Honour Westray. Enforce the law.

Honour Westray. Enforce the law.

May 9, 2022 marks the 30th anniversary of the Westray mine explosion that killed 26 miners in Pictou County, Nova Scotia. The fatal explosion was caused by a buildup of methane gas and coal dust. In the ensuing public inquiry, Justice Peter K. Richard uncovered “a complex mosaic of actions, omissions, mistakes, incompetence, apathy, cynicism, stupidity, and neglect.” Despite years…

Turn minimum wages into living wages and index to inflation

Bruske: StatCan numbers show markets aren’t delivering fair wages – governments must take action OTTAWA – With the cost of living still rising while wages lag far behind, today’s Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey shows that low unemployment numbers don’t mean workers are seeing positive changes to their paycheques. According to Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, there…

Celebrate May Day the best way possible: organize!

Canada’s unions are marking May Day by standing in solidarity with workers around the world, and reminding all workers of the importance of building solidarity through worker engagement and organizing. When we organize collectively, we can ensure life is fairer for everyone. Today we also celebrate workers, the people who built this country and power our communities. From the shop…

Canada’s unions celebrate end to discriminatory blood donation policy

Bruske: Long-awaited victory for 2SLGBTQI advocates OTTAWA –– After waiting three decades, Canada’s unions welcome today’s decision by the Canadian government to reverse its discriminatory blood donation policy, which had been in place since 1992.    “This is a positive step in addressing ongoing systemic discrimination experienced by 2SLGBTQI people,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). …

Work shouldn’t hurt: workplace health and safety rights should be fundamental

Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to take swift action on workplace health and safety to ensure that workers in Canada are protected on the job. We are also calling on the ILO to make occupational health and safety a fundamental right. In Canada, over 1,000 workplace deaths are reported every year; hundreds of thousands more are injured…

Building a low-wage economy with stomach-churning greed

Bruske: Minimum wage employees being replaced by offshore workers making $3.75 an hour will hurt workers everywhere OTTAWA –– Replacing frontline workers with exploited offshore workers, as the restaurant chain Freshii is now doing, moves us towards a low-wage economy that weakens our communities and exploits workers, according to Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “This is about replacing…

Helping families facing affordability squeeze must be MPs’ job one

Bruske: As Parliament returns, Canada’s unions urge MPs to back workers and reject the push for a low-wage austerity agenda OTTAWA –– The highest inflation in over three decades plus the largest interest rate rise in over twenty years adds up to families falling further behind. Figures released last week revealed that inflation now stands at 6.7 percent, and rising,…

Rising interest rates and record inflation creating perfect storm of unaffordability

Bruske: With the cost of everything – even debt – rising fast, we must fight low-wage policies that hurt workers and their families OTTAWA – With fast rising interest rates and inflation increasing well ahead of wages, Canada’s unions are urging governments to take action to help families facing an ever‑tightening financial squeeze. Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour…

Labour 7 statement to the G7 Leaders’ Summit 2022

The 2022 Labour 7 summit “Shaping the Global Common Good” will take place in Berlin from May 11 to 13. In advance of the summit, trade union leaders from G7 countries have issued the joint Labour 7 statement to the G7 Leaders’ Summit 2022: Shaping the Global Common Good Peace and Democracy, Climate Action, Health, Fair Digitalisation. You can read the…

BC government move to card check certification a win for workers

Canada’s unions welcome today’s move by the BC government to return to automatic certification in the province. “The switch from automatic certification to mandatory voting has coincided with the decline in unionization rates. This is no accident,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “We need to see more government action to empower workers. Having a union and…