and a national protocol based in sociotechnical science in every jurisdiction for police, Crown prosecutors, and health and safety regulators in investigating how senior executive decisions, organizational systems, and workplace conditions contribute to foreseeable and preventable workplace deaths and injuries.

“Having over 1000 workers a year die on the job is not normal – it’s a disgrace,” concludes Bruske. “Negligent employers will not change their behaviour until the Westray Law is fully enforced which requires mandatory training and protocols to make this happen. Workers, their families, and their communities deserve no less.”

The post Bruske: Mandatory Training and Stronger Enforcement Needed to Uphold the Westray Law appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Held under the theme “Canada’s Unions: We Build, We Care, We Fight,” this year’s Convention will take place over several days, bringing delegates together to debate resolutions on the issues that matter most to workers. They will vote on key policy priorities, help shape the direction of the movement for the years ahead.

Discussions throughout the week will focus on the most pressing challenges facing workers today, including protecting good jobs, tackling the housing and health care crises, addressing affordability, advancing climate action, strengthening the care economy, and defending democracy and workers’ rights.

The Convention will also feature a strong lineup of guest speakers and panelists and international guests.

What:           CLC 31^st Constitutional Convention
When:          May 11–15, 2026
Where:         RBC Convention Centre, Winnipeg

*Some key moments will be livestreamed here.

A full agenda is available at: https://canadianlabour.ca/buildcarefight/

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The post Canada’s unions gather in Winnipeg to set workers’ agenda in uncertain times — The CLC’s 31st constitutional convention appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

As we mark May Day across the country, we also acknowledge that Canadian workers face considerable challenges. Our country’s industrial backbone is under threat, and the weight of dire economic times inevitably lands on working people and their families.

On the occasion of May Day, we state proudly that we will continue to work together to protect Canadian jobs and to secure a prosperous future, through worker-centered industrial strategies and a robust Canadian economy that can support Canadian workers for years to come. We will continue to vigorously defend important rights fought for and won by workers, including the right to collectively bargain and the right to strike.

The choices made by governments at all levels in the coming year will shape whether Canada remains a country that builds and produces or one that surrenders its industrial core. This May Day, we recommit ourselves to the fight for a future where every worker has a good union job, a safe workplace, and a seat at the table.

In solidarity,

Lana Payne
Unifor

Bea Bruske
Canadian Labour Congress

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“Workers need bold action that lowers costs, protects jobs and strengthens the public services families rely on,” said Bea Bruske, President of the CLC. “Canada’s unions welcome the positive steps announced today and will work hard to get real results for working people.”

In particular, the Canadian Labour Congress welcomes the major investments made in the development of new skilled trade workers in Canada. “This is a smart investment in the future of our country,” said Bruske. “At the same time, we need to see the government invest in building physical and social infrastructure so these skilled workers can be put to work in good, unionized jobs.” 

The CLC also welcomes the extension of special measures on Employment Insurance, providing up to five additional weeks for eligible workers, including extra support for seasonal workers. The government must build on these temporary measures with significant and permanent updates unions have been calling for.  

One area of concern for Canada’s unions is signals pointing toward increased privatization of Canada’s airports. Public infrastructure must remain in public hands. Privatization risks higher costs, weaker accountability and puts good union jobs at risk.

With an improved fiscal outlook in the government’s Spring Economic Update, the CLC is once again calling on the government to pause and reverse its planned cuts to public service jobs and invest in improving services to Canadians. 

“At a time when we’re experiencing job losses due to the Trump trade war, we should not be adding to the ranks of the jobless through cuts, or reducing the services that Canadians rely on,” said Bruske. “Without real investment in the care economy, wages, staffing, and public delivery, inequality will continue to grow.”

Bruske stressed that any new economic strategy must put workers at its centre by:

• Protecting and creating good union jobs in every sector; 
• Supporting workers facing layoffs and economic disruption; 
• Investing in strong, accessible public services, including the care economy and housing; and
• Taking on corporate practices that are driving up costs for working families. 

“Workers built this country and they will build what comes next,” added Bruske. “We are ready to work with government in meeting the significant economic challenges that the country is facing.”

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On April 28—the National Day of Mourning—workers across Canada come together to remember those killed, injured or made ill from incidents in the world of work, and to recommit to fighting for all workers’ safety and wellbeing. This year, we are shining a light on the growing toll of workplace stress, burnout, and psychological injuries, and honouring those we have lost by suicide and other means, including workers whose lives were taken by work-related psychological harm. In Canada, psychological health and illness are now the number one cause of disability.

“Workers are already bearing the weight of the ongoing affordability crisis, a trade war that no one asked for and mounting geopolitical instability. The news cycle reminds us daily of the pressure workers are feeling: rent is unaffordable, groceries cost too much, public services are stretched thin, and job security is increasingly fragile,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Going to work should not add significant stress to workers’ lives, and yet almost half of workers report that their job is the most stressful part of their day. This is completely unacceptable. This is not about individual resilience; it is about workplace conditions and the fundamental responsibility of employers to ensure the health and safety of workers.”

The reality facing workers is urgent. Indeed, nearly half of workers say their job is the most stressful part of their day. In 2023 alone, more than 8,500 workplace mental health injury claims were accepted by compensation boards, but the true number is far higher, as many cases go unreported.

The most affected sectors include health care, education, public services, and the skilled trades: sectors where workers are under increasing pressure due to understaffing, high workloads, and exposure to violence and harassment.

“Every worker in Canada has the right to safe work—both physically and psychologically,” said Bruske. “We know how to control physical hazards in the workplace. We must treat psychosocial hazards with the same seriousness as any other workplace hazard; no different than working at heights or exposure to toxic substances. Every workplace should have a plan to identify risks, prevent harm, and protect workers’ psychological health and safety.”

Psychological health and safety is already recognized in law across Canada, and Canada has ratified ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment at work. Canada’s unions are calling on all levels of government to act: to treat psychological health with the same urgency as physical health in occupational health and safety and workers’ compensation systems; to implement a national approach to preventing psychosocial hazards based on CSA Z1003; to require proactive risk assessments and prevention plans; and to ensure strong enforcement through inspections.

“Workers are being asked to carry more and more, while supports fall behind,” said Bruske. “Work should not make people sick. No one should have to sacrifice their mental health to earn a living. Employers have a responsibility to make work safe, for both body and mind.”

The post Day of Mourning: Psychological health and safety is a workplace crisis we can’t ignore appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The collapse was due to a failure in the building structure, which did not meet safety codes and expanded without a permit. The day before the collapse, workers observed large cracks in the walls and pillars of the building. Despite warnings and evidence of structural failure, workers were pressured, threatened with wage cuts, or forced by management to enter the building. 

The search for survivors lasted for 19 days with a confirmed death toll of 1,134 and 2,500 injured. It is considered one of the most lethal structural failures in modern history and is the deadliest industrial accident in Bangladesh. 

Three weeks after the collapse, the Bangladesh Accord for Building and Fire Safety was created by more than 200 global brands and trade unions to ensure safety in Bangladesh’s garment industry through mandatory, independent inspections, repairs of more than 1,500 factories. 

In 2021, the agreement expanded to cover Pakistan with the formation of the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry, a legally binding agreement on building and fire safety between 140 brands, South Asian garment unions, and the global trade union federations IndustriALL and UNI Global Union. 

Workers and unions are supporting the renewal of the global accord to 2029 and are calling to expand its reach further to include garment workers in the MENA region, a rapidly growing manufacturing hub. Garment workers in the MENA region experience violations including wage theft, gender-based violence, unsafe working conditions, and restricted freedom of association. 

Workers are also calling to expand the Accord’s coverage beyond the garment sector to include furniture and informal sectors. 

Thirteen years after Rana Plaza, health and safety conditions in Bangladesh factories remain a top concern, as evidenced by the devastating fire on April 4 at a gas lighter factory near Dhaka that killed 5 workers. 

In November 2025, Bangladesh became the first Asian country to ratify all 11 ILO fundamental instruments. Workers and unions are calling for the implementation of these standards, in particular the core conventions on health and safety C187, C155, as well as C121, the Employment and Injury Benefits Convention and C190, the Violence and Harassment Convention. 

Trade unions are also waiting to see if anticipated labour reform will address and improve issues of inspections, minimum wages, freedom of association and the registration of trade unions. 

Canada’s unions mark this sad anniversary with the commitment to continue working to improve worker rights and to call on the government of Canada to create mandatory due diligence legislation to ensure Canadian companies uphold worker rights in their supply chains. 

We stand in solidarity with Bangladesh workers and trade unions in marking this solemn day.

The post Rana Plaza: 13 years on—remembering the workers, renewing the fight for safety  appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“From green steel to clean electricity, workers are leading the charge to a more sustainable planet,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress and member of the Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council. “Sustainable jobs are the way of the future, and workers, their communities and all Canadians are looking for leadership at all levels of government. Only when workers are at the centre of decisions can we ensure success for all generations.”

The hazards posed by climate change, including heat stress and extreme weather events are impossible to ignore, thereby underscoring the urgency of collective action to meet the moment.

“From union-led training to worker-centred industrial strategies that meet the needs of all sectors of the economy, to ensuring workers are safe from climate-related hazards, workers demand a future that works – they deserve nothing less,” concluded Bruske.

The post Earth Day 2026: Workers Power Solutions for Our Planet appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Workers have always understood that an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. Canada’s unions are proud to be allied with the trans and gender diverse communities bravely facing down attempts from conservative and alt-right politicians trying to distract from their economic mismanagement by scapegoating the most vulnerable among us,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

In Canada and around the world, there is a growing backlash against human rights, with the most relentless forms of harassment and violence directed at trans and gender diverse people. From 2016 to 2023, Statistics Canada reports that police-reported hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation had increased by a staggering almost 400%.

More recently, governments in Saskatchewan and Alberta have taken aim at the fundamental rights of queer and trans youth by denying them access to education, health care, and other protected human rights. These governments admitted that their use of the notwithstanding clause violated people’s basic rights and freedoms. That didn’t stop the Alberta government from using the same clause to violate teachers’ protected bargaining rights. Trans and gender diverse people were the first targets, but they won’t be the last. 

“Conservative right-wing forces, supported by uber-wealthy oligarchs, want hard-working Canadians to turn on each other. They help fuel the ongoing affordability crisis, keeping workers, families, and entire communities in a constant state of struggle. Meanwhile, the politicians they control push anti-human rights agendas to keep everyone distracted and divided,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the CLC. “Well, this TDOV, we’ve got news for them: Canada’s unions remain united against hate and, more determined than ever, will continue the fight for a society that supports dignity, human rights and equal opportunities for all Canadians.”

Workers are taking action every day to build, sustain and defend a progressive and united vision for our unions, workplaces, and communities.  

• Canada’s unions are part of global human rights advocacy efforts for more inclusive and representative language on gender rights and gender justice in bilateral and multilateral agreements that affirm, protect, and dignify the human rights of all working people;
• The CLC is proud to be united with 2SLGBTQIA+ rights organizations across Canada, like the Society of Queer Momentum, EGALE Canada and the Enchante Network, working together on our collective and solidarity-driven vision of an inclusive Canada for every worker and their family; and
• Union representatives are fighting—and winning—provisions at the bargaining table that affirm access to gender affirming health care services, workplace transition supports and anti-violence, harassment, and discrimination policies that make work safer for everyone.

“On Trans Day of Visibility 2026, Canada’s unions are proudly proclaiming that our movement is one of Workers United Against Hate. Together with our allies, we will push back on any anti-worker agenda that seeks to politically divide us, and we will win,” said Rousseau.

The post Canada’s unions stand in support and solidarity with trans and gender-diverse people appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Workers need immediate, tangible, practical solutions that protect their jobs and make their lives more affordable.

We are in a jobs crisis, losing private sector jobs to the Trump trade war and public sector jobs to government cuts. We agreed that the NDP must fight for jobs in every sector of the economy. The party of workers must be the party of good jobs.

We met at Salisbury House in Elmwood-Transcona, a working-class riding the NDP lost to the Conservatives last year. We talked about what it will take to rebuild trust with communities like this. It was a great discussion, and I look forward to seeing him in action.

The post Statement from CLC President, Bea Bruske, on new NDP leader Avi Lewis appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Alongside other laws that advance real equality in the workplace—including human rights, pay equity and accessibility legislation, as well as collective bargaining protections—the EEA is a vital tool for workers facing entrenched, systemic barriers to employment. At its core, employment equity is about ensuring workers have fair and equal access to good, stable jobs—also known as decent work.

In 2023, after extensive consultations with workers, unions, employers, and other stakeholders, the federal government’s Employment Equity Review Task Force released a landmark report with 187 recommendations to modernize and strengthen the Act. These recommendations outline concrete steps to tackle systemic discrimination in hiring, promotion, and retention practices, and provide strong enforcement and compliance measures to hold employers accountable.

Following the report’s release, the previous Liberal government announced initial commitments to modernize the Act. These included creating two new designated groups under the EEA: Black and 2SLGBTQI+ workers; replacing the term “Aboriginal Peoples” with “Indigenous Peoples,” and updating the definition to include First Nations, Métis and Inuit people, and ensuring it is consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act; replacing the term “visible minorities” with “racialized people” and updating the corresponding definition; and, aligning the definition of “persons with disabilities” with the Accessible Canada Act to make it more inclusive.

But three years later, workers are still waiting.

The government’s failure to act means that workers from designated groups—who already face significant equity challenges—continue to be held back by outdated legislation and systemic discrimination. The Task Force report provides a clear roadmap for change, and at a time of deepening inequality, implementing its recommendations is more urgent than ever. Modernizing the Employment Equity Act is an opportunity for the federal government to take meaningful steps toward dismantling barriers faced by the many workers covered by the Act.

Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to fully implement the comprehensive recommendations made by the Task Force and quickly introduce an updated Act. This must also include sufficient funding to support employers in implementing the Act and the resources necessary for the Canadian Human Rights Commission to carry out enforcement and ensure compliance and effective evaluation.

“No more waiting. A strengthened Act that reflects the current realities of Canada’s workforce and labour market is a critical tool for overcoming workplace barriers faced by workers from the existing designated equity groups, as well as those from the proposed new ones,” said Larry Rousseau, CLC Executive Vice-President.” While the EEA alone cannot eliminate systemic discrimination and racism in the workplace and labour market, it is of a broader framework of laws designed to advance fairness and inclusion. When strengthened and properly enforced, it can help correct systemic injustices and ensure that workers who have been historically excluded from opportunity are fully represented in Canada’s workforce.

The post No More Waiting: Canada’s Unions Demand Action to Modernize the Employment Equity Act appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

There is no domestic supply shock in Canada. The cost of refining gasoline here has not suddenly increased. Yet prices at the pump are rising exponentially, and workers are paying the price.

We’ve seen this before. After the invasion of Ukraine, global oil giants posted record profits, nearly $1 trillion worldwide in 2022, while families struggled with rising costs.

When global instability drives up fuel and transportation costs, it doesn’t just show up at the gas pump. It raises the cost of groceries, heating, and everyday essentials. And it’s working families who are feeling it most.

The federal government may not control global oil markets, but it must act decisively to protect Canadians from the worst impacts with timely relief.

Canada’s unions are calling for three immediate steps that would make a real difference:

1. Expand supports targeted at working-class Canadians, including the Canada Workers Benefit and grocery-related affordability measures.
2. Introduce a ‘fuel rebate’ to help consumers cope with rising energy costs. Relief should be targeted, timely, and focused on those who need it most. 
3. Summon the CEOs of Canada’s largest oil companies to Ottawa to explain how they are going to hold down gasoline prices at the pump. Canadians deserve transparency and accountability on pricing, especially at a time when many corporations continue to make record profits.

While provinces have primary jurisdiction over regulating gasoline and heating prices outside of national emergencies, that cannot be an excuse for inaction. All levels of government must work together to protect Canadians from rising costs.

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The post Canada’s unions call for immediate action as global oil shock drives up costs for Canadians appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

However, the plan does not yet reflect the forward-looking vision required by legislation. As a vision achieved through genuine collaboration and meaningful engagement, it’s imperative for the government to provide greater clarity on how it intends to implement the priorities outlined, and on how it plans to work with the Council.

In particular, the Council welcomes further detail on how the government plans to support the creation and protection of sustainable jobs across Canada, how workers and their communities will be supported as the economy continues to change, and what substantive role the Council will play in advancing this work going forward.

For this effort to succeed, the Council and Canadian stakeholders must have an active and ongoing role in both implementation of the plan and in ensuring that workers’ concerns are fully addressed.

The Council is proud of its first annual report and the 32 recommendations it contains. Those recommendations were shaped directly by workers, their families and their communities affected by the transition, including workers at CAMI plant, whom the Council met with on the day the plant closed. We were disappointed not to see those recommendations reflected in the current plan. Workers showed up. The Council showed up. We encourage the government to do the same.

We will continue to advocate for the implementation of those recommendations, but advocacy without a genuine seat at the table has its limits. Ongoing engagement with the Council and meaningful social dialogue must be central to the development and implementation of Canada’s sustainable jobs plan. This means policies that drive economic growth, create demand for sustainable jobs, protect workers and communities through decarbonization and economic transformation, and support workers through accredited upskilling and reskilling, underpinned by strong social protections and an unwavering focus on good quality, skilled jobs.

The Council will continue its work on the development of recommendations and their implementation into an ambitious and effective sustainable jobs plan.

About the Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council

The Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council is an advisory body to the federal government established to consult with Canadians and provide guidance on the creation and protection of sustainable jobs across Canada as the economy transitions.

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To arrange an interview, please contact:

Michelle Llambias Meunier
Co-Chair
asdesroches@cpq.qc.ca

Lionel Railton
Co-Chair
lionel.railton@icloud.com

CLC Media Relations
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In this series, we are exploring key challenges facing working people – from the fights unions are leading today, to global trends affecting workers, to what the future holds for the labour movement. Each session will feature CLC experts and leaders sharing insights and analysis on the issues that matter most to workers.

Webinar #2: Addressing the Housing Crisis

In this webinar, we’ll be joined by Lisa Freeman, Senior Researcher with the CLC’s Social and Economic Policy Department and our in-house expert housing, and Michèle Biss, Executive Director of the National Right to Housing Network. Together, we’ll be chatting about:

• The housing crisis and how the federal government is addressing it.
• A closer look at Build Canada Homes and the National Housing Strategy.

Tuesday, March 31, 2026
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET

This webinar will be delivered in English, with simultaneous interpretation in French.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1FVmpV0ZTZeCZZ7WDoUHzg

We hosted our first webinar in this series in January, where we discussed Retirement Security. If you missed it, you can find the recording here with English captions, and here with French subtitles.

The post The next webinar in our series: Addressing the Housing Crisis appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

It’s time for action on the real economic challenges impacting workers and their families from coast to coast to coast.

“Gender equality is not a side issue; it is central to Canada’s economic security. A resilient care economy, strong public services, and decent union jobs are strategic assets that strengthen communities and industries alike,” said Bea Bruske, President of the CLC.  “Workers want politicians who will stand up for them. The Carney government needs to fight for workers, not side with big business.”

Right now, working women are being squeezed from every direction. Food prices are up, rent and mortgages are rising, child care spaces are still hard to come by in many communities, and public health care is strained. In 2025, 40% of women reported it was difficult or very difficult to meet financial needs.

The impacts of the affordability crisis are especially severe for Indigenous, Black, racialized, newcomer, young, 2SLGBTQI+ women, and women with disabilities. These workers are overrepresented in low-wage, precarious, and care-sector jobs, the very sectors most vulnerable to cuts, privatization, and underfunding.

But when governments tighten budgets, it is women who absorb the impact: through unpaid care, reduced hours, lost services, and increased exposure to violence. Economic downturns do not affect everyone equally: research shows that periods of instability are linked to increases in domestic and gender-based violence. When wages stagnate and services are cut, women and gender diverse people’s safety and independence are put at risk.

Unfortunately, this government’s response to the trade war has largely focused on tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy and corporate handouts. As we know, siding with big corporations will only deepen gender inequities and economic disparities.

“No trade deal is better than a bad deal, especially one that fails to centre workers, jobs, communities and Canadian industries,” said Bruske. “Investments in women’s economic justice are critical to strengthening Canada’s economic security.”

This means concrete action: enforcing pay equity, eliminating gender-based violence in the world of work, and making sustained investments in Canada’s care economy at the scale to meet the moment and end the workforce crisis. 

“Women and gender diverse workers are leading the fight for gender justice at work and decent, safe jobs in every sector of Canada’s economy,” said Siobhán Vipond, Executive Vice President of the CLC. “Through our unions, at the bargaining table and in government, we’re pushing for stronger protections and better policies to make our voices heard.”

For decades, unionized women have led the push to make gender justice a core labour priority by fighting for pharmacare, affordable child care, pay equity, gun control, expanded parental leave, and paid domestic violence leave.  

“When we rise up together, we make real change. Women won’t accept the status quo. We’re fighting for a more feminist and equitable future for our workplaces, communities, and our economy,” adds Vipond. 

This IWD, union women and gender diverse workers are Rising Up from coast to coast to coast, and demanding leadership from our federal government on the issues that matter to workers and their families:  

• Fighting back on indiscriminate tariffs that put Canadian jobs and communities at risk.
• Implementing the National Action Plan on Gender Based Violence, including the elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work.
• Ending the workforce crisis in the care economy by ensuring the new Care Economy Workforce Alliance delivers concrete improvements to wages and working conditions across care sectors, as well as recommendations to meaningfully invest in both paid and unpaid care sectors. 

The post Rising Up for women’s economic justice appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

By Siobhán Vipond, Executive Vice-President, Canadian Labour Congress and Mitzie Hunter, President and CEO, Canadian Women’s Foundation 

With global trade in turmoil and economic instability reshaping the world, the Carney government has promised strategic support for key sectors to strengthen Canada’s economy. Without bold, sustained investment in the care economy, those efforts will fall short. 

The inclusion of the care economy in the recently announced Workforce Alliances is a step forward. Still, past decisions like the lapse of the Sectoral Table on the Care Economy—on which we had been tapped to serve—gaps in the latest federal budget, and allowing progress toward national $10-a-day child care to stall, raise serious concerns. 

Any funding directed toward the care economy must be recognized and treated as what it is: an investment in a powerful economic engine, and a foundation that supports every other strategic sector. 

Care work, performed primarily by women, and disproportionately by Indigenous, racialized, immigrant, and migrant women, is what allows the rest of our economy to function and thrive. Without child care, parents can’t work. Without long-term care and home care, families are pushed out of the workforce. Without nurses, teachers, personal support workers, and early childhood educators and assistants, there is no productivity, no innovation, and no economic growth. 

That is why Canada needs a comprehensive federal strategy to support and invest in the care economy.

Paid care jobs generate at least 13% of Canada’s GDP and account for 22% of all jobs. Unpaid care work, such as caring for children, aging parents, or people with disabilities, is worth up to $860 billion, or roughly 37% of Canada’s GDP. That is more than the combined contribution of manufacturing, wholesale, and retail. 

As Canada’s population ages and care needs grow, the care economy is projected to become one of the country’s largest drivers of economic growth and job creation. 

Investments in care deliver real economic gains. Studies show that Québec’s child care system, the most supportive in Canada, generates $1.75 in provincial and federal tax revenue for every dollar invested. That is clear proof of a successful public program.   

Prime Minister Carney has spoken about strengthening Canada’s economy through investment. An effective strategy must recognize that people are our most important asset. That means universal access to affordable, high-quality public and not-for-profit care services so people can work, learn, and live in dignity. It means good jobs with safe working conditions. And it means recognizing care workers—paid and unpaid—as essential to Canada’s economic resilience. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, care workers were hailed as heroes while enduring burnout, chronic understaffing, and the deadly consequences of years of austerity and privatization. Many left the sector. Some became seriously ill. Some lost their lives. We cannot forget these consequences, nor can we move forward without addressing their root causes. 

Six years later, demand for care continues to rise, while workforce shortages deepen. Women continue to bear the burden, scaling back paid work, turning down promotions, or leaving the workforce altogether to fill gaps in child care, elder care, and disability supports. 

Now is the time for ambitious, nation-building conversations about the care economy as a foundation for how Canada can weather the multiple economic crises at our doorstep, including the uncertainty created by a rapidly shifting global economic order. 

Canada’s unions and women’s rights organizations are ready and willing to partner with this government to strengthen Canada’s economic resilience and independence through a visionary, world-class care investment strategy. 

To arrive there, Canada needs a Care Economy Commission: a coordinated, cross-sector initiative mandated to develop concrete recommendations to grow the care economy sustainably, ensure decent and dignified jobs with livable wages across all care sectors, strengthen protections and fairness for caregivers, and guarantee access to care for everyone in Canada. 

If this government truly intends to fortify Canada’s economic sovereignty, it must begin where real economic strength starts: with care. 

Women’s economic justice and Canada’s economic security—two sides of the same coin—depend on it. 

The post The Care Economy Is Canada’s Untapped Economic Superpower appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

 The CLC is deeply concerned by and strongly condemns the escalating cycle of violence launched by the United States and Israel against Iran and by Iran’s retaliatory strikes across the region. Continued hostilities will only deepen instability and insecurity across the Middle East and will not bring peace or democracy to the region.

The actions taken by the United States and Israel reflect a frightening and reckless pattern of relying on unilateral military force and coercive measures to exert political influence – a pattern we have seen in places such as Venezuela and Ukraine. Our position is clear: the United States and Israel are violating international law by committing the crime of aggression against a sovereign state. The UN Charter explicitly prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. International law must be respected.

Regime change cannot be imposed by force, and the people of Iran have the right to determine their own future, free from external aggression and internal repression. The right to self-determination is universal.

We welcome Prime Minister Carney’s clarification of his position regarding the US and Israel’s aggression against Iran and support his call for a “rapid de-escalation of hostilities” in the region. Canada must stand firmly on the side of international law, diplomacy, and respect for the sovereignty of nations. We call for an urgent return to diplomacy and peaceful negotiations in the Middle East, including:

• An immediate ceasefire and full de-escalation by all parties;

• Strict respect for international law and the UN Charter;
• A renewed commitment to nuclear disarmament and regional security arrangements based on dialogue; and
• Full respect for freedom of expression, freedom of association, and democratic rights across the region.

In times of war and uncertainty, the labour movement’s role is clear: to stand with working people, to defend international solidarity, and to insist that peace, justice, and democracy cannot be built through violence.

The post Statement from Bea Bruske: Canada’s unions call for de-escalation and diplomacy in Iran appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The U.S. declaration of Cuba as an “Unusual and Extraordinary Threat to the Security of the U.S.” and the imposition of a fuel blockade are bullying tactics that violate the UN Charter and the rights of Cuba to national sovereignty and self-determination.

Victim of the decades-long economic sanctions by the United States, Cuba now faces extensive hardship under Trump’s fuel blockade. Prior to the U.S. takeover, Venezuela provided a significant portion of Cuba’s fuel needs. That source has been cut off, and the U.S. further threatens to sanction any country that provides fuel to Cuba. The consequences are severe. The country’s health and hospitals, electricity generation, sanitation and water systems, transportation, and food production and distribution are all impacted.

“Trump’s action to impose collective punishment against the people of Cuba is cruel and inhumane and a violation of basic human decency,” says CLC President Bea Bruske.

The CLC calls on the Government of Canada to stand with Cuba and defend the Cuban people’s rights to sovereignty and self-determination.

We call on the Government of Canada to vigorously denounce U.S. aggression and defend the principles of international law. The U.S. must remove the fuel blockade and end the economic embargo against Cuba.

We further demand that the Government of Canada act swiftly to provide immediate humanitarian aid to the people of Cuba.

The CLC is a member of the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas, please see their statement, Urgent Solidarity with the Cuban People.

The post Solidarity with Cuba appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

With more than 240 organizations and 370 business and industry delegates participating in the Team Canada Trade Mission to Mexico, labour was not meaningfully included in shaping Canada’s trade strategy with Mexico, even as workers face significant economic instability and restructuring.

“Trade deals shape jobs, industries, public services and entire communities. Workers must have a seat at the table for any trade missions and negotiations to be truly meaningful,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Any trade strategy or deal Canada makes must benefit workers and support long-term growth through a worker-centred economic strategy. Trade must be a tool to build Canadian industry and good jobs, not an end in itself.”

Bruske added: “If a trade deal doesn’t put workers and Canadian jobs first, we are better off without it.”

Unions are calling on the federal government to anchor Canada’s trade approach in three core principles.

First, trade must be worker-centred and enforceable. Canada must insist on strong labour chapters with real penalties, including robust health and safety protections, safeguards for women and migrant workers, and clear measures to address gender-based violence at work. Labour standards cannot be symbolic: they must be enforceable and backed by real penalties.

Second, Canada must preserve its policy and regulatory space. Trade negotiations must strengthen—not restrict—our ability to build domestic manufacturing, expand value-added production, tax multinational corporations fairly, regulate artificial intelligence in the public interest, meet climate commitments, and expand public services.

“Government investments must come with clear conditions: good union jobs, community benefits, Buy Canadian procurement policies, and guarantees that jobs stay in Canada,” said Bruske. “Canada must not trade away economic sovereignty for market access.”

Third, public services must be protected. Trade agreements cannot undermine public health care, child care, housing, transit, clean energy, or employment insurance. Strong public services are strategic assets that help communities weather economic uncertainty.

As Canada and Mexico deepen economic integration across advanced manufacturing, clean energy, critical minerals and AI, any partnership must benefit all workers in Canada and Mexico, not just corporations.

“Canada’s workers built this country’s prosperity. They expect their government to advance worker-centred, worker-first trade, and labour must be at the table,” said Bruske.

The post Statement from Bea Bruske: Canada’s unions must be at the table in trade talks appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Public country-by-country reporting would require large multinational corporations to publicly disclose where they generate profits, where they employ workers, and how much tax they pay, using data companies already submit privately to tax authorities.

Despite collecting this information, Canada keeps it out of public view, unlike in the European Union and Australia. As a result, $22–25 billion in corporate profits are shifted out of Canada every year with little scrutiny, weakening workers’ bargaining power and draining revenue needed for public services and infrastructure.

WHAT:             Comment on unions’ demands for greater corporate tax transparency

WHEN:             By arrangement

WHO:               DT Cochrane, senior economist at the Canadian Labour Congress 

QUOTE:

“We were told cutting corporate taxes would lead to more investment and better jobs. Instead, corporations shifted profits into tax havens and paid out shareholders, while working families were left behind. Public country-by-country reporting would shed light on how corporations avoid taxes. The data already exists, other countries have acted, and it’s a no-brainer for Canada to follow suit.” —DT Cochrane

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To arrange an interview with DT Cochrane, please contact:  
CLC Media Relations  
media@clcctc.ca  
613-526-7426

The post Unions Call for Corporate Tax Transparency as Billions Shift Offshore appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Every student has a right to feel safe in their school. Every worker in a school has a right to be safe. Every family should be confident that when they say goodbye in the morning, their loved ones will come home at the end of the day. 

Schools are places of learning, of care, of community. They are also workplaces. And no teacher, no education assistant, no custodian, no bus driver, no support staff, no worker should ever have to face violence as part of their job. 

On behalf on Canada’s unions, I want to give heartfelt thanks to every emergency medical technician (EMT), education worker, nurse, doctor, health care worker, police officer and community member who responded with courage and compassion to support families facing this unimaginable act of violence. 

As Canadians, we will be unpacking what happened and how we prevent this kind of violence. But we must be clear: safety in our schools cannot be an afterthought. It requires real investment, prevention, mental health supports, and strong public services. 

We are union members who fight every day for safe work and safe workplaces. We are community members who feel this loss deeply.  

And Canada’s unions will be loud voices in the work ahead demanding the protections, resources, and policies needed to keep our communities and workplaces safe. 

No family should ever have to endure this. And we will not stop fighting for a country where they don’t have to.

The post Statement from Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Canada’s trade policy is failing workers, families and entire communities. For too long, decisions have been made behind closed doors that cost Canadians their jobs, hollow out our industries, and weaken our public services.

The message to parliamentarians is a simple one: Labour has a clear plan and it must have a seat at the table.

WHAT: An economic strategy and future trade deals must centre workers

WHEN: Wednesday, February 4 at 1:15 PM ET

WHERE: Rogers Centre (55 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa), Trillium Room or via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82682528884 (Meeting ID: 826 8252 8884)

WHO:

• Bea Bruske, President, Canadian Labour Congress (CLC)
• Lana Payne, National President, Unifor
• Mark Hancock, National President, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)
• Marty Warren, National Director, United Steelworkers (USW)
• Sharon DeSousa, President, Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC)
• David Chartrand, General Vice-President, Machinists Union (IAM Union)

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To arrange an interview, please contact: 
 CLC Media Relations 
 media@clcctc.ca 
 613-526-7426

The post Labour movement to Parliament: it’s time to put workers at the centre of Canada’s trade strategy appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

A 2020 report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights noted prevalent discrimination in Canada’s policies and laws related to hazardous substances and wastes, stating: “there exists a pattern in Canada where marginalized groups, and Indigenous peoples in particular, find themselves on the wrong side of a toxic divide, subject to conditions that would not be acceptable elsewhere in Canada.” This pattern is called environmental racism, and it has a long history in Canada.

Residents of African Nova Scotian communities like Africville, Shelburne, and Lincolnville have been subjected to it – exposed to sewage systems, landfills, toxic waste, and other pollutants placed in their communities.

This is not just a part of history. Environmental racism springs from deep and ongoing structural inequities that have left communities with few resources and protections over many generations. Today, Black workers and communities continue to live with the consequences of economic and social policy decisions rooted in systemic racism that have resulted in their greater exposure to environmental hazards.

Policy decisions often disregard the long-term environmental, social, and economic costs shouldered by the communities most impacted by these decisions. For Black, Indigenous, racialized, and marginalized communities, the outcome has been exposure to higher rates of pollution and contamination, causing great harm and reducing life expectancy. These communities are paying a high price for unjust policies impacting access to employment, income, housing, and health care.

“Climate change only deepens the injustices of environmental racism, and while all workers are increasingly dealing with its effects, not all of us are feeling it equally. Black workers are also contending with longstanding structural inequities, including discrimination and anti-Black racism and the income inequality that stems from these. This causes Black workers to be more vulnerable to the climate crisis on all fronts – both on the job and at home,” said Larry Rousseau, CLC Executive Vice-President.

With the development of its first-ever National Strategy on Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice, the federal government has an historic opportunity to make lasting change by ensuring meaningful consultation with Black workers and communities, as well as with Indigenous and racialized workers and communities; allocating sufficient funding for community-led solutions and investing to protect and create good, sustainable union jobs by aligning solutions with strong occupational health and safety protections; responding to urgent needs while also addressing systemic environmental racism; and collecting and using disaggregated race-based data to develop good policy that effectively addresses risks and structural inequalities. 

Black workers’ survival and well-being depend on equitable access to good, safe jobs, as well as government action to address the root causes of income inequality and the climate crisis. Join our calls and send a letter today to the Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature and urge government to take swift action to develop and table the National Strategy and combat environmental racism faced by Black workers and communities.

And sign up to learn about, receive updates and get involved in our Future That Works campaign, a worker-centred campaign for a sustainable, equitable and climate-resilient future!

The post Black History Month: Unions demand action on environmental racism appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Strengthening the GST credit, now the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, with a 25 per cent increase over the next five years and a one-time boost this year, will help many Canadians trying to make ends meet. For up to 12 million people, this support will mean more breathing room when deciding between groceries, rent, medicine, and other everyday essentials. 

But tax credits alone won’t solve food insecurity. Canada’s Unions welcome the government’s commitment to develop a National Food Security Strategy but urge Ottawa to tackle the real causes of hunger in Canada. 

Canada’s Unions urge the government to address the underlying factors behind food insecurity. Too many people are stuck in insecure, low-paid jobs, struggling to get by on meager Employment Insurance benefits after being laid-off, or barely keeping it together on stingy disability benefits or social assistance.  

Families are still being forced into impossible choices, trading off groceries and prescription medications against rent, utilities, and other basic costs. 

Canadians also deserve accountability from corporations like Walmart that profit from our food system. Workers are right to be concerned when hundreds of millions in public support can flow to businesses without clear conditions to ensure savings are passed on at the checkout, especially when rising grocery prices are being driven by excessive profit margins. 

Canada’s Unions continue to call for windfall profits tax on large, highly profitable corporations, including big grocers, and for stronger competition enforcement to protect workers.

The post CLC’s response for the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

While Ottawa frames this deal as a way to diversify markets for Canadian farmers and exporters, it ultimately puts both groups at risk, offering uncertain, short-term relief for canola and select fisheries while endangering hundreds of thousands of good jobs across Canada’s manufacturing and industrial sectors. In the end, no sector truly wins, and workers in every industry are left more vulnerable.

At its core, this deal drastically reduces Canada’s surtax on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs), creating a pathway for tens of thousands of inexpensive, state-subsidized vehicles to flood our auto market. As the largest private-sector union in Canada has warned, opening our market to Chinese EVs risks undermining our domestic auto industry, jeopardizing existing jobs, suppressing investment, and eroding the independent supply chain that sustains thousands of Canadian workers.

The Government’s willingness to trade hard-earned leverage on issues like auto tariffs and North American cooperation for temporary tariff reductions on canola and some seafood products is deeply troubling. The relief offered for agriculture and fisheries is time-limited, uncertain beyond this year, and insufficient compensation for exposing strategic industries to global competition fueled by massive state intervention.

This agreement raises serious questions about the broader strategy of the Canadian Government in its dealings with our most important economic partners—the United States and the European Union. And it ignores China’s ongoing human rights abuses including the documented use of forced labour and the suppression of workers’ rights.

Instead of charting a coherent, worker-first trade strategy, Ottawa appears to be trading one form of instability for another, responding to the chaos and unpredictability of Trump-style U.S. trade policy by opening the door to state-subsidized Chinese imports that threaten to hollow out Canada’s manufacturing base. Workers are being asked to absorb the risks on both sides: job insecurity driven by U.S. trade volatility on the one hand, and the long-term destruction of domestic manufacturing capacity on the other. Neither approach protects workers, communities, or Canada’s economic sovereignty, and both leave working people paying the price.

Canada cannot secure a prosperous future by sacrificing job security and industrial resilience for symbolic gains. A responsible trade strategy must defend Canadian workers, uphold fair trade principles, and coordinate with allies to ensure that global competition does not come at the expense of Canadian workers, industry and communities.

The post Statement – On the Canada–China Strategic Partnership appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Canadian Labour Congress President Bea Bruske was joined by leaders from several of Canada’s largest manufacturing and building trades unions representing workers whose jobs, communities, and futures depend directly on trade and industrial policy decisions.

With renewed U.S. tariff threats and growing trade instability, unions warned the federal government against repeating the mistakes of the past: trading away domestic production, good union jobs, and industrial capacity in pursuit of an agreement at any cost.

“Any deal that undermines Canadian jobs or weakens Canada’s ability to build its own economy would be worse than no deal at all,” said Bruske. “The United States has increasingly abandoned the rules-based trading system, using trade pressure to weaken workers, destabilize supply chains, and advantage corporations. Canada must respond from a position of strength, not concession, and refuse to sacrifice workers to appease U.S. demands.”

The CLC is urging the federal government to remain laser-focused on a workers-first trade policy that preserves and expands Canadian jobs, strengthens domestic industry, and regulatory space to invest in domestic manufacturing, supply-chain resilience, and future industries. Canada continues to bleed production and jobs due to U.S. sectoral tariffs on auto, softwood lumber, and other industries, with widening impacts on communities and local economies. The government must urgently work to have these tariffs removed.

At the negotiating table, Canada must defend its right to pursue active industrial policy, enforce strong labour protections, and expand domestic value-added production. Trade rules must not be used to undermine workers’ rights, public services, industrial development, or fair wages.

Unions also pressed for a strong, enforceable labour chapter in any renewed agreement, including expanded use of the Rapid Response Mechanism to hold employers accountable for labour rights violations across North America.

The message from labour was unified and unequivocal: the CUSMA review must strengthen Canadian industries and working-class communities, not hollow them out. The government must engage with unions and bring them into the trade negotiations; unions know their industries better than anyone else. Workers do not want the government trading away their jobs, livelihoods, or economic future just to renew a flawed deal.

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For media inquiries, please contact:   
CLC Media Relations  
media@clcctc.ca   

The post Workers Must Come First in CUSMA — No Trade Deal at the Expense of Jobs, Industry, or Public Services appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

This series will explore key challenges facing working people – from the fights unions are leading today, to global trends affecting workers, to what the future holds for the labour movement. Each session will feature CLC experts and leaders sharing insights and analysis on the issues that matter most to workers.

The first webinar in the series will focus on the ongoing retirement security crisis.

The Issues and You: The Retirement Security Crisis Today
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET

Participants will hear from Chris Roberts, National Director of the CLC’s Social and Economic Policy Department, and the CLC’s in-house expert on pensions and retirement security. The webinar will examine why retirement insecurity remains a major issue for workers, even a decade after the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) enhancement, and what it means for workers today.

This webinar will be delivered in English, with simultaneous interpretation in French.

The post Canadian Labour Congress Launches New Webinar Series: The Issues and You appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Canada’s unions firmly reject any attempt at regime change through force, coercion, or foreign interference. The future of Venezuela must be determined exclusively by the Venezuelan people, through democratic and peaceful means, free from external pressure.

The CLC joins international calls for the protection of civilians, respect for human rights and physical integrity, due process under the law, and the release of any individuals unlawfully detained as a result of this illegal operation.

We align ourselves with the positions expressed by the governments of Brazil, Mexico, and others in the region who have condemned violence and urged an immediate return to diplomatic engagement. Latin America and the Caribbean must remain a zone of peace.

Canada must join those in the international community in condemning this violation of international law and the United Nations Charter, and must work constructively to support dialogue, diplomacy, and peaceful solutions.

“We know the cost of war and foreign intervention. It is always paid by civilians, by workers, and by the most vulnerable,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Canada must stand on the side of peace, international law, and the right of peoples to determine their own future without violence or interference.”

Link to ITUC statement: https://www.ituc-csi.org/ituc-tuca-venezuela

The post Canadian Labour Congress Joins International Labour Movement in Condemning U.S. Military Aggression and Violation of Venezuela’s Sovereignty appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Migrant workers come to Canada in the hopes of securing a better future for themselves and their families. They contribute to our communities and economy, paying income taxes and rent, and purchasing goods and services, despite many being excluded from receiving the same rights and protections as other workers in Canada.

In addition to facing precarity and barriers to full participation and opportunities, migrants are increasingly and unfairly shouldering the blame for decades of policy failures that have led to the current housing and affordability crises, and the lack of good jobs that so many Canadians are experiencing.

“Migrant workers are simply not responsible for our strained public care systems, lack of affordable housing or job shortages, and yet they’re paying the price for government failures to address corporate greed and invest in people and infrastructure. Rather than perpetuate misplaced blame and anger, we need governments to invest ambitiously in affordable housing and well-funded public services”, said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

In addition to being singled out and scapegoated for government policies for which they are blameless, most migrant workers cannot even access equal rights and protections due to a lack of permanent residence status. Workers in Canada’s Temporary Foreign Workers Program (TFWP) streams are subject to closed work permits that tie them to their employer, preventing them from seeking fairer or safer job opportunities, specifically because of their immigration status.

“Those who benefit most from this system are not migrant workers, but recruiters, traffickers, and unscrupulous businesses and employers, who use the program as a constant stream of unfree, unjust labour,” said Rousseau.

These streams effectively trap workers in a system of exploitation, where employers have total control over jobs, wages and working conditions; a system rightly called “a breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery” by United Nations Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, Tomoya Obokata.

The CLC continues to urge government to put an end to these labour and human rights violations and take immediate action to address government policy that serves the interests of employers, not workers. Government must replace closed, employer-specific work permits with open work permits, provide permanent residency opportunities for low-wage workers, and pathways to permanent residency for former low-wage workers who are undocumented, giving migrant workers access to government supports and the labour protections all workers deserve.

Take action today:

Show your support for migrant care workers by joining our Show We Care campaign!

The post Migrant workers deserve equal rights and opportunities appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

In our view, the CORE’s final report on our complaint reflects an approach that undermines this would-be watchdog’s mandate to such a degree, it is difficult to conceive of any human rights abuse it would deem to have jurisdiction to investigate. This is why the USW and the CLC sought a judicial review of this decision.

On Oct. 6, 2025, the federal court dismissed our application for judicial review of the CORE’s final report, ruling that the ombudsperson’s findings are advisory in nature and therefore not justiciable. In his determination, the Honourable Justice Gleason wrote “[…] the CORE has no authority to compel participation in a review or to impose consequences that will impact upon any individual, organization, or community. The CORE is essentially an advisor […]”

Our overall experience with this complaint, including the result of the judicial review, has exposed the ineffectiveness of this office and further strengthens our position that the office of the CORE desperately needs genuine independence and legal powers to fulfil its mandate. Ongoing failure to act in this regard will continue to exhibit the limited intentions of the government to ensure real corporate accountability for Canadian companies operating abroad.

As the Government of Canada considers its financial priorities, we will remind it of the commitment made to Canadians when the creation of the CORE was first announced in 2018. The CORE is a critical component of the government’s commitment to responsible business conduct and to human rights as it is Canada’s only non-judicial mechanism that independently investigates complaints of human rights abuses related to the activity of Canadian companies operating overseas and reports publicly on its findings.

Many Canadian civil society groups called for an ombudsperson office in reaction to the weak grievance mechanism under the National Contact Point (NCP) to handle specific instances where companies may have failed to comply with the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprise and the UN Guiding Principles. The process under the NCP is voluntary and non-binding, which highlighted the need for an independent CORE with the power to compel evidence.

With no ombudsperson in place since May 2025, we are urging the government to honour its commitment to Canadians, to human rights and to those affected by the operations of Canadian companies overseas to ensure the CORE soon will be staffed with a new ombudsperson so that it can continue to do its vital work. Secondly, the CORE needs to be empowered with the independence and essential powers needed to effectively investigate allegations of abuse by Canadian corporations and to demand accountability.

The post Result of judicial review further strengthens the need for an empowered CORE to ensure corporate accountability of Canadian companies appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Bea Bruske, together with Veronica Nilsson, General Secretary of the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD, intervened in the virtual Labour and Employment Ministerial Meeting, where both called for greater commitments from the G7 to a labour and employment agenda, including the adoption of concrete and measurable targets.

“G7 Labour and Employment Ministers must redouble their commitment and efforts to ensure respect for labour rights and promote decent work for everyone by following up on previous G7 commitments, specifically through robust engagement in the EWG and high-level political stewardship in the context of the LEMM,” said President Bruske to the G7 labour ministers at the virtual LEMM on December 3.

France will assume the G7 presidency in 2026, and the CLC will continue to work with L7 counterparts in calling for the centrality of labour issues to G7 priorities.

See the Statement: L7 demands G7 restore labour agenda amid concerns over future of employment track

The post 2025 Labour 7 continues to raise concerns about the G7 labour and employment agenda appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

This is why we, alongside civil liberties organizations, oppose the current version of Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act.  

The version of the Bill being debated in the House of Commons has the potential to infringe on our hard fought-for rights of freedom of expression and freedom of association with little to no oversight. 

Parliament should not pass this Bill without considerable amendment. As drafted, the Bill threatens labour rights, fundamental freedoms, the right to protest, and public accountability. 

With Bill C-9, the federal government proposes to create three new offenses: a hate crime offense, an offense of willfully promoting hatred against an identifiable group, and an intimidation offense.  

Canada already has criminal offences in place to combat hate like mischief, intimidation, and harassment. Police currently have the “ancillary powers” to create exclusion zones for protests, which has the potential to limit freedom of expression and our right to peaceful protest. Three Canadian cities (Toronto, Vaughn, and Ottawa) have created bubble zone bylaws, aimed to protect identifiable groups from hate and harassment when accessing health care (abortion clinics), and attending school and places of worship.  

More mirroring legislation and additional powers given to law enforcement is not necessary. 

We need to protect the fundamental rights that allow Canadians to participate fully in our society and to voice dissent without fear. In today’s political climate, defending these core freedoms is more important than ever. 

This legislation comes at a moment when we are witnessing alarming rights violations in the United States. The National Guard is being deployed to cities to target and deport immigrants under the guise of combating crime. The U.S. Department of Justice and ICE have arrested, charged, and prosecuted protesters for speaking out against immigration raids and for participating in Palestinian solidarity demonstrations. The Trump administration continues to single out vulnerable communities — including trans people and immigrants — while actively eroding core First Amendment rights. 

We cannot allow fundamental rights to be weakened or undermined in Canada. We must ensure that every person here can participate fully in society and speak out without fear. 

We have already witnessed these trends in American governance creep across the border. Since Trump’s inauguration, we have experienced a significant and frightening tariff war, pressure to concede to US demands, and a push to increase border security and crack down on migrants and refugees. 

That’s why we have serious concerns about Bill C-9. Without amendment, it will undermine core democratic rights and expand state powers in ways that put workers and marginalized communities at risk. 

Bill C-9 makes it easier for the state to prosecute people by expanding discretionary police powers and removing the requirement for the Attorney General’s consent. Without amendment, it will lower the bar for criminal charges and give law enforcement wide authority with little oversight. 

This opens the door to the criminalization of peaceful protest and collective action. Without amendment, it will disproportionately impact Indigenous, Black, and racialized communities. 

For workers, the threat is clear. The Charter protects the right to strike — yet without amendment, Bill C-9 will erode this right, making certain legal job actions a criminal offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison. This is a direct attack on organized labour and freedom of association. 

The Bill’s broad and vague language compounds these risks. Without amendment, it will grant sweeping powers without accountability, putting free expression, peaceful assembly, and democratic participation in danger. 

We all want to stop hate crimes and keep people safe in their communities. But Bill C-9, without amendment, will not do that. Instead, it will weaken the very freedoms that keep people safe — the right to speak out, to organize, and to participate fully in society.  

We pushed back hard against U.S. tariffs. We must bring that same resolve to opposing legislation that, without amendment, will chip away at our rights here at home. 

The post Protecting Fundamental Rights — Our Concerns with Bill C-9 appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Canada’s unions are marking International Human Rights Day by urging the federal government to ensure that the pursuit of Canada’s economic prosperity does not come at the expense of human rights.

Workers around the world are facing precarity due to ongoing global conflicts, trade wars, artificial intelligence, and climate change. These issues are reshaping labour markets, raising new equity challenges, and worsening existing ones.

Here in Canada, workers are shouldering the greatest pressure from the Carney government’s response to Donald Trump’s escalating trade war. While the government acted quickly on Trump’s demands by boosting spending on border control and military defence, workers and their families continue to face deteriorating public services, widening inequities, and a growing affordability crisis.

The 2025 Federal Budget does take important steps to support workers in sectors directly hit by tariffs and trade disruption, and that progress matters. But millions of Canadians who are struggling right now still need meaningful relief. A truly worker-focused approach would pair trade-related support with bold investments in public and social infrastructure, affordability measures, and policies that strengthen economic security for everyone.

The budget indicated no additional investments to implement Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy or continue the important work of the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat. Canada’s unions urge the government to ensure ongoing funding for these to address and mitigate the impacts of systemic racism that many workers face.

The Liberals’ election platform promised a review of Carney’s government policies and programs using an intersectional lens to understand the potential impacts of these on Canadians in all their diversity, but no action has been taken.

This is evident in the introduction of regressive legislation such as bills C-2 and C-12, which pose significant threats to freedoms and civil liberties, migrant and refugee rights and the privacy of all Canadians. These Bills are concerning, as they come at a time when Canada seeks to secure and deepen trade relationships with several governments for whom gender equality is decidedly not a priority, and with poor records for respecting human rights and labour rights. Canada must negotiate strong labour chapters in all trade agreements to ensure fair working conditions, enforce labour standards, protect workers’ freedom of association rights and prevent forced labour as Canada works to diversify its trade relationships.

In a time of global uncertainty when workers and their families are facing real pressures and rapid change, Canada needs a government that strengthens our foundations.

A responsible government should be focused on building a stronger, more resilient Canada by protecting the rules-based order, advancing economic and social progress, and ensuring every person can live and work with dignity. That means standing up to bad actors, reinforcing the systems that keep our economy stable, and investing in the people who make this country work.

The post A thriving economy shouldn’t cost us our human rights appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Despite providing vital, life-changing services to survivors of violence, their families,
and communities across the country, Canada’s GBV sector remains severely
underfunded and faces similar challenges to other women and gender diverse majority
workforces,” said Siobhán Vipond, Executive Vice-President of the CLC.

A groundbreaking new study on the GBV workforce outlined that this workforce is
primarily made up of women (89%) identified workers, with a large proportion (67%)
also identifying as a member of at least one other equity group. Unfortunately, the
systemic devaluation of this work, as well as the consistent and never-ending financial
precarity facing the sector, makes it impossible for far too many GBV workers to sustain
themselves and their families when compensation for these critical jobs fail to keep up
with the rapid increases in cost-of-living post pandemic.

In fact, one in four GBV workers in this study revealed that they experienced
consistent employment insecurity.

“The lack of consistent and reliable funding for the sector is pushing GBV workers to the
margins of an already worsening national affordability crisis facing us all,” adds Vipond.

In addition, GBV work is trauma-exposed work that carries significant occupational
health and safety risks. According to that same study, just over half of respondents
(56.2%) shared they feel emotionally exhausted and/or worn out due to their work, and
50% agreed the vicarious trauma negatively impacts their mental health and personal
life.

Canada’s GBV sector needs core, stable and adequate funding from governments to
protect occupational health, safety, and wellness of workers.

This is why Canada’s unions are calling for our federal government to develop a
workforce strategy for the sector, in collaboration with unions and sector organizations,
to improve wages, working conditions, and retention. This strategy must be part of
broader efforts towards comprehensive, long-term funding to sustain the feminist and
women’s rights organizations that provide life-saving services to survivors across the
country.

“Promises and half-measures are not enough; workers are ready to rise up for justice
for the GBV workforce, and demand that our elected leaders take action to meaningfully
support and sustain the gender-based violence sector,” said Vipond.

Learn more about the state of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Workforce here.

The post Canada’s unions rise up for justice for gender-based violence (GBV) workforce appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Our labour movement remains deeply committed to the fight for a barrier-free Canada that is truly accessible for everyone and all abilities. This includes drastically reducing the economic barriers disproportionately faced by persons with disabilities in our country,” said Lily Chang, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress.

Currently, more than 1.5 million people with disabilities in Canada are living below the poverty line. Moreover, women with disabilities experience poverty at a higher rate (17.7%) than men with disabilities (15.7%); and people aged 65 and above with disabilities had higher poverty rates (18.8%) than people with disabilities aged 15 to 64 (15.9%).

The employment situation for persons with disabilities is not much better either. About 1/3 of people with disabilities looking for work are shut out of today’s labour force, and the employment outlook is most dire for racialized people with disabilities. Those who are employed report experiencing disproportionately high levels of harassment and violence in the workplace (75%), alongside an hourly wage gap that has widened from $1.91 in 2023 to $2.22 in 2024. This is a weekly wage gap of $115.20, or almost $6,000 per year!

“Disability rights and economic justice for people with disabilities across Canada have always been, and will always unequivocally be, workers’ issues,” said Chang.

Despite the welcome introduction of the Canada Disability Benefit earlier this year, the relatively low benefit amount of only $200 a month, restrictive eligibility criteria, separate application process, and the risk of provincial claw-backs have resulted in a benefit that does little to meaningfully address the enormous socio-economic barriers facing millions of persons with disabilities in this country.   

While the 2025 federal budget included a small $150 top-up and tax exemption, it still falls short of delivering real change for Canadians with disabilities. This is why the CLC will continue to work alongside disability rights and justice advocates across the country in demanding immediate action from our federal government to shape a better benefit that truly lifts people with disabilities out of poverty.

“Canada’s unions are holding this government accountable and demanding they fulfill their promises and human rights obligations to make the eradication of disability poverty a reality in this country,” said Chang.

The post Canada’s unions echo the call: End disability poverty now appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

This award is named in honour of Carol McGregor, an outstanding disability rights activist, member of NUPGE and the CLC Disability Rights Working Group―and who was much loved by all those who worked with her. Carol passed away in 2006.

In 2025, the award recognizes the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Canada activist Stephannie Leach. 

Stephannie is an inspiring leader in our labour movement who has tirelessly advocated for the rights of workers with disabilities in Alberta and in the Northwest Territories. Stephannie’s leadership in this area spanned both her involvement in her workplace and in her union, UFCW Canada Local 401.

As an employee of Vision Loss Rehabilitation Alberta, and a vision impaired worker herself, Stephannie travelled across the province and in the Northwest Territories to provide education to remote and rural communities about vision loss and accessibility awareness, as well as education about guide dogs and service animals. She also trains people with vision impairment to work with their service animals, to access public transit, and to get around their own homes.

Stephannie serves on her local bargaining committee, and she is the health and safety representative for her union in northern Alberta. Thanks to her successful advocacy efforts, the company agreed to bereavement days for the loss of service animals. 

As a trailblazing advocate, she also took the initiative to translate the collective agreement into braille, the first of its kind at her union!

As a dedicated champion for disability rights and inclusion of people with disabilities in her union, in her workplace, and in her communities, Stephannie perfectly embodies the spirit of this award.  

Congratulations to Stephannie and thank you for your leadership and activism for disability rights and inclusion.

The post Stephannie Leach – Winner of the 2025 Carol McGregor CLC Disability Rights Award appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Gender-based violence and harassment continue to threaten the safety, dignity, and equality of women and gender-diverse workers. The CLC’s own research revealed that gender diverse workers (82%) and women (76%) experience higher rates of harassment and violence at work compared to their colleagues. In addition, a recent report on harassment and violence in Canadian workplaces revealed 843 reported occurrences of third-party (meaning clients, patients, customers, etc.) violence and harassment in 2022, reflecting a whopping 41% increase from 2021.

“These are not just numbers,” said Siobhán Vipond, Executive Vice President of the CLC. “They reflect the alarming, daily reality of workers whose safety and dignity are still at risk. They tell the story of a crisis that demands action, now.”

There are several factors contributing to this increase in third-party violence and harassment. People are facing mounting pressures from a worsening affordability crisis, with scarce resources to address their needs. Staffing shortages and systems stretched too thin may also impact the way people interact with front-line workers, leading to dangerous situations for these workers.

Moreover, in recent years, we have seen some conservative political leaders stoke fear, anger and hate to distract from their lack of solutions. This emboldens third parties to harass workers in public-facing jobs, disproportionately targeting 2SLGBTQI+ workers, Black, racialized, Indigenous workers, and those with disabilities at an alarming rate.

Despite unions sounding the alarm, the federal government has yet to work with provinces, territories, unions and employers to meaningfully implement ILO C-190, the world’s first global treaty to eliminate violence and harassment in the world of work.

“While governments delay, the labour movement is taking action. Across the country, Canada’s unions are leading the fight to end gender-based violence through collective bargaining, education, and political action,” adds Vipond.

While we are proud of the workers and activists who are fighting every day to make workplaces and communities safer, fairer, and more inclusive, unions cannot do it alone.

We are calling on all levels of government to make work safer for everyone by:

• Coordinating a tripartite national strategy to implement ILO C-190 that includes measures to address the specific challenge of growing violence and harassment from third parties; and

• Conducting a national public awareness campaign about third-party violence and harassment as part of Canada’s National Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence and the implementation strategy for ILO C190.

“Canada’s unions will continue to rise up, to demand accountability from those in power, and to fight for a future where every worker is safe, respected, and free from violence and harassment,” said Vipond.

Check out the CLC’s research on violence and harassment at work here.

The post Canada’s Unions Rise Up Against Gender-Based Violence appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Workers across this country want their government to protect their jobs, their country, and their future,” said Bruske. “Appeasing Donald Trump doesn’t work. Every concession we’ve made has been followed by more attacks. It’s time for Canada to negotiate from a position of strength.”

Bruske told MPs that the U.S. economy depends heavily on Canadian inputs—from energy and electricity to potash, lumber, minerals, and aluminum—and urged the federal government not to give up economic sovereignty in the hope of regaining unimpeded access to the U.S. market.

“The American economy can’t function without Canadian workers and Canadian resources,” said Bruske. “America can’t farm without our potash. It can’t keep the lights on without our electricity. It can’t run without our energy or critical minerals. If America wants our potash, it should buy our cars. That is how leverage works.”

Bruske said workers expect the federal government to defend Canada’s interests with a “solid backbone,” and outlined three core principles for Canada’s approach to CUSMA negotiations:

1. A Worker-First Trade Agenda

Bruske called for strong, enforceable labour chapters that protect workers’ rights across North America, including:

• stronger protections for women and migrant workers,
• clear provisions addressing gender-based violence, and
• robust occupational health and safety rules.

“Fair labour rules must be the foundation of any trade agreement,” she said.

2. Protecting Canada’s Policy and Regulatory Space

Bruske emphasized that Canada must not allow trade negotiations to restrict its ability to:

• build domestic manufacturing and industrial capacity,
• increase value-added production,
• tax multinational corporations fairly,
• require companies to maintain jobs in Canada,
• regulate AI,
• meet climate targets, and
• expand essential public services.

“The United States is intent on restricting Canada’s policy space—from climate regulation to taxation. Canada must protect that space, not bargain it away,” said Bruske.

3. Protecting Public Services

Bruske warned against trade provisions that could undermine public health care, child care, housing, transit, energy, or Employment Insurance.

“Public dollars must deliver public good. We cannot build resilience by hollowing out the systems that support families,” she said.

Bruske concluded by urging the federal government to negotiate with clarity and confidence.

“Canadian workers built this country’s prosperity. They expect their government to defend it and to negotiate with strength, clarity, and a solid backbone.”

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613-526-7426

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Workers will be meeting with MPs to push for concrete action on affordability, health care, trade and tariffs, and rebuilding strong public services. CLC President Bea Bruske will outline how the federal government’s 2025 budget failed to address the daily realities facing workers and what working people are demanding instead.

“Budget 2025 leaves workers behind. It ignores the crushing cost of living, the cracks in our public services, and the strain on frontline workers who keep this country running. Workers showed up today because this government didn’t. We’re here to demand a plan that actually puts working people first.”–Bea Bruske, CLC President

WHAT: Budget 2025’s failure to support working families
WHEN: Monday, November 24, at 6:15 PM ET
WHERE: Rogers Centre, Ottawa (55 Colonel By Drive), Trillium Room
WHO: Bea Bruske—President, Canadian Labour Congress (CLC)

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“Trans and gender-diverse workers are disproportionately impacted by violence and harassment, both at work and in our communities. Trans Day of Remembrance is a powerful opportunity to channel our grief towards justice by demanding that our federal government take action to end gender-based violence, and make work safer for all,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

The CLC’s research reveals that when compared to their colleagues, gender-diverse workers are 82% more likely to experience harassment and violence at work. Additionally, 73% of gender-diverse respondents stated they had experienced sexual harassment and violence in the last two years. 

This is why Canada’s unions are calling for the federal government to conduct a national public awareness campaign as part of Canada’s National Action Plan on Gender Based Violence. This must include a comprehensive and tripartite implementation strategy for ILO C190, the international convention asserting the right of all workers to a world of work free of all forms of gender-based violence. 

“When trans and gender-diverse communities continue to be disproportionately targeted by gender-based violence at alarmingly high levels, including harassment and violence in the world of work, we cannot afford inaction,” said Larry Rousseau, CLC Executive Vice-President.    

Labour’s solidarity in action means we will continue to show up: in our communities, in our workplaces, and in legislatures. We’re re-committing ourselves as trade union activists, allies, and supporters in the fight for justice for trans and gender diverse peoples towards an equitable and inclusive vision for our society. 

“From coast to coast to coast, workers are united against hate. With provincial governments—like Danielle Smith’s UCP in Alberta—attacking trans and gender-diverse people any chance they get, we must continue to take action against transphobia,” said Rousseau. “We strongly condemn the UCP government’s use of the notwithstanding clause to force through harmful bills that violate the rights of trans youth and their families. Our solidarity will never waver; when it comes to justice in the fight against transphobic hate, violence and gender-based violence in all its forms, we will win.”

—

Do you have a story to share on harassment and violence at work? Add your voice now, and help make work safer for all workers in Canada.

The post Canada’s unions stand in solidarity for Trans Day of Remembrance appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Attacks on the human rights of any community are deplorable, despicable actions, and the timing to table Bill 9, which uses the notwithstanding clause to restrict the rights of trans and gender diverse people across the province to access gender affirming care, is especially cruel to introduce in the middle of the Trans Week of Awareness 2025.

Canada’s unions recognize these tactics that undermine our fundamental human rights as coming from the same toolbox of strategies that, not even a month ago, attacked the rights of striking teachers in that province through the introduction of back-to-work legislation.

Shame.

Shame on Danielle Smith and her conservative government for blocking an already vulnerable community of Albertans from the basic set of rights afforded to all Canadians under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Canada’s unions are all too familiar with dirty tricks like Bill 9 from bad bosses like Danielle Smith’s government, who would rather scapegoat human rights than be accountable for the impacts of the hate-driven, anti-access and anti-care policies her government is continuously pushing through without a care to the real, human and moral costs of these attacks.

We must call it out for what it is: Bill 9 is an abhorrent use of legislation to evade accountability and undermine the human rights and dignity of trans and gender diverse Albertans. 

Make no mistake, an attack on rights of any kind will solicit a response and action from Canada’s labour movement. Unions across Canada are putting Danielle Smith on notice:

We will not stand idly by as an agenda of institutionalized transphobic violence and hate barrels forward, on the eve of the Trans Day of Remembrance no less. We recognize this political agenda for what it is: a shameful, purposeful exercise to undermine our collective fundamental rights and freedoms, including workers’ rights.

Our solidarity runs deep, and together as part of a broader movement to defend human rights and workers’ rights, from coast to coast to coast, we will band together, and we will win.

In solidarity,

Bea

Learn more about the implications of Alberta’s Bill 9 from our allies at EGALE Canada here: https://egale.ca/egale-in-action/alberta-bill9-nov18/?fbclid=PAQ0xDSwOKxIRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAacOPjyqXyr5KZTEEZt-Tp4adzpO322HzMGoiMI2QRdWSSxVEVIiJbYKZCZNNQ_aem_oS7Pd9IQnJM_2KDfxF-jqQ

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“When it comes to defending Canadian jobs, this government needs to get its elbows back up. Trump’s tariffs and trade threats are putting Canadian workers on the line, and sitting on the sidelines won’t cut it. We need generational investments in housing and public infrastructure—built by union labour, using Canadian-made materials—to secure good jobs and keep prosperity here at home,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

“You can’t create jobs by cutting thousands of them,” said Bruske. “You can’t grow the economy by shrinking public services. Workers need a budget that invests in people and public infrastructure.”

“With no majority in Parliament, this budget is not a done deal—and Canadians don’t need an election,” said Bruske, “Canada’s unions are calling on the Liberal government to work with other parties to amend the budget to deliver the supports, investments, and safeguards workers need to withstand U.S. tariffs, protect Canadian jobs, and build lasting economic security. This is the moment for Parliament to stand up for working people.”

There are measures worth building on in the Budget, including billions in home building and infrastructure funding, the doubling of the Union Training and Innovation Program and the new $1,100 tax credit for personal support workers. These are exactly the kinds of investments working people need: ones that strengthen skills, raise wages, and improve care.

But to truly protect workers and our economy, we need more of that—and fewer cuts.

Parliament must come together to strengthen this budget: protect public services, strengthen health care, modernize Employment Insurance, ensure labour standards in our trade, close corporate tax loopholes, and make the generational investments in housing, infrastructure, and domestic production Canada needs to secure our economic future. Working people are ready to build that future.

“Workers have shown time and again that when Canada needs rebuilding, they step up,” said Bruske. “It’s time for our government to match that determination.”

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CLC Senior Economist, DT Cochrane, will also participate in the lock-up and be available for comment following the budget’s release. 

CLC Executive Vice-Presidents Siobhán Vipond and Larry Rousseau will be available for comment following the budget release (but will not be part of the lock-up). 

Budget 2025 Media Lock-Up Details 

Date: November 4, 2025 
Location: John G. Diefenbaker Building, 111 Sussex Drive, Ottawa 

Media Availability: 

• CLC President, Bea Bruske — in lock-up from 2:30 p.m. until the release; available in the foyer afterward 
• CLC Executive VPs, Siobhán Vipond & Larry Rousseau — available by request only 
• CLC Senior Economist, DT Cochrane — in lock-up all day; available in the foyer afterward 

“For workers, the test of this budget is simple: will the richest corporations finally pay their fair share so we can invest in people, good jobs, and communities? Workers can’t keep carrying the load while profits soar.” – Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress 

“What matters in Budget 2025 is whether it delivers real job-creating investments in housing, public infrastructure, and a net-zero future while ensuring workers can move into secure, union jobs with fair wages and benefits.” – Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress 

“Canada has the capacity to build a fairer, more resilient economy, but only if we stop letting concentrated corporate power dictate our priorities. This budget must shift us from short-term profit-first thinking to generational investment in people, productivity, and shared prosperity.” — DT Cochrane, Senior Economist, Canadian Labour Congress 

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“Workers are doing their part to hold this country together, our elbows are up, but they’re being squeezed from every direction,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “This budget must invest in people and infrastructure”.

Bruske warned that balancing the books on the backs of working people would only deepen inequality and stall economic recovery.

“Any move to shore up Canada’s finances must be done fairly,” she said. “That means asking those who’ve made record profits and amassed the most wealth to pay their share—not cutting services or putting the squeeze on workers.”

Investing in people and communities

Canada’s unions are urging the federal government to launch a new wave of public investment focused on shovel-ready municipal and provincial projects—including housing, schools, transportation, public health, and child care.

“These investments must come with strings attached,” said Bruske. “They must create good union jobs, be community supporting, use Canadian procurement, and guarantee that the jobs stay in Canada for the long term.”

Budget 2025 should also build the next generation of public infrastructure including housing, transit and energy, expand early learning and child care, and make major investments in public health care, including pharmacare and safe long-term care.

“Blank cheques to corporations won’t solve the crises we face,” added Bruske. “Public dollars must deliver public good—good jobs, good wages, and the services working families rely on.”

Protecting jobs and preparing for the future

Canada’s unions are calling for a comprehensive job creation plan built around public infrastructure and a funded net-zero industrial strategy developed with unions. The plan should invest in clean energy, manufacturing, and retrofit programs while ensuring workers in high-emitting sectors can transition to new, secure, unionized jobs with fair wages and benefits.

To help workers through economic shocks, the government must also modernize Employment Insurance—restoring federal contributions, improving benefits, and lowering eligibility requirements—so that no worker falls through the cracks in the next downturn.

Fair taxation and fiscal responsibility

Bruske emphasized that real fiscal responsibility means ensuring everyone pays their fair share.

“Workers shouldn’t be asked to carry the burden of recovery while corporations hoard record profits,” she said.

Canada’s unions are calling for tax fairness measures, including:

• Public country-by-country reporting for multinationals;
• Maintaining the Digital Services Tax;
• Increasing the capital gains inclusion rate;
• Introducing wealth and windfall profit taxes; and
• Investing in the Canada Revenue Agency to close loopholes and enforce compliance.

“When corporations and the wealthy pay what they owe,” said Bruske, “Canada can invest in housing, health care, and good jobs for everyone.”

Housing for everyone

The rising cost of homes and rents is taking a toll on workers whose wages are not keeping up. Workers want their government to make serious efforts to combat financial speculation in housing, starting with taxing house-flipping and vacant properties to capture windfall real estate gains that go to the wealthiest Canadians. 

Canada’s unions are calling on the government to put in place ambitious and direct funding for the construction of new, non-market, affordable public housing, including social housing and co-ops for all, including Indigenous peoples, survivors of domestic violence, and people living with disabilities and particularly for marginalized groups.

Putting workers first

“Workers built this country, and workers will build the future,” said Bruske. “Budget 2025 must put people before profits—by investing in the infrastructure, jobs, and public services that make life more affordable and secure for everyone in Canada.”

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Doubling the Union Training and Innovation Program is a smart investment in Canada’s future. Unions deliver the most comprehensive, advanced, and high-quality training in the country and provide direct pathways to good union jobs. With this expansion, we can train the skilled workers Canada urgently needs to meet our infrastructure, housing, and clean-energy goals.

The new Hero Tax Credit for personal support workers will deliver long-overdue relief to some of the lowest-paid yet most essential workers in our health-care system. These workers care for people through the hardest years of our lives, and they deserve real recognition and respect.

We also welcome the consultation on restricting non-compete clauses, and would like to see greater steps toward fairness in the workplace, including strengthening workers’ ability to form unions, raise wages, and strengthen the quality of their jobs.

Finally, the $97-million fund for faster foreign credential recognition — especially in health care and construction — is a practical and positive measure that will help ensure newcomers can put their skills to work sooner.

These measures signal a shift toward putting workers at the heart of Canada’s economic strategy. Canada’s unions will work with the government to ensure we can build on this momentum by investing in good union jobs, expanding public services, and ensuring every worker shares in the prosperity they help create.

The post Bruske on pre-budget measures: When government listens to workers, we see progress appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

OTTAWA – Prime Minister Carney is right to say that Canada faces uncertainty, but for many workers, that uncertainty is now a reality.

Across the country, workers are being squeezed by an affordability and housing crisis, job losses tied to the ongoing trade war with the United States, and growing anxiety about what AI and automation will mean for their livelihoods. These are not abstract challenges; they’re daily realities for families trying to keep food on the table, pay rent, and build a better life.

The Prime Minister spoke today about “spending less and investing more.” Canada’s unions agree that investment is key — but workers cannot be asked to pay the price through cuts to the public services and supports their families rely on. You don’t build resilience by hollowing out the very systems that help people weather hard times.

If the government is looking for fiscal room, it should start with those who can afford it — the corporations and CEOs who have seen record profits while workers struggle to get ahead. Over the last several years, corporate profit margins have soared, while wage growth has barely kept pace with inflation. Closing tax loopholes, tackling corporate concentration, and ensuring profitable companies pay their fair share are far better choices than cutting the services that workers and their families rely on and keep communities strong and resilient.

Canada’s unions also urge the government to make bold investments that secure good jobs and strengthen our economic foundations — by rebuilding domestic manufacturing, supporting public infrastructure, and developing a climate strategy that delivers for workers as well as the planet. That includes retraining and upskilling programs, industrial policy that rewards employers who create union jobs, and a Just Transition plan that leaves no worker or community behind.

We welcome any effort to invest in sustainable growth and a modern industrial strategy that builds Canadian capacity and strengthens our communities. But those investments must include workers — at the table, not on the sidelines — to ensure they create good, union jobs and secure futures in every region of this country.

Canada’s unions are ready to work with the government to grow our economy through fairness — not austerity. Together, we can build a Canada that works for working people.

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The workers-first forum brought leadership candidates Avi Lewis, Heather McPherson, Rob Ashton, Tanille Johnston, and Tony McQuail together to engage directly with worker concerns. Moderated by CLC President Bea Bruske, the event gathered more than 150 union members, NDP supporters, and labour leaders in person – and thousands more online.

“This leadership race is about building a stronger NDP, one grounded in the needs of working people and ready to deliver for families across the country,” said Bea Bruske.

As Canadians grapple with high costs, increasingly precarious jobs, and Trump’s trade war, unions see the leadership race as a key opportunity to renew the party’s connection to the workers it was founded to serve.

“What we heard from the candidates was encouraging; a real commitment to put workers first,” Bruske added. “The message is clear: workers will have a strong voice in Canada’s political future.”

Canada’s unions are committed to strengthening the party and ensuring workers continue to lead the way forward. Yesterday’s forum sets the tone for the leadership race ahead and affirms that the NDP’s future is tied to its roots in the labour movement. 

The Canadian Labour Congress is the largest labour organization in Canada, representing over 3 million workers through affiliated unions, federations of labour, and labour councils across the country.

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Across the country, people are losing jobs and struggling to make ends meet.

“The reality facing workers right now is grim,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “In the last quarter alone, Canada lost 66,000 jobs. Growth has dropped every month for two straight quarters. The trade war continues, with no end in sight. Concessions we’ve made to appease Donald Trump haven’t worked. Just look at what happened last Friday, we got hit with new U.S. tariffs on buses and trucks. Working people are still trapped in an affordability and housing crisis that just won’t quit. Families are stretched to the limit and so are our public services and healthcare.”

Trump’s reckless tariff escalation is pulling investment and production out of Canada and into the United States, undermining decades of partnership and cooperation. His aggressive trade tactics are threatening jobs in key sectors like auto, steel, aluminum, lumber, and manufacturing — and Canadian workers are paying the price.

Inflation has climbed again, reaching 2.4% in September, with grocery prices up 4%. Families are being squeezed harder than ever; paying more for food, housing, and gas while watching good jobs vanish from their communities.

Canada’s unions are calling for an all-hands-on-deck approach to protect Canadian jobs, strengthen our economy, and support families through this crisis. That means:

• Focusing on jobs and affordability: Invest in public projects and build more housing to create good, stable jobs and ease the cost-of-living crisis;

• Fixing Employment Insurance: Modernize EI and ensure workers impacted by the trade war aren’t left behind;

• Protecting public services: Now is not the time for cuts. With more Canadians depending on healthcare, education, and community supports, we must not reduce services — and we must not add to the jobless; and

• Standing up to Trump: Match U.S. tariffs with strong, targeted retaliatory measures, including a 50% tariff on U.S. steel and aluminum, to defend Canadian industries and show that we will not be bullied.

“Canada’s unions remain ready to work with the government and Parliament to get Canada through this crisis,” Bruske added. “Workers power our economy, and together, we can rebuild it stronger, fairer, and more resilient.”

It’s time to protect Canadian jobs, defend our industries, and put workers first.

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The forum will bring together Avi Lewis, Heather McPherson, Rob Ashton, Tanille Johnston, and Tony McQuail for a series of moderated discussions focused on their vision and leadership approach for Canada’s NDP.

Moderated by CLC President Bea Bruske, each candidate will have the opportunity to speak for ten minutes, offering voters and workers an opportunity to hear, directly and in detail, how the next NDP leader plans to deliver real results for working people.

“Workers built this party, and Canada’s unions are here to make sure it stays focused on delivering for them. This forum is about putting working people at the heart of the leadership conversation.” – Bea Bruske, CLC President

WHAT:
Worker-First Forum with NDP Leadership Candidates

WHEN:         
Wednesday, October 22, 2025 – 6:00 to 7:00 PM ET (Doors open: 5:30 PM ET)

LIVESTREAM UPDATE:
Due to significant public interest, with more than 1,500 registrants, the event will now be livestreamed on YouTube rather than Zoom. *Please note the page will only be live tomorrow right before the event. Feel free to share this new livestream information widely.
– French livestream: noustravaillonsensemble.ca/diffusion-en-direct
– English livestream: workerstogether.ca/livestream

MEDIA RSVP:
If you would like to attend in person, please send an email to media@clcctc.ca with your full name and outlet affiliation.

WHO:

Moderator
Bea Bruske – President, Canadian Labour Congress

NDP Leadership Candidates
Avi Lewis – Journalist, Activist, Associate Professor
Heather McPherson – NDP MP
Rob Ashton – President, International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada (ILWU)
Tanille Johnston – Director of Community Programs with the First Nations Health Authority, City Councillor in Campbell River.
Tony McQuail – Huron County organic farmer

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Bill C-5, An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act, passed in June 2025, provides an opportunity to facilitate internal trade and accelerate critical nation-building projects. These objectives could support good union jobs and generate lasting economic benefits for workers and communities across Canada.

However, as it relates to Indigenous rights and implementation of the Act, we urge government to heed the concerns of Indigenous organizations and community members regarding consultation with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. Government must ensure it is fulfilling its commitments to respecting treaty and constitutional rights of Indigenous peoples, as well as its international obligations under UNDRIP, which include the requirement to obtain free, prior, and informed consent when undertaking projects and developing related policies affecting Indigenous peoples’ rights to land, territory and resources.

“Upholding these commitments as part of implementation of the Building Canada Act is not merely a legal duty. It is a matter of enacting true reconciliation and demonstrating that respecting Indigenous peoples’ rights to decision-making is integral and deeply linked to protecting and advancing the national interest,” said Lily Chang, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress.

Canada’s unions believe that any project deemed to be in the best interest of the Canadian economy must not only reflect economic objectives but also advance labour and human rights, equity, sustainability, and community resilience.

The Building Canada Act offers government an important opportunity to prioritize Indigenous rights and advance reconciliation by guaranteeing a high-standard, rights-based consultative process with Indigenous peoples, an approach that puts people-centred partnership with Indigenous communities, rule of law and human rights first, all of which are essential to building a just and strong economy for all.

Resources:

Check out the links below to find out about events and calls to action from Indigenous organizations across Canada marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation:

Assembly of First Nations

Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
Métis National Council
Native Women’s Association of Canada
Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada

And visit our Indigenous Justice Resource Centre for resources to advance reconciliation in your workplace or union.

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Postal services in Canada are under attack, and postal workers are bearing the brunt of decades of bad business decisions made by wealthy executives.  While executives collect massive bonuses, workers are being squeezed. Our communities need reliable, door-to-door delivery that puts service before profit.

Canada Post is a public service, not a for-profit company—and the workers delivering that service deserve fair contracts, decent wages, job security, and safe working conditions.

This rally will serve as a powerful reminder that workers’ strength comes from our unity. This is more than a protest: it’s a fight for the future of good jobs and a strong public postal service in Canada. Together, we will send a clear message to MPs and decision-makers that postal workers deserve better.

WHAT:            Rally in support of the Canadian Postal Service and CUPW members

WHO:              Siobhán Vipond & Larry Rousseau, CLC Executive Vice-Presidents

WHERE:         Parliament Hill, Ottawa

WHEN:           Wednesday, October 1, 11:00 am

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Instead of building on that vision, the government is going in the opposite direction: announcing sweeping changes to allow Canada Post to end door-to-door delivery and close rural post offices.   

If Canada Post finds itself in financial crisis today, it’s thanks to its bloated executives’ poor management and lack of vision, as well as a string of cuts by previous governments. It’s certainly not the fault of Canadians who are about to lose their mail service. Nor is it the fault of hard-working postal workers whose very livelihood is now in jeopardy.  

This government was elected to protect our jobs not cut the jobs of over 50,000 postal workers. It was elected on a promise of nation-building projects not a promise of destroying national institutions that make up the fabric of our country.  

That this announcement comes in the middle of a difficult round of bargaining with CUPW is of great concern. Ottawa is once again siding with management against workers. The only winner of this announcement is private delivery businesses who are only motivated by profit not service to Canadians.  

Canada’s unions will always stand in solidarity with postal workers. Their fight is a fight for the future our public services, our jobs and Canadian institutions that tie this country together.  

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Canada’s unions are marking 2025 gender equality week by rising with a bold vision for gender justice at the heart of our economy.

“Unions know thatthe economic resilience of our country, depends upon the labour of women and gender diverse workers, whether that is in the workplace, at home or in our communities,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

Unfortunately, women, and in particular Indigenous, Black, racialized, newcomer, young, 2SLGBTQIA+, and women with disabilities, continue to bear the brunt of the affordability crisis.

This is why the CLC is urging this government to act now on gender inequities in our economy by: 

• Investing in the value of women’s work by adding an additional $20 million over three years to expedite the work of the Office of the Pay Equity Commissioner. This includes ensuring that this office has the resources necessary to support and enforce compliance, including regular independent public reviews and sustained funding for the development of the disaggregated data needed to support pay equity initiatives. 

• Providing sufficient and long-term core operational funding to women’s rights and equality-seeking organizations so they have the stability they need to continue to provide services and carry out vital advocacy and research, including an initial investment of $1 million for consultations on the development of a National Strategy for the Gender-Based Violence Workforce that addresses issues of precarious work, access to decent salaries, pensions, benefits, supports for workers, and retention and recruitment issues. 

• Investing in key social infrastructure to address the epidemic of gender-based violence, including fully funding the continuation of the 10-year National Action Plan to End Gender Based Violence.

• Modernizing the Employment Equity Act with a commitment of $20 million over the next three years to establish:

• A dedicated Employment Equity Commissioner (similar to the Pay Equity Commissioner);

• Two new designated equity groups under the Act: Black people and 2SLGBTQIA+ people; and

• Improved data collection and disaggregation to support intersectional analyses and a better understanding of the distinct and nuanced challenges and barriers to employment faced by equity groups.

• Committing $30 million over the next three years to the operation of the Sectoral Table on the Care Economy to meaningfully respond to the gendered impacts of Canada’s care crisis.

“Any plan on the part of the government to strengthen our economy, which does not include investments in care and care work, will fall short of ensuring all workers, particularly women, are able to fully participate in the labour market,” said Siobhan Vipond, Executive Vice-President of the CLC and member of Canada’s inaugural sectoral table on the Care Economy.

“As this government prepares to unveil its first full budget this fall, Canada’s unions are putting our federal leaders on notice: it’s time to centre gender equity in our budgetary policy and ensure it is a key proponent of sustaining Canada’s economic growth,” added Vipond.

The post Economic justice depends on bold vision, investment in care  appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

At a press conference this morning, CLC President Bea Bruske and Senior Economist DT Cochrane warned that Canada’s economy is heading in the wrong direction, and that working people are already paying the price.

“The Bank of Canada’s decision today to cut interest rates is a recognition of the pressure families are under, but the move alone won’t fix Canada’s economic challenges,” said Bruske. “Lower rates might provide some relief, but without serious public investment in housing, health care, jobs, and training, Canadians will be left treading water while the government pushes ahead with cuts.”

Since 2022, unemployment has shot up. Close to half a million more are now out of work. Youth unemployment is nearing 15%, and it’s even worse for Black and Arab youth, hitting around 25%. The cost of living keeps rising, and families across the country are feeling the strain.

“Too many people are working hard and still falling behind,” said Cochrane. “Rent, groceries — everything costs more. But instead of building support systems, the government is reaching for the same old austerity playbook that caused so much harm in the past.”

The CLC is calling on the federal government to take a different approach. That means:

• Investing in affordable housing
• Protecting public services like health care, child care, transit, and education
• Fixing Employment Insurance so everyone who pays in can get support when they need it
• Creating good union jobs through smart public investment and stronger labour laws
• Guaranteeing a better future for young people, with access to decent work, training, or education

“Nation-building isn’t just concrete and steel. It’s also about a strong safety net, healthcare, housing, and skills training. The stuff that actually makes people’s lives better,” said Bruske. “That’s what real leadership looks like. Not slashing services while billion-dollar corporations keep raking in profits.”

Cochrane pointed to recent data showing GDP shrinking and business investment dropping fast.

“The private sector is pulling back. That’s exactly when the public sector should step up, not disappear,” he said. “If the government keeps cutting, it’s only going to make things worse.”

The CLC also criticized the lack of a clear economic plan from the Carney government.

“We keep hearing buzzwords like ‘affordable housing’ and ‘growth,’” said Bruske. “But where’s the plan? Where are the jobs? Who is this economy actually for?”

With nearly 10,000 public service jobs on the chopping block and cuts of up to 15% planned across departments, the CLC says workers are being asked to carry the burden again.

“Workers didn’t cause this crisis,” said Bruske. “But we’re ready to be part of the solution. What we need from the Carney government is courage. Not cuts.

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CLC Media Relations 
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

The post As Parliament Returns, Canada’s Unions Say: No More Cuts, Invest in Workers appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

WHAT: Press conference to respond to the Bank of Canada’s rate announcement and the federal
government’s economic approach

WHEN: Wednesday, September 17, 2025 at 11:30 AM ET

WHERE: Press Conference Room 135-B, West Block, Parliament Hill 

WHO: Bea Bruske, President, Canadian Labour Congress
             DT Cochrane, Senior Economist, Canadian Labour Congress

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To arrange an interview, please contact: 
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613-526-7426

The post Canadian Labour Congress Responds to Bank of Canada Rates and Fall Session of Parliament appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Canada has an opportunity and a responsibility to be a voice for peace. In times of conflict, our commitment to diplomacy, international law, and human rights must guide our actions toward a just and lasting resolution,” said CLC President Bea Bruske in a letter to the Prime Minister in June, which also called for a complete stop to military operations in Gaza and the immediate facilitation of humanitarian aid.

See statement from the ITUC and Global Unions: Global unions demand recognition of Palestine

The post Canada has an opportunity and a responsibility to be a voice for peace appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Canada’s unions are ready to work with government to make sure today’s announcement delivers for workers and for our economy. Ottawa‘s strategy must prioritize good jobs and better lives for workers their families. To succeed, we need we need a clear industrial strategy that coordinates across industries, regions, and different levels of government while bringing workers into the heart of decision-making. 

We want to work together to ensure that trade diversification efforts are not just about opening new markets, but about building the infrastructure and capacity here at home to succeed. That means major federal investment in warehousing, rail, ports, energy, and logistics, all delivered with prevailing wage requirements and strong labour standards. It also means supporting decarbonization so that Canadian exports can reach Europe and other markets without being penalized by carbon border tariffs.

The new ‘Buy Canada’ plan could become a powerful tool for strengthening our economy and creating demand for Canadian products. But we know from past experience that procurement rules only succeed if they are designed to prioritize creating and protecting good, unionized jobs. Otherwise, public money will flow into corporations and private hands without securing long-term benefits for communities and working people.

Workers welcome enhancements to Employment Insurance — this is a great move that if done right is an essential piece of building a resilient economy. As government moves ahead, it will be important to ensure these improvements cover everyone who needs them, including women, young people, and those in precarious or non-standard jobs.

There are always ways to find savings, but governments must remember that economic strength also depends on strong public services. Canadians need access to health care, child care, and housing that help bring down costs for families. Workers need confidence that Employment Insurance, skills training, and supports will be there when they are needed most. These investments make the economy more resilient and help families weather the shocks that tariffs, trade disruptions, and corporate decisions can bring. With unemployment rising and the job market deteriorating fast, now is the worst possible time for austerity and severe budget cuts to social programs and public-service jobs.

While today’s announcement is welcome, there are still some gaps that need to be addressed. For steel and aluminum producers, the absence of strengthened tariff rate quotas is a missed opportunity. Without this breathing room, workers and employers alike will struggle to adapt to fast-changing market conditions. On electric vehicles, relief for automakers must be tied to clear commitments: investments in Canadian production, guarantees for Canadian jobs, and support for the transition measures that unions are calling for. Canadians expect no less when billions of dollars in public funds are being put on the table.

The funding programs and worker supports announced today are important, but they will only succeed if they look beyond short-term reskilling. We want to ensure these tools prioritize upskilling, retention, and pathways to unionization so that workers can build stable, long-term careers in growing industries.

Canada’s unions will continue to push for a bold and comprehensive plan — one that connects today’s measures into a coherent industrial strategy, ensures public investments build Canadian capacity, and guarantees that the payback is measured in secure union jobs. We look forward to working with government to make that vision a reality, because that’s the only way to secure Canada’s future in a turbulent global economy.”

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To arrange an interview, please contact:
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The post Statement by Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, on the Prime Minister’s trade and tariff announcement appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Happy Labour Day. Today, we celebrate the power of workers — past, present, and future. It was workers who won weekends, universal health care, pensions, unemployment insurance, parental leave, pay equity, and health and safety laws. And it will be workers who win the next generation of rights, protections, and fairness. 

This year gave us a powerful reminder of that truth. Just hours after Air Canada flight attendants began their strike, Prime Minister Carney tried to crush it by invoking Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code — at the behest of Air Canada’s CEO. This Trump-style attack on workers is not what Canadians expect from their newly elected Prime Minister.  

But CUPE flight attendants knew their rights. They defied the order, forced Air Canada back to the bargaining table, and bargained a deal. The lesson is clear: workers will not and should not be taken for granted. 

This victory comes at a critical moment — because inequality in Canada is beginning to look like it did during the first Gilded Age more than a century ago. Back then, a handful of robber barons hoarded unimaginable wealth while workers endured 12-hour shifts in unsafe factories, living in poverty with little protection and no voice. Governments bent to corporate power, and working people paid the price. 

Today, we see similar patterns. The richest 100 CEOs in Canada now make 243 times more than the average worker. Grocery giants are posting record profits while families cut back on food. Oil and gas companies are pocketing billions while Canadians struggle with heating bills. Banks make excessive profits while workers struggle with high interest rates. And public services — the very tools that make life affordable and fair — are under attack from government austerity. 

The parallels with the Gilded Age are chilling: extreme concentration of wealth, corporations writing the rules, and politicians rigging the system in favour of employers and against workers. 

But history also teaches us how to break this cycle. The antidote to runaway greed has always been the same: unions. In the last Gilded Age, it was workers organizing and building solidarity that won health and safety laws, shorter work hours, weekends, pensions, and the foundation of Canada’s public services. Every gain was won by workers standing together and forcing change. 

Today, the solution is no different. We need more unions. We need to organize harder. We need stronger worker power so that no government dares to trample on our rights again, and no corporation can treat workers as disposable while handing out huge bonuses to their executives. Because when workers join together, we don’t just win for ourselves — we lift entire communities. We strengthen public services. We build fairer economies. We create a more just society. 

This Labour Day, let’s not just look back at past victories. Let’s look forward. Let’s commit to organizing in the face of corporate greed. Let’s commit to growing the labour movement, defending free collective bargaining, and building worker power strong enough to end this new Gilded Age once and for all. 

Happy Labour Day. Workers together, we’re organizing. Together, we’re mobilizing. Together, we’re building the future workers deserve.

The post Happy Labour Day: Workers’ Power Is the Answer to the New Gilded Age appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Let’s be clear: capitulation hasn’t delivered Canada a single gain from Trump. Whether it was scrapping the digital services tax or making concessions on border security, giving in has only weakened our industries and hurt working people. Removing counter-tariffs now would once again hand Trump an easy victory while leaving Canadian workers and communities to pay the price.

Counter-tariffs are not symbolic. They are Canada’s line of defence in this escalating trade war. Unilaterally removing counter-tariffs now would betray the clear mandate Canadians gave the Prime Minister: fight back against Trump’s trade war and defend good Canadian jobs.

Caving to Trump is not an option. It’s time to hit back hard, to stand up for workers, and to deploy every tool available to protect our industries and our communities. Prime Minister Carney must use Canada’s considerable bargaining power to prevent the decimation of vital industries and the loss of thousands of good jobs.

The post Statement from Bea Bruske on Carney’s plan to remove U.S. counter-tariffs appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Prime Minister Carney’s government chose to impose Section 107 just hours after the strike began—an unprecedented and heavy-handed move to tilt the scales in the employer’s favour. With the backing of the entire labour movement, CUPE stood its ground, defied the order, and forced the company back to the bargaining table—where a fair deal was reached. The outcome makes one thing clear: Section 107 is no longer a reliable weapon for employers.

By refusing to bow to government interference, CUPE flight attendants exposed Section 107 for what it is: an unconstitutional violation of workers’ Charter-protected right to free and fair collective bargaining. Any employer thinking of leaning on Section 107 in the future should think twice—it’s a crutch that just snapped.

Deals are made where they should be—at the bargaining table. That’s good for workers, good for communities, and good for building lasting relationships between unions and employers. The entire labour movement is grateful to flight attendants for their strength and perseverance in standing firm for these rights.

The last 24 hours have shown that Section 107 is unconstitutional, unenforceable, and corrosive to free collective bargaining. Canada’s unions are calling for its removal from the Canada Labour Code. We urge all parties in Parliament to make this a priority in the upcoming fall session—because protecting workers’ Charter rights should never be optional, and employers must never again be allowed to rely on Section 107 to delay or deny fair bargaining.

The lesson from this strike is undeniable: workers win when they fight, and collective agreements are made through negotiation, not government-imposed edicts. Section 107 has been dealt a blow it shouldn’t recover from—and that’s good news for every worker in Canada.

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The post CUPE flight attendants prove bargaining, not Carney’s Section 107, delivers deals appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

‘’Tonight, the heads of Canada’s unions met in an emergency session to stand united behind Air Canada Flight Attendants in defying the government’s unconstitutional attack on workers’ rights. 

We came out stronger and united, with a clear message to push back against the government’s attacks on workers’ rights: an attack on one is an attack on all. The labour movement is united and standing firm, and we will not allow these Charter-protected rights to be trampled upon. 

Canada’s unions voted unanimously to call on the federal government to:   

• Immediately withdraw the order under s.107 to end the legal strike by the Air Canada Component of CUPE;   

• Commit to immediately cease the use of s.107 to end or prevent a legal strike in any labour dispute in the federal jurisdiction;   

• Agree to amend the Canada Labour Code to remove s. 107 as the first order of business when Parliament resumes.  

To support these demands, Canada’s unions stand ready to:    

• Coordinate a fight-back campaign, reminding politicians and Canadians more broadly what these workers are fighting for;  

• Promote and coordinate financial contributions from affiliates and others to assist with the legal and other costs related to the Air Canada Component of CUPE’s decision to defy the Minister’s order;   

• Disseminate information on demonstrations and other actions with affiliates quickly to ensure maximum impact;   

• Work with CUPE and all affiliates to ensure that if the government takes legal action against these workers, the labour movement will respond swiftly and stand united in unwavering solidarity.   

Prime Minister Carney was elected to fight against Trump, not to undermine the rights of Canada’s workers. This government was elected to protect our jobs and our communities, not to support corporations like Air Canada that demand free work from their employees.  

It’s time to do the right thing and respect Canadian workers’ right to collective bargaining.” 

The post CANADA’S LABOUR MOVEMENT STANDS UNITED AGAINST GOVERNMENT VIOLATION OF WORKERS’ RIGHTS appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Time and time again, he’s targeted our industries, our livelihoods, and the communities that keep this country running. The mere instability caused by his unpredictable attacks has made investment decisions impossible—hurting both workers and our industries.

Let me be clear: Canada does not cave. We do not retreat. And we will not be intimidated.

To our governments:

Appeasement does not work. In response to Trump’s demands, Canada has spent millions to address border issues, we rescinded our digital services tax, and scaled back counter-tariffs. Like a bully, Trump’s only response to Canada’s good-faith efforts is nothing but escalation.

This is a moment for strength. A moment to meet Trump’s aggression with the full force of Canada’s resolve. We need urgent action now:

• Impose counter-tariffs in response to the latest tariff attacks from Trump.
• Introduce export taxes on Canadian energy sold to the U.S.
• Mandate that all national infrastructure projects use Canadian steel, aluminum, and lumber.
• Invest directly in affected workers and communities by enhancing Employment Insurance, expanding Work-Sharing, and providing emergency income supports.
• Launch ambitious, nation-building projects like affordable housing, clean energy, and public transit that create union jobs and build Canadian resilience.

We must stop reacting and start leading. Canada’s workers are ready to stand up for this country. It’s time our governments stood with them, with boldness and with urgency.

To every worker in Canada:

This won’t be easy. There will be disruptions. Some of us will face layoffs. And there will be those who try to divide us.

But Canadian workers are not strangers to hard times. We know how to fight—and we know how to win. So, let’s hold strong. Buy union-made. Support local. Stand with your union. Get involved in your community. Reject division and stand together, shoulder to shoulder. Because when Canadian workers rise together, no one can take us down.

Donald Trump may think he can rattle us. But what he doesn’t understand is that Canadians don’t back down, we rise up. We fight for our jobs, our families, and our future.

The post Statement from Bea Bruske: Trump’s 35% Tariffs Demand a Bold Response appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Dear Prime Minister: 

On behalf of Canada’s unions, I am writing about the unspeakable situation in Gaza and what can only be described as genocide. The October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas was an atrocity. The collective punishment being inflicted on millions of Palestinians in response is a crime of historic scale. 

In June, Canada’s unions called on your government to take several actions to address the horror of what is unfolding in Gaza. The first of which was recognizing Palestinian statehood. 

On behalf of the Canadian Labour Congress, and the more than three million workers we represent, I want to commend you for your recent announcement that Canada will recognize Palestinian statehood. Recognizing Palestine cannot be a reward at the end of negotiations. It is a precondition to the start of a real peace process. In the face of immense human suffering, it is important to see Canada recommit itself to the principles of international law, human dignity and peace. Thank you. 

Recognition of Palestinian statehood is a critical first step, but it alone will not stop the suffering in Gaza. 

Nearly 22 months into this war, more than 60,000 Palestinian people are dead, including more than 15,000 children. The 2.1 million Palestinians in Gaza face starvation and indiscriminate bombardment. Three million more in the West Bank suffer daily humiliation, violence, and a systemic campaign of land confiscation and settlement expansion. 

Canada must take further steps to build on the recognition of Palestinian statehood to end the suffering in Gaza and bring a peaceful resolution. Canada’s unions outlined these steps in our June Letter. 

Finally, Canada must work to strengthen democracy to deliver peace now. Hamas will not be defeated by Netanyahu. Hamas will be defeated by the Palestinian people if they have hope for a free and peaceful future with decent jobs and social and economic security. 

Palestinians need autonomy. They need rights. They need recognition. Israel rightly demands security guarantees, and that demand must be met. But peace cannot be built on subjugation. 

I also share this open letter from Luc Triangle, the General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), released earlier this week. The ITUC is the global voice of working people and includes both Israel’s Histadrut and the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) amongst its affiliates. The CLC is a member of the ITUC and supports the calls to action in this letter. 

Prime Minister, Canada has an opportunity and a responsibility to be a force for peace. Thank you for your commitment to recognizing Palestinian statehood. There are those who will seek to weaken the growing international consensus that the horror of what is occurring in Gaza must stop. It is important to remain resolute in the face of that pressure. Our commitment to diplomacy, international law, and human rights must guide our actions towards a just and lasting resolution. 

The full letter is available here.

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The Handala, part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, was carrying vital humanitarian aid to Gaza, along with 21 peaceful activists committed to human rights and international solidarity.

Among those unlawfully detained are several trade unionists:

• Hatem Laouini, Tunisian trade unionist from the UGTT and representative of UNI Global Union in the Arab region.
• Christian Smalls, founder of the Amazon Labor Union in the United States.
• Santiago González Vallejo, Spanish economist and retired trade unionist attached to the USO International Action Secretariat.

This unjustified detention constitutes a grave violation of international law, an assault on the peaceful defence of human rights, and a direct threat to trade unionists’ right to engage in international solidarity.

The presence of respected union leaders on this mission underscores the global labour movement’s unwavering commitment to peace, human rights and solidarity with the Palestinian people.

ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle said: “We are witnessing ever-escalating series of atrocities in Gaza. Since late May, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed trying to access food. The entire population in Gaza is facing starvation under Israel’s illegal blockade.”

“While the international community is knowingly standing by and watching the mass killing and starvation unfold, these courageous activists undertook brave action to deliver critical humanitarian aid directly to Palestinians in Gaza, including baby milk formula, nappies, food and medicine. The world is in a moral crisis. These people should not be arrested but immediately released. Humanitarian aid should not be blocked, but allowed to reach Gaza without obstruction, and the people of Gaza must be able to peacefully access these supplies.”

The ITUC urgently calls for:

• The immediate and unconditional release of all those detained, including our trade union colleagues.
• International condemnation of Israel’s obstruction of a peaceful, humanitarian mission.
• Robust protection for trade unionists and other activists engaging in solidarity action to uphold fundamental human rights and international law.

The ITUC stands in full solidarity with the Handala mission and all those on board. We reaffirm our unwavering support for the Palestinian people and the right of workers everywhere to engage in peaceful activism.

The Canadian Labour Congress is a member of the ITUC.

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Today, Prime Minister Mark Carney and Canada’s premiers are meeting to discuss the impact of Trump’s trade war on Canada. Workers should be front and centre for Canada’s leaders.

This trade war has already taken a major toll on Canada’s workers. We are losing jobs or working reduced hours. The cost of living keeps increasing. The unemployment rate is at 7% nationally, and in the regions most directly impacted by steel and auto tariffs, it’s in the double digits. We have not seen any progress on the EI enhancements promised in the Liberal platform, but we’re seeing deeper-than-promised cuts to the public services we rely on. Nation-building projects have yet to be announced, and the government has been silent on any plans to build affordable housing.

The government has taken significant steps in quickly changing laws, spending new money on border control and defence, and hastily acting on Trump’s demands against Canada’s Digital Services Tax. But the same vigour is nowhere to be found when it comes to support for workers. Worse still, workers are only finding out about the state of negotiations through Truth Social posts or Trump’s press secretary.

As we approach the August 1^st deadline, workers are rightfully worried. We are worried about whether there will be a deal or whether we will face a 35% tariff. We are worried that the government appears to be preparing us so that even with a deal, we will continue to see tariffs on our products. We are worried about the concessions that the government has already given to Trump and what else they might be willing to give up to appease the American president.

We welcome the government’s recent extension of the temporary adjustment to Employment Insurance regional unemployment and the training support for steel workers. But more needs to be done. To date, government support for workers pales in comparison to its robust support for industry.

Canada’s unions are demanding urgent action from the government to:

• Include workers and their unions in discussions about the trade war. We are the backbone of the economy, and we should be included in these important discussions.
• Invest directly in affected workers and communities by robustly and immediately enhancing Employment Insurance, expanding Work-Sharing, and providing emergency income supports.
• Launch a new wage with job guarantees subsidy for businesses in affected sectors to protect workers affected by tariffs.
• Launch ambitious, nation-building projects and public infrastructure using Canadian materials to create good union jobs and build Canadian resilience.
• Impose counter-tariffs in response to the latest tariff attacks from Trump and use every dollar collected to support Canadian workers and businesses affected by the trade war, and;
• Ensure that new trade deals uphold Canadian values, including labour and environmental standards.

Defending Canada against Trump’s trade war is not a solo mission. It requires a Team Canada approach with workers and their unions playing a central role on the team.

The post Council of the Federation must focus on the impact of the trade war on workers appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Tomorrow, Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, is joining Liz Shuler, President of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), and Yasmin Fahimi, President of the German Confederation of Trade Unions (DGB), to discuss strategies in defending workers and their jobs in the face of economic turmoil.

The meetings bring together senior union leaders and policy experts to discuss a worker-centred approach to trade, industrial policy, and supply chain resilience in the face of growing geopolitical and economic threats.

Bea Bruske is available for media interviews to speak about:

• The impact of Trump’s tariff threat on Canadian and North American workers;
• Why global labour solidarity is critical in resisting austerity;
• How unions are building a transatlantic agenda to protect jobs and industries;

Quote:

“In a time of growing uncertainty and division, workers are showing what real global leadership looks like. Together with our union allies in the U.S. and Germany, we’re advancing a shared vision for an economy built on dignity, fairness, and international solidarity.” Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

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To arrange an interview with Bea Bruske, please contact:  
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The post CLC President Bea Bruske in Washington for labour meetings amidst trade war  appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Prime Minister Carney’s instruction to cabinet to identify deep operational savings is a dangerous step in the wrong direction, one that puts critical public services and the workers who deliver them on the chopping block.

We’ve already seen nearly 10,000 federal jobs lost in the past year, with thousands of more workers in limbo. Now the government is considering cuts of up to 15% in some departments, risking the most significant downsizing of Canada’s public service at a time when the Prime Minister is committing to significant new spending on defence and tax cuts for the rich.

Public services can always be improved, and the workers who deliver those important services know how to make them better. However, across-the-board cuts will only harm the services Canadians rely on and the workers who provide them. Past rounds of austerity have undermined public services and increased government spending on costly external contractors.

Canada’s public service is one of the most efficient public service administrations in the world. Measured as a percentage of the population, the federal public service is smaller than it was in the 1980s, despite providing more services and serving a significantly older population.

At a time when Canadian workers are bracing for the economic impact of Trump’s reckless trade war, the federal government should lean in, not pull back. Trump’s attacks will have real impacts in communities across Canada, especially in manufacturing, steel, aluminum, and supply chain jobs. These workers and their families will need more support, not less. Slashing public services in the middle of an economic downturn will only make things worse. Adding thousands more to the growing ranks of the unemployed will further weaken our economy.

Canada’s unions will not sit idly while workers and public services are put at risk. The intended cuts to government spending are the worst round of austerity we’ve seen since 1995, when Paul Martin’s budget slashed transfers for health care, killed affordable housing programs, and gutted support systems Canadians depended on. If we’re facing a housing crisis, healthcare strain and woefully inadequate EI today, we can trace those problems back to Paul Martin’s austerity budget.

We urge Prime Minister Carney and his cabinet to change course, protect public services, and ensure that workers and communities come first.

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Canada’s unions are deeply disappointed — and profoundly concerned — by Minister Hajdu’s decision to impose a vote on Canada Post’s final offers. Let’s be clear: the strongest, most lasting agreements are reached at the bargaining table, not forced through governmental interference.

This decision is more than just a misstep; it is a serious violation of the principles of free collective bargaining. Instead of remaining neutral, the Federal Government is once again acting on behalf of Canada Post, undermining CUPW’s right to be the sole and exclusive bargaining agent for its members. Rather than supporting fair, good-faith bargaining between parties, the Government continues the troubling union-busting trend we’ve seen from both Liberal and Conservative governments. When the government signals to employers that they can drag out negotiations and then be rewarded with a legislative shortcut, it undermines the foundation of fair and meaningful bargaining. It sends a dangerous message: that employers don’t need to bargain in good faith, they just need to wait it out.

This is unacceptable. It erodes workers’ Charter-protected rights and sets a damaging precedent for all unionized workers in this country. 

Canada’s unions will not stand by while this happens. We will not watch silently as public services are dismantled and workers are pushed aside.

CUPW members are fighting for more than just a contract. They’re standing up for the future of Canada Post, and for the next generation of workers who risk being pushed into gig-style, precarious jobs. If we want to stop the race to the bottom in wages and working conditions, we should be standing with them, not sidelining them.

Canada Post already has what no other private company does: a presence in every community in Canada. While big banks abandon rural towns, Canada Post remains. So why aren’t we investing in innovations like postal banking, which could deliver financial services where they’re needed most?

Canadians are ready for bold, nation-building ideas. Strengthening Canada Post should be one of them. Canada’s unions will not let outdated management strategies tear it down.

Canada Post isn’t just a service. It’s a public institution. It’s a pillar of good, unionized jobs and a vital link for communities across the country. Undermining it is a disservice to us all.

The federal government must respect the collective bargaining process. It must work with workers to build a Canada Post that delivers for the future.

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We welcome the recent joint statement by our heads of state calling for an immediate halt to Israel’s assault in Gaza and for unimpeded access to humanitarian aid.

These are critical first steps toward alleviating the suffering of civilians caught in the conflict.

Our governments rightly acknowledged that permanent forced displacement is a breach of international humanitarian law, and we welcome their opposition to settlement expansion and the recognition that it is illegal and undermines the viability of a Palestinian state.

However, words must be matched by action.

Given the urgency and scale of the crisis, we call on our governments to use every diplomatic, legal, and economic lever available to:

• Demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire;
• Ensure the Israeli government meets its obligations under international humanitarian law;
• Initiate a credible political process aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace

It’s time for our leaders to formally recognise the State of Palestine immediately.

As members of the G7, doing so would send a powerful signal, particularly in the lead-up to the UN conference co-chaired by France in mid-June.

The time for decisive action is now. The need for justice, peace, and recognition has never been more urgent.

Link to the official letter sent to the Prime Minister here

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In this moment of deep economic anxiety, Canadians deserve leadership that listens to working people and puts their priorities first. Instead, the federal government is choosing to host a G7 Summit that’s out of step with the real struggles people are facing.

Inviting Donald Trump—whose track record includes open hostility toward workers and unions—is a slap in the face to the thousands of Canadians still waiting to hear whether they’ll have a job next week. At a time when our country is battling wildfires, rising inequality, and runaway housing costs, this move sends all the wrong signals.

We are also deeply concerned by the invitation extended to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the face of ongoing concerns about foreign interference and political violence targeting diasporic communities in Canada, this decision is not only inappropriate, it’s dangerous. Canada must send a clear message: political violence and foreign interference have no place on Canadian soil.

While millions in taxpayer dollars are being spent on this summit, workers are being told to tighten their belts. But we can’t build a just economy by cutting corners for communities while rolling out the red carpet for controversial world leaders.

The Canadian Labour Congress calls on the federal government to redirect its focus toward the people who build this country, keep it running, and deserve a future they can count on.

Now is the time to invest in good jobs, strong public services, and resilient communities—not empty pageantry.

The post Statement from Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, on the G7 Summit appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Canada has a responsibility to stand up for international law, human rights, and the dignity of all people. That means recognizing Palestinian statehood, supporting a two-way arms embargo, ensuring the flow of humanitarian aid, and ending trade with illegal Israeli settlements.

Workers in Canada expect their government to show leadership rooted in justice, accountability, and peace.

Read the full letter below:

Dear Prime Minister Carney,

Re: Gaza

On behalf of the Canadian Labour Congress and the more than three million workers we represent, I want to commend you for your recent joint statement with the leaders of France and the United Kingdom calling for a complete stop to military operations in Gaza and the immediate facilitation of humanitarian aid. In a moment of immense human suffering and growing global instability, it is good to see Canada recommit itself to the principles of international law, human dignity, and peace.

Words matter, and your statement was an important signal. But words must be followed by concrete action.

We urge your government to build on this moment by taking the following steps:

• Recognize Palestinian statehood: Canada has long supported a two-state solution, and recognition of Palestinian statehood is a necessary step toward making that vision a reality.
• Support a two-way arms embargo: The violence and suffering will not end if weapons continue to flow into the region. Canada must support an immediate two-way arms embargo to stop fueling the conflict. We urge the government to work with trade unions representing workers in the impacted arms and technology industries to develop a just transition plan to secure their livelihoods.
• Continue funding UN agencies, including UNRWA: Humanitarian agencies need immediate, unrestricted access to Gaza. Canada should encourage allies to renew and increase support to UNRWA and other UN bodies to deliver life-saving aid to civilians who are facing starvation, displacement, and disease.
• Impose targeted sanctions on individuals responsible for violations of international law and human rights. Canada must apply a consistent and principled approach to accountability, no matter the actor.
• Cancel the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement (CIFTA) and prohibit all trade with illegal Israeli settlements. The CLC has long called for a ban on goods produced in Israeli settlements and for mandatory labeling to distinguish such goods from those made within Israel’s internationally recognized borders.

Beyond these urgent measures, we call on you to coordinate international leadership to:

• Secure a permanent ceasefire;
• Ensure the immediate release of all remaining Israeli hostages, and the bodies of those that have tragically passed away;
• Reaffirm unwavering support for a negotiated two-state solution as the only path to lasting peace and stability; and
• Reopen the Israeli labour market to Palestinian workers, and advocate that back wages be paid to the more than 200,000 affected workers.

Prime Minister, Canada has an opportunity and a responsibility to be a voice for peace. In times of conflict, our commitment to diplomacy, international law, and human rights must guide our actions toward a just and lasting resolution.

Yours sincerely,

Bea Bruske
President

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“2SLGBTQI+ workers make enormous contributions to our workplaces, unions and communities,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Today, and every day, Canada’s unions show our pride by celebrating and fiercely defending the vibrant diversity within our movement.”

We know from research that a 2SLGBTQI-inclusive workforce builds a strong economy. However, the opposite is also true – the discrimination and exclusion that many 2SLGBTQI+ workers face at work and in society have negative impacts on a country’s economic development and prosperity. 

Unfortunately, today’s affordability crisis impacts 2SLGBTQI+ people disproportionately. In 2023:

• 40.7% of 2SLGBTQI+ individuals found it difficult or very difficult to meet financial needs, compared to 32.7% of non-2SLGBTQI+ individuals;
• Racialized 2SLGBTQI+ community members experience even greater income disparities relative to their white counterparts; and
• 2SLGBTQI+ individuals are twice as likely to experience homelessness compared to their heterosexual, cisgender counterparts, while queer women are 4 four times as likely. 

“A strong Canadian economy is one where everyone can thrive, no matter their background, race, religion, or identity. That’s why building a 2SLGBTQI+-inclusive society benefits us all,” adds Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice President of the CLC. “Canada’s unions will continue to lead the charge when it comes to building more inclusive workplaces and defending hard-won gains for 2SLGBTQI+ rights at work and in our communities.”

This Pride season, join Canada’s unions and show your solidarity to celebrate and defend 2SLGBTQI+ rights both at work and in our communities. 

The post Solidarity in our Pride: Unions Welcome 2025 Pride Season in Celebration of 2SLGBTQI+ Workers and Communities appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

This reckless escalation is a direct attack on Canadian workers, businesses, and local economies. The impact threatens to devastate Canada’s steel and aluminum industries, shut Canadian producers out of the U.S. market, and jeopardize thousands of good, unionized jobs across the country.

Bea Bruske (Canadian Labour Congress), Candace Laing (Canadian Chamber of Commerce), and Carole Saab (Federation of Canadian Municipalities) will outline the urgent need for a coordinated federal response to defend Canadian jobs, businesses, and communities.

WHAT:           Joint press conference on U.S. tariffs and their impact on Canada

WHEN:          Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at 1:00 PM ET

WHERE:        Press Conference Room 135-B, West Block, Parliament Hill

WHO:            Bea Bruske, President, Canadian Labour Congress (CLC)
                       Candace Laing, President and CEO, Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC)
                       Carole Saab, CEO, Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)

Please RSVP to: 
CLC Media Relations 
media@clcctc.ca 
613-526-7426

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We are thinking of you. We stand with you. 

We extend our deepest gratitude to the frontline workers—firefighters, emergency responders, public service workers, and so many others—who are working around the clock, often in dangerous conditions, to protect lives and communities. 

We owe them not just our thanks, but our full support—today and every day. 

That support must include fair treatment for all firefighters. Forest firefighters are often left out of the protections and benefits that others receive. They are not included in the Public Safety Occupation provisions of the federal Income Tax Act, which means they don’t get the same pension rights or recognition under the National Occupational Classification. 

Despite their invaluable service, forest and wildland firefighters do not receive the recognition, protections, and retirement benefits that their urban and structural counterparts do. This built-in inequality must be addressed so that these essential workers receive the recognition and protection they rightfully deserve. 

There also needs to be a focus on recruitment and retention, something  Canada’s unions have advocated for a long time.  

These fires are not isolated incidents. They are part of a larger pattern that can no longer be ignored. Climate change is real, and its impacts are accelerating. The time for half-measures and delay is over. 

Workers must have a seat at the table when it comes to shaping the future of our country. The climate crisis is a workers’ issue, a public health issue, an economic issue—and it demands bold, coordinated action. 

To all the workers and families on the frontlines of this crisis, we stand with you in solidarity. We stand for justice, equality, and recognition of the critical work you do—every day, and in every part of this country. 

The post Statement from Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, on the Wildfires Affecting Communities Across Canada appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

This decision will shut us out of the  U.S. market completely, devastating Canada’s steel & aluminum industry and threatening thousands of good-paying, unionized Canadian jobs. 

In light of this escalating threat, Canada’s unions call for immediate government action to protect workers.  

This includes: 

• Emergency reforms to Employment Insurance (EI) that actually support laid-off workers when they need it most, 

• The immediate expansion of Section 53 measures to give the government the flexibility to act swiftly in protecting key sectors. 

• A clear commitment that nation-building projects under the upcoming One Canadian Economy legislation prioritize Canadian steel as a condition for fast-tracking approval, and 

• Wage subsidies and other targeted measures to keep workers on the job and businesses operating. 

Canada must respond with strength and urgency.  Workers cannot be left to face the fallout alone.  

We need a government that is prepared to stand  up for Canadian industries, invest in good union jobs, and protect our economic sovereignty in the face of growing international uncertainty. 

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“The Canada Disability Benefit was a landmark initiative and legacy program left over by Canada’s last Liberal government,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “However, the benefit amount and current rollout plans fall significantly short of addressing the disproportionately high levels of poverty faced by persons with disabilities in this country.”

The CDB represents a critical step toward addressing these challenges, providing direct financial assistance to 1.6 million Canadians currently living in poverty—including workers with disabilities—and laying the foundation for a more inclusive economy. With unanimous passage in June 2023 and draft regulations published in June 2024, this new benefit is scheduled to roll out in July 2025.

However, concerns remain regarding the CDB’s low amount of only $200 a month, restrictive eligibility criteria, separate application process, and the risk of provincial clawbacks.

The CDB is a vital opportunity to reduce poverty, advance equity, and uphold the dignity of millions of people with disabilities in Canada. That’s why Canada’s unions are joining disability justice advocates across the country in demanding action from our federal government to ensure the benefit truly lifts people with disabilities out of poverty, including:

• Increasing the base amount—the benefit should lift disabled people out of poverty, providing an income that is above Canada’s official poverty line;

• Cutting the red tape—automatically enroll those already eligible for other disability benefits; and

• Ensuring there are no clawbacks—the CDB must be a top-up to other income and disability support programs for all levels of government.

“The ball is now in Prime Minister Carney’s court: it’s time to improve the benefit and increase access, now,” said Lily Chang, Secretary-Treasurer of the CLC. “By making the Canada Disability Benefit better, our government can solidify its legacy as a champion of fairness and equality, demonstrating leadership that resonates not only with those directly impacted but with all Canadians who believe in a society that leaves no one behind.”

Learn more about the campaign to improve the CDB, led by Disability Without Poverty, here.

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OTTAWA –– Workers expected an ambitious plan to strengthen our economy, create jobs, and defend communities against Trump’s agenda, however, today’s throne speech provided none of this.

Workers need the federal government to have a plan, backed by bold investment and action, to deliver good union jobs, stronger public services, and economic security for all.

Canadian families continue to bear the brunt of a continued affordability crisis and Trump’s economic chaos. For far too many workers, wages are not keeping up with rising costs. Families are facing an increasingly unattainable housing market, and many are being left behind by a strained Employment Insurance system and an under-resourced public health care system. At the same time, a rising unemployment rate is making it even harder for workers to find stable, secure jobs and support their families.

Prioritizing tax cuts for the wealthy over support for those who need it most signals a step away from the bold action needed to tackle the trade war, housing crisis, strained health care, and the climate emergency.

While we welcome the government’s intention to “bring down costs for Canadians”, we are deeply concerned by a Throne Speech that emphasizes deregulation, cost-cutting, and fiscal restraint over meaningful investment in people and the services they rely on.

The Throne Speech’s proposals to eliminate internal trade barriers fail to raise the bar for workers across the board and instead risk weakening standards and protections and undermining provincial autonomy. Unions must have a seat at the table in these conversations because workers cannot be an afterthought when shaping Canada’s future.

The government must prioritize the creation of good jobs and a globally competitive industrial strategy, but not if it comes at the cost of public oversight or by shortchanging the workers who build our economy. It must begin with investments in infrastructure, clean energy, manufacturing, and care services that create good union jobs and support communities.

Tinkering with regulations or shrinking government operations is no substitute for the real, sustained investment that working families need.

On housing, we urge the government to go beyond incentives for private developers and commit to building publicly funded, truly affordable housing. Every Canadian deserves a safe place to call home, not just market-driven promises of “affordability.”

The government’s commitment to attracting global talent is important, but it must go hand-in-hand with strong labour protections, fair wages, and a renewed focus on training and retaining workers already here. Immigration policy must be grounded in equity and sustainability, not as a cover for suppressing wages or undercutting working conditions.

Lastly, we are particularly alarmed by the suggestion of cutting public services at a time when Canadians, reeling from Trump’s trade war, need more support, not less.

Limiting investments now would only deepen inequality and strain already overburdened systems like health care and EI. Similarly, vague promises to use AI to boost productivity must be met with clear commitments to job protection, quality public services, and strong regulations to ensure technology works for and with workers, not against them.

Workers are watching. This moment calls for courageous leadership, not cost-cutting or complacency. The government must work with Canada’s unions to raise wages, strengthen public health care, implement universal, publicly funded Pharmacare, modernize Employment Insurance, and ensure that no worker is left behind.

It’s time for this government to choose: bold leadership, or missed opportunity.

Workers were front and centre during the election, but left out of the Throne Speech.

We’re ready to work with this government, but make no mistake: if it fails workers, we won’t hesitate to hold it to account.

-30-

To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

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“Combatting all forms of anti-2SLGBTQI+ hate, whether it’s discrimination at work or in our society, is a trade union issue,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “Even as conservative politicians try to divide our country by scapegoating 2SLGBTQI+ communities, workers will continue to proudly unite against hate.”

2SLBTQI+ communities have been targets of record high levels of harassment and violence, both here in Canada and around the world.  According to Statistics Canada, in 2023 alone, hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation rose by 69% from the previous year. What’s worse, between 2016 to 2023, this number has increased by a staggering 388%.

In fact, the CLC’s most recent report on harassment and violence at work found that 73% of gender diverse workers experienced violence and harassment at work. That’s why the CLC is advocating for greater protections from harassment and violence in the workplace for all workers, including 2SLGBTQI+ workers. This includes lobbying our newly elected federal government to take action to end violence and harassment at work by fully implementing the International Labour Organization’s Convention 190, a global treaty to end this violence.

“Rising levels of anti-2SLGBTQI+ hate have a ripple effect in the workplace. This means 2SLGBTQI+ workers are increasingly and disproportionately impacted by harassment and violence at work,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice President of the CLC. “Unions have historically and will continue to play a crucial role in defending the rights of 2SLGBTQI+ workers, whether at the bargaining table or in the legislative halls. Everyone has the right to work safely, without fear of violence and harassment because of who they are or who they love.”

Join the CLC and take action to show your solidarity and defend the rights of 2SLGBTQI+ workers today: https://canadianlabour.ca/campaigns/pride-solidarity/#:~:text=Let’s%20come%20together%20to%20celebrate,today%20by%20adding%20your%20name.

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Workers in the Crossfire: Inflation, Austerity, Precarious Jobs and Rising Insecurity

Workers in G7 countries have faced a series of compounding shocks in recent years that have significantly strained household incomes and undermined job security. The 2022- 2023 surge in inflation led to a pronounced cost-of-living crisis that remains ongoing. As prices for essential goods and services soared, wages failed to keep pace, sharply eroding the purchasing power of working families. In response, central banks raised interest rates aggressively in an effort to rein in inflation, which subsequently increased borrowing costs and dampened both business investment and household consumption. In many countries, high interest rates have fuelled increases in capital income, widening income and wealth inequality as well as social polarisation.

While easing inflation has seen interest rates lowered over the past year, previous rate hikes continue to weigh down the credit supply. A significant share of corporate and mortgage debt taken out during a period of low interest rates is yet to mature and will need to be refinanced in the near future. This will come at a higher cost, leading to increased interest payments and additional strain on household and corporate finances. Restrictive monetary policy, coupled with austerity policies or overly cautious fiscal policy, have also had profound effects on the labour market. Unemployment rates have increased in several G7 countries, particularly in sectors such as construction and manufacturing, which are acutely sensitive to higher interest rates and rely heavily on sustained consumer demand and public and private investment. Many firms have postponed or cancelled projects, leading to restructuring and layoffs, hiring and wage

freezes, and weakened employment prospects. Meanwhile, the share of precarious, part- time, and non-standard forms of work has grown in many countries, reflecting a broader shift toward poor quality and more insecure employment — an issue that disproportionately affects vulnerable groups, including women, youth and migrants, who are overrepresented in these forms of work.

Widespread uncertainty, driven not only by high living and borrowing costs and weak employment prospects, but also exacerbated by the changing geopolitical landscape, conflicts and trade disruptions, continues to cast a shadow over the global economy. The recent introduction of highly disruptive trade tariffs has already unsettled supply chains and increased financial pressure on producers, investors and consumers. While the current global trading system has led to a race to the bottom in wages and working conditions, the use of trade tariffs as an aggressive political tool will disproportionately affect low-income groups, due to their heightened vulnerability to rising prices and increased risk of job losses.

As a result of these and other external pressures, economic activity has slowed across most G7 economies and beyond. This deceleration is feeding into the labour market, where employment growth is losing momentum and hiring plans have become increasingly cautious. It is therefore critical to adopt concerted economic, trade and labour market policies that take into account the evolution of the labour market and prioritise the rights and needs of workers, including the creation of quality jobs.

A Path Forward: Supporting Inclusive and Employment-rich Economic Growth

While inflation has been the primary concern in recent years, the greater threat now lies in prolonged economic stagnation and labour market deterioration. The Labour 7 is concerned that the continuation of restrictive monetary policy risks stalling economic activity, suppressing demand, and even pushing inflation below target in several G7 countries, including Canada, Germany, France and Italy. Excessively tight monetary policy may also exacerbate existing labour market weaknesses, potentially triggering a cycle of employment restructuring. To avoid such a scenario, the Labour 7 calls upon central banks in G7 countries to reduce interest rates at an accelerated pace. To minimise the risk of sharp inflationary spikes in the future and prevent firms from marking up prices and widening margins, it is essential to expand the policy toolkit with measures that address monopsonic or oligopolistic markets, strengthen appropriate rent and price controls, expand strategic commodity reserves and shore up labour market institutions, including collective bargaining, to coordinate wage and price setting.

Moreover, fiscal policy plays a key role in stimulating aggregate demand and supporting job creation. In many countries, however, restrictive fiscal policy and austerity measures have delayed necessary investment and led to cuts in social investment. Strategic public investment combined with a strong public sector, with sufficient human, financial and material resources, is essential — not only for boosting consumption, fostering employment and advancing a just transition, but also for cushioning against economic

downturns and counteracting the adverse effects of rising trade protectionism ensuing from the current trade war. With inflation now largely under control, the Labour 7 calls for a shift towards expansionary fiscal policy. Governments must prioritise recovery, economic and social resilience, climate action and long-term stability, ensuring that workers’ rights and livelihoods are protected.

This can best be supported by fairer and more progressive tax policies, including progressive taxation of wealth and capital income, increased corporate income effective tax rates, a financial transaction tax and a clear and stable legal framework for taxation of windfall profits realised in a context of economic recessions at the expense of workers. These must be accompanied by increased investment in health, social protection, education and other essential public services, active labour market policy, skilling and lifelong learning programmes, affordable housing, clean and affordable energy, and green infrastructure and technologies. Governments need to invest in social policy and guarantee universal access to public services and welfare for all. This would increase the resilience of economies in a time of uncertainty and turmoil. Public investments must be conditional on respect for workers’ rights, first and foremost collective bargaining and freedom of association, as well as compliance with Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) standards. Despite limited fiscal space and increases in military spending, the Labour 7 urges G7 members to meet their commitment to dedicate at least 0.7% of GNI to official development assistance to address the dramatic development setbacks and emerging debt crises in developing countries.

Last year, G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors agreed “that countries’ policy mix for a just transition should be designed in a way that encourages innovation, finance and investment in green technologies, reflects equity considerations, and promotes social and political support for climate action” (Stresa, May 2024). It is now time to take further steps by implementing policies that advance climate action while fostering green and decent job creation and upholding fundamental labour rights — particularly the right to collective bargaining, in line with the ILO 2015 Guidelines on Just Transition.

The Labour 7 call upon G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to:

• Reduce interest rates at a faster pace and implement expansionary fiscal policies to stimulate demand and quality employment and to avoid stalling economic recovery.
• Coordinate fiscal and monetary policy to stabilise prices and preserve long-term affordability, including through measures that address monopsonic and oligopolistic markets, strengthen appropriate rent and price controls, expand strategic commodity reserves and shore up labour market institutions, including collective bargaining.
• Implement fairer and more progressive tax policies to enhance fiscal space and reduce inequality, including progressive taxation of wealth and capital income, higher corporate income effective tax rates, a legal framework for windfall profits taxation and a financial transaction tax.
• Reinforce active labour market policies, skilling and lifelong learning programmes to reduce unemployment and improve labour market adaptability.
• Increase investment in health, social protection, education and affordable housing to safeguard livelihoods, improve mobility and tackle poverty and segregation.
• Expand investment in clean and affordable energy, green infrastructure and technologies to stimulate green and quality job creation and advance a just transition.
• Uphold fundamental labour rights, particularly the right to collective bargaining, including as a tool to promote real-wage growth, as recognized by G7 Leaders in the 2023 Hiroshima Communiqué.
• Comply with the internationally agreed UN target of dedicating 0.7 percent of GNI to official development assistance.

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Canadians are struggling with the rising cost of living, a worsening housing crisis, a strained public health care system, and job insecurity in the face of global economic instability fueled by Trump’s tariffs. At the same time, we are seeing the cracks in systems meant to protect workers, like Employment Insurance, widen as too many are left behind.

The time for hesitation is over. Workers are counting on this government to deliver real investments in people, in public services, and in the good union jobs that sustain families and communities.

Canada’s unions, representing more than 3 million workers from coast to coast to coast, are ready to work with this new Cabinet. And we understand the stakes—and the urgency of bold action. Our economy cannot afford a wait-and-see approach, nor can we continue to rely on outdated structures or foreign markets. In this moment of economic uncertainty and mounting trade pressures from the United States, we need leadership that will meet the urgency of this moment with courage and ambition.

That means:

• Delivering public health care that includes universal Pharmacare and access to a doctor or nurse practitioner for every Canadian.
• Making life more affordable by tackling corporate greed and raising wages.
• Building truly affordable housing, not just promises and plans.
• Creating good union jobs in every region through investments in clean energy, manufacturing, and public infrastructure.
• Investing in public services that families rely on and reforming EI to ensure no worker falls through the cracks.

Canada’s unions will be holding the new Minister for Jobs and Families, Patty Hadju, accountable to the core priorities of Canada’s workers and the labour movement. Workers expect the Minister to take concrete action to raise wages, respect free and fair collective bargaining, improve workplace safety, and strengthen rights and protections for all workers—no matter how or where they work. It means ensuring that key reforms like the ban on replacement workers are implemented and enforced. And it means urgently updating our outdated Employment Insurance system so that no worker is left behind.

The role of Canada’s Minister responsible for Labour is not just symbolic. It is critical. This is the person tasked with upholding and advancing the rights of working people across the country. That role must be rooted in a firm, unwavering commitment to protecting workers—not serving corporate interests.

Among the new appointments, the Prime Minister has named a Secretary of State, John Zerucelli, for Labour to support the Minister responsible for Labour. While not a member of the Cabinet, this role must be carried with a focused mandate and work closely with the Minister to ensure that workers’ rights and protections remain a central pillar of the government’s agenda.

Now is the time for this government to show workers that their voices will not be ignored. Canadians are not asking for the impossible—they are demanding what is fair, just, and long overdue. Workers built this country, and they will drive our future. The decisions made in the days and weeks ahead will send a clear signal: either this government is prepared to lead with bold and decisive actions, or it will fall short of the moment. Canada’s unions are watching.

We are ready to partner in progress—but we will not hesitate to hold this government to account. Workers are not waiting, and neither can this government.

The post Statement from Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, on the swearing-in of Prime Minister Carney’s Cabinet appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

No worker should risk their life just by showing up to work. Yet in 2023, 1,056 fatality worker compensation claims were accepted, in keeping with an average of over 1,000 workplace fatalities each and every year.

“Every workplace death is preventable,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Over 30 years after that awful day, such a high fatality rate is nothing short of outrageous. The families of those killed on the job are grieving – and they, alongside Canada’s unions, demand that our justice system hold negligent employers accountable through real and proactive enforcement of the Westray Law.”

The Law was passed in 2004, after a long fight led by the United Steelworkers, which allows for such employers to face criminal prosecution.

The Canadian Labour Congress demands:

• The appointment of dedicated investigators and prosecutors for workplace deaths and injuries, along with mandatory, standardized training for such positions;
• Ensuring Crown attorneys are educated, trained and directed to apply the Westray amendments to the Criminal Code;
• Mandatory training for police and health and safety regulators, supported by the necessary resources, on the proper application of the Westray amendments; and
• Mandatory procedures, protocols and coordination in every jurisdiction for police, Crown prosecutors and health and safety regulators.

“The passage of time has only underscored how unacceptable lax enforcement of the Westray Law is,” concludes Bruske. “Every worker’s life has value – and only real enforcement of the Law reflects that.”

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