On international day against racism, unions build solidarity with refugees

On international day against racism, unions build solidarity with refugees

On March 21, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, unions are on Parliament Hill with a unique experience that will let Members of Parliament and their staff see through the eyes of a refugee. “Refugee Crisis” is an immersive virtual reality experience that simulates the harsh reality of being forced to flee one’s home as a refugee;…

Report vindicates Colombian unions in their struggle for basic workers’ rights

For years, Colombian unions have been sounding the alarm about workers’ and human rights abuses in their country. Now, a new report vindicates long-standing grievances about the violation of Colombian unions’ rights to organize and bargain collectively. The report was released by the National Administrative Office (NAO), in response to a joint submission from the Canadian Labour Congress and five…

The past, present, and future of working while Black

by CLC Executive Vice-President Marie Clarke Walker In 1946, Halifax businesswoman Viola Desmond went to a movie and sat on the main floor. The staff asked her to move: as a Black woman she was only allowed to sit in the balcony. When she refused, she was hauled out of the theatre by police and held overnight in jail, without…

Canada’s unions say NAFTA renegotiation is an opportunity for more fairness

Canada’s unions are glad to hear that Canada is ready to walk away from NAFTA, saying that renegotiating the deal offers the opportunity take a new approach to trade that puts the interests of working people and the environment first. In a statement sent to Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland today, the Canadian Labour Congress points out that over the…

Facing domestic violence shouldn’t mean losing your job

To mark December 6, the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, Canada’s unions are calling on the federal, provincial and territorial governments to follow Manitoba’s lead by ensuring paid employment leave for victims of domestic violence. In March, the Province of Manitoba enacted Bill 8, which amended their employment standards to afford workers who are victims…

Ready for Canada’s “Clean Growth Century”

With Canada’s 150th birthday fast approaching, the Canadian Labour Congress is joining with business, faith, community and environmental groups to articulate a vision for a “Clean Growth Century” for our country. In an op-ed published today in La Presse and Policy Options, the coalition urged policymakers to pursue a better approach to climate change, including investments in clean electricity, public…

Canada needs to lead on disability rights

Ten years ago the United Nations adopted a resolution that established the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The Convention’s main message is that people with disabilities are entitled to full human rights and freedoms without discrimination. Unions were some of the earliest advocates for disability rights in the workplace, and embraced the CRPD for promoting the…

Support proportional representation? Your guide to the mydemocracy.ca survey

Voters across Canada are getting a controversial postcard in the mail about an online survey on electoral reform. The controversy? It has been widely criticized for being misleading, vague, ineffective, and designed to undermine majority Canadian support for proportional representation. It doesn’t even ask Canadians which system they want! If you, like most Canadians, support proportional representation, here’s what you…

CLC speaks out in support of private member’s bill banning asbestos products

Canada’s unions are supporting a private member’s bill that would legislate a comprehensive ban on asbestos and all products containing asbestos in Canada. Sheri Benson, MP for Saskatoon West has introduced a private member’s bill called An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (prohibition of asbestos), which would prohibit the manufacture, use, sale, offer for sale or…

Work is changing. Workplace standards need to change too.

The Canadian Labour Congress welcomes today’s interim report of Ontario’s Changing Workplace Review. The report acknowledges the many ways in which work is changing in the 21st century. It also paves the way for legislated improvements that would lift the standards for every worker in the modern workplace, whether unionized or not. “We know that our world of work is changing,…