“Canada’s unions thank John Horgan for being a true friend of working people, in B.C. and across Canada. His leadership will be greatly missed.

“John never forgot his own working-class roots and led a labour-friendly government that delivered for working people. Whether it was saving lives through enacting paid sick leave during the pandemic, or more recently restoring fairness to the unionization process by returning automatic certification to the province, John put working people at the centre of his government.

“As premier, John demonstrated that you can deliver a strong economy while running a government that shows it cares deeply for everyday people, whether addressing affordability, strengthening health care or creating good jobs in a clean energy future. The B.C. NDP government of John Horgan has been a positive model for governments everywhere. 

“On behalf of Canada’s unions, I would like to wish John the very best in whatever he chooses to take on next. On a personal note, I want to add sincere thanks for his wise counsel and friendship.

“We know, of course, there is still much work to do and Canada’s unions look forward to working closely with B.C.’s next NDP premier in the years to come on the many priorities we share.”

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613-526-7426

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OTTAWA – Canada’s unions welcome today’s re-introduction of a bill to implement the Canada Disability Benefit by Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough.

“The Canada Disability Benefit will provide critical support for people living with disabilities. Designed properly, this benefit could lift hundreds of thousands of working-age people living with disabilities out of poverty,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Our thanks to the many activists and advocates who have worked so hard for so long to make the Canada Disability Benefit a reality.”

Bruske explained that many people with disabilities live without economic security and face tremendous barriers to inclusion. Women, members of the 2SLGBTQI community, racialized people and Indigenous people living with disabilities and those living with severe disabilities are even more likely to be financially insecure.

“From barriers to employment to affordable housing to access to care, so many people living with disabilities face unacceptable barriers to economic security,” continued Bruske. “With rising costs making life even harder, we must make sure the bill is well designed and is a meaningful addition to existing federal, provincial and territorial supports, so help gets to those who need it.”

Bruske added that Canada’s unions will continue to work with the disability community to make sure this bill is a top priority for Parliament to get passed quickly and that, once implemented in each province and territory, leaves no one behind.  

“People living with disabilities deserve to live in dignity. Canada’s unions will continue to press MPs to get this bill passed as quickly as possible,” concluded Bruske. “We urge MPs to fast track this bill and work together to end disability poverty for good.”

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613-526-7426

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OTTAWA – Canada’s unions are shining a spotlight on how the Conservative Party is missing in action when it comes to standing up for workers who are seeing their buying power shrink as their wages rise at half the rate of inflation.

“Workers are worried about how the rising costs of groceries, gas and family essentials are eating into their paycheques more and more each month. Conservatives love to talk about inflation yet are silent on how corporate greed is fuelling skyrocketing prices or how workers’ wages are falling behind,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “All we hear from these leadership candidates is the same low-wage austerity playbook we have seen for decades from Conservatives and their Bay St. buddies.”

Evidence shows that continued government spending to help Canadians through these difficult times and wages aren’t what is driving up inflation, instead it is global events disrupting supply chains, pandemic profiteers, and the hollowing out of our manufacturing driving up the cost of living.

“Fair wages, good jobs and investing in our infrastructure and supply chains are all vital parts of the solution. This will help Canadians pay for family essentials and strengthen our ability to withstand international instability,” continued Bruske. “Yet what we hear from the Conservative Party and the candidates competing to lead them is scaremongering about government spending.”

Bruske added that if Conservatives on the leadership campaign trail want to talk about government spending cuts, they must be honest about what services and help for people they are planning to cut.

“Conservative candidates are attacking the Bank of Canada, talking about ending supply management, and floating bizarre suggestions around crypto currencies, while loudly condemning public spending,” concluded Bruske. “Yet they won’t say what they plan to cut. Conservatives must now level with Canadians. Are they planning to cut health care, employment insurance, and other vital services people depend on, just like last time they were in government?”

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613-526-7426

The post Conservatives refuse to talk lagging wages instead push low-wage austerity agenda appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

A national report released by the Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter and Project 1907 shows that anti-Asian racism and xenophobia have continued to rise consistently across Canada two years into the pandemic.

“Historically, Asian Canadian workers faced exclusion from organized labour. They were barred from joining unions in numerous sectors, limiting opportunities for gainful and fair employment. Sadly, the discrimination and racism experienced by Asian workers is not relegated to the past. Workers continue to face anti-Asian racism in workplaces and unions, as well as – and increasingly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic – in society at large,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

Canada’s unions are committed to working to eliminate anti-Asian racism and discrimination, both in the labour movement and society. This includes carrying on the work started by the CLC’s Anti-Racism Task Force, which developed a crucial report with recommendations on what needed – and still, 25 years later, needs – to be done within union structures to live up to the labour movement principles of justice and equality.

“We must do everything we can to adequately reach out to and support Asian workers to join and get involved in unions as workers and leaders, ensure that Asian workers are properly represented and supported as union members and support and amplify the great work being done by Asian community and labour activists across Canada,” said Lily Chang, CLC Secretary-Treasurer.

Asian Heritage Month is a time to celebrate and recognize workers from across Asia. It is an opportunity to highlight the rich and varied contributions made by generations of Canadians of Asian descent, and reflect on everything they have overcome. This includes the struggles of Asian workers in securing labour and human rights and facing racism and discrimination within workplaces, trade unions and broader society.

In the 1800s, an estimated 17,000 Chinese workers were first brought to Canada as indentured labourers to build the Canadian Pacific Railway. Workers laboured under dangerous and difficult conditions. They faced widespread racism from employers, government and from within the communities in which they worked and lived.

Asian workers also faced discrimination and exclusion in certain industries. In British Columbia, for example, the province’s Inspection of Metalliferous Mines Act of 1897 barred Japanese and Chinese workers from the metal mining industry. Asian workers were also excluded from public works projects, and several subsequent laws prohibited Asian workers from being hired by smaller railway companies in the province. While many South Asian workers found work in the lumber industry after arriving in Canada in the early 1900s, a law passed shortly thereafter barred all Asian workers from holding logging licenses.

Action:

Help us celebrate the contributions made by Asian communities in Canada. Share a story today.

Learn more:

As Asian Canadian scholars, we must #StopAsianHate by fighting all forms of racism

Doing the Work: Race, Labour and Transformative Justice

Short Documentary: Toronto Solidarity Rally Against Anti-Asian Racism

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OTTAWA – Canada’s unions welcomed today’s investments in making life more affordable for workers and their families, including through action on dental care, affordable housing and fairer taxation.

But Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress said that progress is hard-fought and we must be ready for Conservatives and their corporate friends to try and derail these positive steps by declaring mission accomplished on the recovery.

“Some bankers and Bay St. CEOs want people to believe the economy is back to normal. But the reality is, the old normal meant banks raking in tens of billions in profits while hundreds of thousands of kids, seniors and families were living in poverty,” warned Bruske. “A surtax on banks and insurance companies – and investments in making housing more affordable while providing free dental care to low-income kids – are concrete actions towards building a new and better normal.”

Bruske noted that temporary investments from all levels of government over the past two years not only helped keep Canada out of an economic depression and helped families weather the pandemic, it also reduced poverty rates from over 10 percent in 2019 to 6.4 percent in 2020, while child poverty was cut in half.

“Two years of pandemic has left us with soaring inflation and stagnant wages. The recovery has been uneven. Cuts and austerity now would take our country in the wrong direction,” said Bruske. “Now is the time to aim higher, not settle for less.”

While today’s budget is a good start, Bruske said Canada’s unions will continue to press the government to work with the labour movement on critical things not in today’s budget, in particular a just transition for all workers and critical investments to make pharmacare a reality for the many families struggling to afford needed medicines.

“We can already see the positive result from Liberals and New Democrats collaborating but there’s a lot more work to do. In the weeks and months to come, Canada’s unions will continue to press the government on addressing the dire shortage of nurses and health workers, implementing pharmacare and expanding just transition,” concluded Bruske. “When parties work with us and put people before politics, that means workers can thrive, instead of just survive.”

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The post Budget 2022: Progress on building a new and better normal appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

With the federal budget just a day away, Bay St. CEOs and senior bankers are stumbling over themselves, rushing to declare mission accomplished and claim the economic crisis is over. They are determined to fill up Canada’s opinion pages with arguments urging the government that it’s time to go back to normal. Let’s remember what normal really looked like.

In 2019, Canada’s poverty rate was over 10%. In 2020, it plummeted to 6.4%. The rate of children living in poverty was cut in half. This was a result of governments at all levels providing emergency support, help that overwhelmingly went to low- and modest-income workers. This not only helped reduce poverty, but it also prevented our economy from falling into a depression.

Contrast that to 97 million more people falling into poverty worldwide in 2020.

For the last two years, it has been hard to think about the next quarter, let alone the next year or decade. But this week’s budget presents us an opportunity to learn from our pandemic experience and carve out a better path forward, to build the kind of Canada we want.

We must recognize the years of cutbacks and underfunding that left supports like paid sick leave or Employment Insurance in shambles. The pandemic led to a series of improvised patches and ad-hoc fixes to help workers and families left with nowhere to turn. Now we must fix these programs for good.

We must acknowledge the deep-seated inequality that hurt women, racialized workers and recent immigrants. We must address these inequities and better protect precarious workers left vulnerable to the whims of giant companies.

With the rising cost of living, families are struggling to pay for so many daily essentials, Budget 2022 must provide concrete support for families with action on pharmacare, dental care and support for low-income families alongside investments and action on climate change and Just Transition, so no workers are left behind in the new low-carbon economy.

I hear you, right-wing naysayer. You are asking: “Who’s going to pay for all of this?” That’s easy. We must all contribute, based on our ability to pay.

A cornerstone of a more equitable society is fair taxation. Giant corporations and the richest Canadians, who profited tremendously during the pandemic, must now be asked to contribute their fair share to our country’s rebuilding effort.

I hope our finance minister is mindful of the wisdom of the old saying, ‘fix your roof when the sun is shining.’ With our economy improving, now is the time to build a solid foundation for the future.

The alternative is listening to the Conservatives and their right-wing friends and go back to the old normal. Remember that the last time Conservatives were in power, Canada had 782,000 more children and 187,000 more seniors living in poverty.

I believe people want their governments to strive to do better, not go back to a whole lot of worse.

Bea Bruske is president of the Canadian Labour Congress. Follow her on Twitter @PresidentCLC

The post Canada at an Economic Crossroads: A Better Normal or Settling for Worse? appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Bruske is available to outline how Canada’s unions are looking to the Budget to take concrete steps to strengthen public health care and make life more affordable.

“The reality is, not everyone is sharing in the recovery. Many are still facing enormous precarity, anxiety, and an uncertain job market. It is critical that the government use Budget 2022 to launch our country on a path to economic recovery that doesn’t leave workers and their families behind,” said Bruske.

Canada’s unions are demanding MPs come together behind helping families and avoiding the extreme rhetoric that has too often become the norm on Parliament Hill.

“While Conservatives continue to use toxic partisanship to try and block progress in the House of Commons, we are urging MPs to work together and deliver help to Canadians. Give struggling families a break and bolster our public health care system, including through investments in pharmacare, dentalcare and action to address the health workforce crisis,” Bruske added.

What:              CLC President available to talk about Budget 2022

Where:            By phone or by ZOOM

When:             April 7, 2022 and/or in advance of the budget, by arrangement

Who:               Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress

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CLC Media Relations
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613-355-1962

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“Canada’s unions welcome today’s announcement of new funding to strengthen public health care, including to address backlogs that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. This new funding will be critical to helping provinces improve access to primary care and bolster mental health, long-term care, and home care.

“We also welcome new investment in better health data, which is a vital part of governments working together to start addressing the health care worker shortage.

“This is an important step forward and a clear sign of the benefits Canadians are going to see from the Liberal-NDP Confidence-and-Supply Agreement.

“But to preserve and protect our public system in the long run, and fight creeping privatization, we need permanent, accountable, consistent increased federal funding through the Canada Health Transfer. Working together with health workers, governments can build a stronger and more resilient public health care system – and make sure that future generations of Canadians have access to the health care they need.

“Canada’s unions have long said that our democracy works best when Parliamentarians work together and today’s announcement is a clear sign of how we all benefit when parties put people before partisanship.”

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The post Canada’s unions welcome new health funding – now make it permanent appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Canada’s unions have long fought for parties to work together and move forward on a progressive policy agenda,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “With today’s agreement, Parliament can now move forward on a recovery that puts workers and their families at its heart.”

The confidence-and-supply agreement promises action on a number of critical issues Canada’s unions have been pushing for years, if not decades, including anti-scab legislation, pharmacare, dental care, Just Transition, building retrofits, Indigenous reconciliation, and moving forward with a child care Act by the end of 2022.

“In the last election Canadians delivered a clear message, they want the minority Parliament to work,” said Bruske. “With today’s agreement, these parties are answering the challenge from Canadians for Parliament to get down to work on a progressive recovery.”

“We look forward to working with the Government and New Democrats on executing this progressive policy agenda.”

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OTTAWA – Today’s Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey shows that the overly-rosy picture some claim about the economic recovery doesn’t hold up on closer inspection.

Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress points out that the reality facing many Canadian workers is not so positive. Some workers, particularly in lower wage industries, simply haven’t seen the rebound that some professional and higher-wage sectors have experienced. Meanwhile the accommodation and food services sector, which was hurting even before the pandemic, remains 17% behind pre-pandemic employment levels.

“While inflation and rising interest rates squeeze family budgets, wages are simply not keeping up and the jobs recovery we have seen is uneven. Average hourly wages were just 3.1% higher than a year ago, while inflation jumped 5.1%,” said Bruske. “The reality is, hidden in the rosy job numbers are hundreds of thousands of Canadian workers being left behind.”

Bruske also pushed back against the narrative coming from some in the business community about labour shortages when the real issue for many sectors is unfair wages and poor working conditions.

“In some specific sectors, like health care, there are real labour shortages that must be addressed, but often, when businesses talk about labour shortages it is actually employers complaining about finding workers at the rock-bottom wages they were used to paying,” said Bruske. “If restaurants, retail or other low-wage places paid better, offered predictable hours and included real benefits, they would absolutely find there are workers out there for them.”

Bruske added that as people look at the latest labour stats, it is vital they look beyond the top-level numbers to see the full picture. Statistics Canada said the unemployment rate would have been 7.4% last month, if it included people who wanted a job but did not look for one.

“There are so many people that are discouraged from this job market, unable to find decent, secure, work. We all want to declare the pandemic over, but building back the economy is a marathon, not a sprint,” concluded Bruske. “Too many workers and families are not sharing in the recovery while governments and employers take premature victory laps.”

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“When you sift below the headlines and talk to people about the labour market, you see a different story about Canada’s economic recovery. There has been an uneven rebound and workers, particularly in lower wage industries, simply haven’t seen the return to ‘normal’ that others have,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “So many Canadians are still living with enormous precarity, anxiety, and lack of predictability about the job market.”

What:      CLC President available to react to Labour Force Data

Where:    By phone or by ZOOM

When:     March 11, 2022

Who:       Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress

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Contact information:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-355-1962

The post Canadian Labour Congress’ President Bea Bruske available to react to labour force data appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“We all need care at some point in our lives. It is vital, skilled and life-sustaining work that supports our families, economy, and communities,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “However, the majority of this work continues to be performed by women and much of it is unpaid. If we truly want to achieve gender equality and build a more just society, care work must be part of the conversation.”

The federal government must address the care crisis by building and growing the care sector with good jobs that don’t rely on women’s unpaid work. Canada also needs a coherent strategy for care and increased investments in the care services and supports that people and families need. The federal government should create a Care Economy Commission to study, design and implement this strategy.

Care work refers to the tasks that are required to support the health, well-being, maintenance and development of people. This often includes caring for children, care for the elderly, care for people with disabilities, and domestic work such as cooking and cleaning to support families and individuals. Care work is part of our social fabric and allows all other work to happen. Despite this, care is not always seen as work and often goes unrecognized and undervalued ꟷ especially the work that is unpaid.

Globally, women perform more than three times as much unpaid care work as men. This heavy load means many women have less time to engage in paid work or education, or struggle to balance their paid and unpaid work. This “second shift” can impact women’s job choices or limit their chances of promotion. It can also negatively impact mental and physical health, and family stress.

“Our economy’s reliance on women’s unpaid care work contributes to women’s poverty and reduced lifetime earnings. Unpaid care work has long been filling gaps where social services and so-called “safety nets” have failed and cannot meet peoples’ basic needs. During the pandemic, this work has increased and has stretched everyone to a breaking point,” said Bruske. “This cannot continue. Those who give and receive care deserve better.”

“It’s no coincidence that care jobs in Canada are often low-paid, with poor job security and challenging working conditions. Care workers are mostly women, and many of them are racialized, immigrants or migrant workers,” added Siobhan Vipond, CLC Executive Vice-President. “Care work is undervalued, and often invisible, but absolutely essential to our economy. This is about women’s economic justice. Investments in care will not only ensure equal access to quality care for all Canadians, but also an equitable society in which women, and others who experience systemic oppression, can thrive.

Visit the action hub at canadianplan.ca for more information on how you can get involved.

The post IWD 2022: Gender equality depends on a healthy care economy appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“The world is watching with horror as Russia launches an unjustified attack on Ukraine and its people. Canada’s unions condemn this unprovoked act of aggression and stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine who now face violence, hardship and an uncertain future.

“Russia’s military assault will mean a terrible loss of life and will destabilize the lives of people throughout the region. Reverberations will be felt around the world.

“We are concerned about civilian casualties and a massive displacement of people trying to flee the violence. As essential public services are disrupted and civil infrastructure destroyed, the urgent need for humanitarian assistance grows. It is vital that international agencies are allowed access so they can provide humanitarian assistance to the people affected.

“We call on Canada’s government to open our country’s doors to those fleeing the conflict, including through visa-free access for Ukrainians, and provide substantial humanitarian aid to these victims of Russian hostility.

“We further urge our government to work with like-minded multilateral organizations to press Russia to end hostilities, adhere to international human rights obligations and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy. The international community must stand united in the cause of peace for a free and sovereign Ukraine.”

“This attack reminds us again of the dangers posed by tyrants and autocrats to all of us who value democracy. Ukrainians are now once again being called on to defend their right to self-determination. Canada’s unions stand in solidarity with Ukrainian workers and families who want peace.

“Canada’s unions also reach out in solidarity to our nation’s proud Ukrainian-Canadian community, who fear today for the safety of family and friends tragically caught up in Russia’s armed confrontation.

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OTTAWA – On the eve of federal, provincial and territorial labour minister meetings, chaired by Minister Seamus O’Regan, Canada’s unions are urging Canada’s leaders to protect our communities from COVID-19 and other future viruses by making sure workers have access to 10 paid sick days in every jurisdiction across Canada.

“Public health and worker protection go hand in hand. Throughout the pandemic, we saw that when workers can’t stay home, our communities pay the price with more outbreaks and worse health outcomes,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “The reality is, we know paid sick leave saves lives. We urge the Minister of Labour to work with the provinces and territories to make sure all Canadian workers can stay home when sick by having access to 10 days of paid sick leave.”

While Canada’s unions welcomed the passage of federal legislation, they are urging the government to accelerate the law’s implementation.

“We thank parliamentarians and the government for passing the federal law so swiftly, and unanimously. But the pandemic is not over and new variants are swirling,” said Bruske. “It is critical that the government now brings this law into force immediately, so federally-regulated workers can begin accessing these sick days as soon as possible.”

Bruske added that the right to access sick leave must be accompanied by changes to workplace culture, so workers feel free to use their sick days. She pointed to how some of the existing provincial programs were underused, especially for non-unionized staff, because of pressure from employers. This particularly impacted care workers, from health care to child care to long-term care.

“Many unionized workers have already won hard-fought access to paid sick leave,” said Bruske. “Now we need to make sure new sick leave programs are designed to be used – and employees are no longer pressured to come to work when sick or fear losing their job.”

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We have seen an occupation of city streets and parks, disrupting workers, businesses and residents. Frontline workers, from retail to health workers, have been bullied and harassed. We have witnessed noise attacks keeping families up at all hours. We have seen right-wing extremists spreading messages filled with racism and intolerance, flying the Nazi and Confederate flags, alongside other symbols of violence and hate. We have seen organizers not only demand the end of all public health rules, but also call for the overthrow of our democratically elected government.

The leaders of this occupation include people who espoused Islamophobic, Anti-Semitic and racist hate on social media, organizers of the notorious far-right yellow vest protests, and people spreading extreme conspiracy theories and calls for violence. This is an attack on all of Canada and not just the people of Ottawa.

Canada’s unions stand together, unequivocally opposed to these vile and hateful messages and condemn the ongoing harassment and violence against the people of Ottawa.

This occupation of Ottawa streets, on top of the latest wave of the pandemic, is having a devastating effect on the livelihood of already struggling workers and businesses. Workers are being harassed and bullied for just trying to stay safe while serving customers. Other businesses are being forced to close, which leaves them and their employees suffering economic losses they can ill afford.

This occupation has also raised serious questions about an uneven application of policing. Authorities spent the first week taking a hands-off approach to the occupation of city streets and parks, not even handing out parking tickets as big rigs blocked busy intersections and local businesses were forced to shutter. This is a far cry from the kinds of crackdowns we have seen in the past towards Indigenous land protests, Black Lives Matter and other equity-seeking activists or striking workers.

Over the past thirteen days, we have seen an unacceptable lack of leadership from those charged with maintaining the peace and defending public safety. Once this situation has been resolved, Canada’s unions believe it is vital that there be a full investigation into the response by all levels of government to this occupation.

The Omicron wave is still affecting our communities and Canada’s health care systems are inundated with patients and plagued by shortages of nurses, doctors and health care workers. Canada’s unions believe it is absolutely critical that public health decisions are based on science, and not on politics or an angry mob. We continue to call for strong occupational health & safety measures for all workers.

Canada’s unions call on the federal and provincial governments to work together and quickly deliver urgently needed direct supports to the workers and businesses affected.

It is time for all levels of government to work together to help the people affected and put an end to this occupation of our nation’s capital.

The post Joint statement from Canada’s unions on the Ottawa occupation appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Canada’s unions believe the right to protest is fundamental to our democracy. This is a right cherished by Canada’s labour movement and one we have fought for many times over many years.

“We respect the rights of all Canadians to hold their own views and express their own opinions. But what we are witnessing on the streets of Ottawa is no longer just a protest.

“We have witnessed bullying on the streets of Ottawa and right-wing extremists flying the Nazi and Confederate flags, symbols of violence and hate.

“We’ve seen intimidation and harassment of workers just trying to serve customers, get by and stay safe in the midst of an ongoing pandemic. Workers are being cut off from their ability to even get to work, suffering economic losses they can ill afford.

“We thank the many frontline workers in health care, retail, social services, transit and so many others who keep showing up for us, even in the face of such adversity. Frontline workers in Ottawa have already sacrificed so much and deserve better.

“Canada’s unions stand unequivocally against hateful and vile messages and condemn the ongoing harassment of workers in our capital.

“We respect everyone’s right to protest and have their say but we ask those protesting to respect everyone else’s rights. Including respecting the outcome of the recent election and letting Canada’s elected MPs get down to work for Canadians.”

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OTTAWA––As we mark the first 100 days of this government tomorrow, Canada’s unions welcome progress made on a number of important issues. But with families reeling from rising prices and the pandemic still running through our communities, too many people are being left without help when they need it most.

“We saw the parties work together to make welcome progress over the past 100 days, including passing bills to ban conversion therapy; establish 10 days of paid sick leave for federally regulated workers and protect health care workers from harassment,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

“Now we are asking the government and parliament over the next 100 weeks to deliver on stronger and more comprehensive public health care, permanent improvements to EI, help for families struggling with rising prices, and action on fighting climate change, including Just Transition legislation and investments in public transit, clean energy and green manufacturing.”

Bruske also pointed to the government’s promise to bring together the provinces and territories behind a national plan to legislate paid sick leave across the country and the need to better help workers affected by the Omicron wave.

“Despite the pandemic raging now for almost two years, workers are still fighting for the right to stay home when they’re sick and emergency support for when they can’t work. That’s just wrong,” said Bruske. “Every worker, in every province and territory, must have access to critical paid sick leave and emergency help when they’re forced out of work. This is vital for keeping our families and communities safe.”

Bruske added that all political parties have a responsibility to put workers and their families at the centre of Parliament’s work.

“Too often we are seeing heightened political rhetoric when people are looking for their elected representatives to just roll up their sleeves and get down to work for them,” concluded Bruske. “Canada’s unions will continue to actively engage MPs on behalf of millions of working families in this country looking for real progress on the issues that matter.”

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OTTAWA––With our public health systems facing a crisis point, Canada’s unions are demanding that increases to federal health transfers must be tied to delivering better health care to Canadian families.

“We see dire shortages of health workers across the country. Long-term care residents and workers struggle while private owners extract large profits. Mental health care for people to access when they need help most. Families struggle to pay for needed medicine. People want their governments to now work together on practical solutions,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “With the future of our cherished public health system at stake, a no-strings-attached approach just doesn’t cut it.”

Bruske noted that whether it was Jason Kenney in Alberta, Doug Ford in Ontario, or recent governments in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Conservative governments have a pattern of cutting health care while spending more on tax giveaways to people who didn’t need it.

“The simple reality is, handing out blank cheques to Conservative premiers won’t fix nursing shortages, repair long-term care, provide better mental health services or implement pharmacare,” said Bruske. “Provinces are facing a health funding crisis and the answer must include increased transfers. But we cannot afford for some provinces to take this money and use if for tax giveaways instead of stronger public health care.”

Bruske added that after almost two years of COVID-19 straining our health care system, it is vital that governments learn the right lessons from the pandemic.

“The pandemic showed us the hard way how our health care system has been underfunded for years. It must be bolstered now to handle the next crisis,” concluded Bruske. “Canada’s unions will keep pushing for new investments to be tied to achieving real improvement to our public health care systems.”

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“Black people in Canada have had to struggle with the impacts of colonial systems that have rooted anti-Black racism into our institutions, policies, workplaces and society,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “So, while we celebrate Black History Month, it’s critical that our commitment to support and stand with Black workers and communities extends beyond this one month,” said Bruske.

Black History Month is an important time to recognize both the contributions and struggles of Black communities in this country. The history of Black people in Canada spans centuries and consists of a wide range of experiences, including slavery and abolition, homesteading and migration, the civil rights movement, and immigration.

Black people in Canada have made notable contributions to all aspects of life in this country, including to the labour movement, but these achievements have not come without struggle – which Black communities continue to face to this day.

“The social and economic impacts of anti-Black racism and discrimination have been significant and have resulted in a multigenerational wage gap for Black communities in Canada. And the barriers to social and economic advancement are only worse when the Black experience meets other experiences of marginalization, such as for Black people with disabilities, Black Muslims, Black women or Black trans people,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the CLC.

The effects of systemic racism include ongoing labour market discrimination against Black workers, which has seen Black workers receive lower wages and face barriers in all aspects of work, from the hiring process, to advancement and retention.

Longstanding issues require long-term solutions and supports. Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to address economic and systemic racism and discrimination faced by Black workers by committing to and implementing the following actions:

• Create an intersectional national anti-Black racism strategy, including strong employment and pay targets and concrete measures to address systemic labour-market discrimination and disadvantages faced by Black workers;
• Ensure the reform and modernization of the Employment Equity Act includes employer requirements to divulge pay gaps affecting Black workers and a plan to narrow and eliminate the gender and multigenerational racial pay gap;
• Invest in public social infrastructure and care work as part of an equitable pandemic recovery plan to ensure good, safe jobs and stronger care systems that support all those who need care as well as all care workers – many of whom are Black women; and
• Launch an inquiry on the overrepresentation of Black children and youth in the care of child protection services.

This Black History Month and beyond, Canada’s unions stand in solidarity with and support Black workers and communities. Show your support and join us for a text rally on February 23 at 1pm. Eastern, where we will be texting Canadians across the country and inviting them to demand change from government and increased supports for Black workers and communities.

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January 29 marks the anniversary of a gruesome and deadly day in Canada’s history. On this day in 2017, worshippers at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City were subject to a deadly act of hate when a gunman entered the mosque and opened fire. Six people were killed, and many more injured. Canada’s unions supported community calls to commemorate the anniversary with a national day of remembrance and action.

“We welcome the recognition of January 29 as a day of commemoration, reflection and dialogue, and a strong national reminder of the deadly impacts of Islamophobia and rising hate in Canada,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “But Islamophobia, and anti-Muslim sentiment specifically, have only grown since that terrible day in 2017. We must work together to put an end to the hate rhetoric, violent acts, and harassment of Muslim people in Canada, and the federal government has a responsibility to take the lead.”

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of hate crimes reported to police has gone up from 1,951 incidents in 2019 to 2,669 in 2020, with those reported crimes targeting ethnicity or race almost doubling from one year to the next. This shows the highest number of police-reported hate crimes since Statistics Canada began tracking this data in 2009.

On June 6, 2021, five members of the Afzaal family were out for a walk in London, Ontario, when a vehicle attacked them, killing four members and leaving one survivor ꟷ a nine-year-old boy.

“The violent attack on the Afzaal family showed us that we must redouble our efforts to combat Islamophobia and hate in all its forms. Threats, harassment, intimidation and hate speech are also experienced online, where hate spreads easily and rapidly, and goes largely unchecked,” said Larry Rousseau, CLC Executive Vice-President. “Those spewing hate pose a serious threat to the well-being of all workers, especially those who are members of marginalized communities.”

Canada’s unions look forward to seeing the federal government introduce legislation to address online hate as soon as possible in order to properly and effectively help combat this rising issue.

The federal government’s announcement in the Speech from the Throne in November 2021 of a renewed anti-racism strategy, and campaign promise of presenting a National Action Plan on Combating Hate by 2022, must include meaningful and ongoing consultation with Muslim communities to address Islamophobia. The renewed strategy and Action Plan must also incorporate policy recommendations made by Muslim organizations coming out of the National Summit on Islamophobia that took place in July 2021.

Canada’s unions are committed to fighting Islamophobia and all forms of hate, and will continue to work with all levels of government to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all workers.

Show your support:

• Join the Green Square Campaignto remember and stand in solidarity with the victims and survivors of the Quebec City mosque attack;
• Join or organize a vigil in your community or attend an online event or webinar.

Read CLC’s report on confronting Islamophobia in our workplaces and communities: Islamophobia at Work: Challenges and Opportunities, which includes recommendations for employers, unions, and government on how to address this issue.

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OTTAWA – While the pandemic rolls on with new disruptions, Canada’s unions are urging Members of Parliament to get down to work on helping struggling families when the House of Commons resumes sitting next week.

“Family pocketbooks are stretched to the breaking point, we are at a crisis point for the care workers who deliver vital services and the patients who rely on them, and too often our social safety net just isn’t there for people when they need help the most,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “As the House of Commons returns next week, Canada’s unions are ready to get down to work with MPs from all parties on the urgent measures needed to strengthen public care systems and help families.”

Bruske added that quick action is needed on a permanent fix to Employment Insurance – to stop letting so many workers and their families fall through the cracks in tough times.

“The reality is, support for people thrown out of work was inadequate before the pandemic,” said Bruske. “We must stop lurching from wave to wave and instead move forward on a permanent fix to EI and make sure workers and their families don’t fall through the cracks again when the next crisis hits.”

Canada’s unions welcomed a commitment last year from the Minister of the Environment to work together on new Just Transition legislation, so workers aren’t left behind as Canada’s moves forward on much needed climate action.

“Climate change is at our doorstep. Transition to a green economy means substantial new investments in public transit, clean energy and manufacturing,” concluded Bruske. “Canada’s unions are eager to work with parliamentarians on climate action that counts – investments that create good jobs and legislation that makes sure no workers are left behind.”

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

The post Parliament must work with urgency on helping families appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of Alexa McDonough, a true Canadian political giant. On behalf of Canada’s unions, I extend our sincere condolences to her sons, Justin and Travis, and all the friends and family she leaves behind, who will feel her loss so deeply.

“There is not a woman in Canadian politics or public life who does not owe a debt to the trailblazing role Alexa has played. When she won the leadership of the Nova Scotia NDP in 1980 – and became the first woman to lead a major, recognized political party in Canada – she gave us an example that so many young women could follow. Not just to be at the table, but to lead it.

It was not an easy road. When first elected to the Nova Scotia legislature, there was no women’s washroom for MLAs. But instead of complaining to the media, Alexa walked back into the legislature and talked about the issues she heard about from the women waiting with her to use the public washrooms.

For those of us in the labour movement, we will always be grateful for her strong advocacy for workers’ rights, fair wages and safer working conditions. Her work helping to get the Westray Bill passed continues to benefit workers today. The labour movement will mark the 30^th anniversary of the Westray legislation this year and Alexa’s words, said in the House of Commons in 2003, on the day the Westray Bill received Royal Assent are still central to the labour movement’s fight:

The Westray bill is a victory for working people across Canada and culminates 11 years of work by New Democrats in solidarity with families of mine disaster victims, Westray survivors, steelworkers and other trade union partners. This brings us one step closer to ensuring that corporations are held liable for irresponsible working conditions that end up costing workers their lives.

Alexa was someone who had an abundance of dedication, and never one to shy away from hard work or a difficult fight. From working as a teenager to draw attention to the conditions in the Africville community in Halifax, to elected office and leadership roles at the provincial and federal level, to decades of activism on so many important issues, she has truly blazed an impressive trail.

Both with the provincial and federal NDP, it is no coincidence that the leaders who followed her both had breakthrough successes and became Leader of the Official Opposition. She laid the groundwork for so many of us.

After stepping down as federal NDP leader, she stayed on to serve under new leader Jack Layton as the party’s foreign affairs critic, taking on a leadership role in peace advocacy and international work. After leaving politics she went on to become president of Mount Saint Vincent University and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Labour unions worked to help honour her in 2013, raising funds to make sure Alexa’s contributions were permanently recognized at Mount Saint Vincent’s Alexa McDonough Institute for Women, Gender and Social Justice. Such a fitting tribute for someone who gave so much of herself to help others.

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I think almost everyone can agree 2021 was a rough year. The pandemic we hoped was ending now rolls on with new variants and new disruptions.

But in 2021 we also saw some hopeful signs of what’s possible when people work together in common cause. Workers with newfound confidence demanding better. People seeking out jobs that offered regular schedules, better wages, and less precarity. Increased unionization rates in the middle of a pandemic.

That’s the energy Canada’s unions are bringing into 2022. So as everyone gets going on their New Year’s resolutions, we’ve got a few of our own. And we intend to keep them.

This is our time to build and our time to demand better. By lunchtime on January 4, Canada’s highest paid CEOs had already made the same pay that an average worker will take home for the year. Which is why Canada’s unions have resolved that 2022 is the year that the country’s top earners will pay their fair share.

Enough of these $10 million pay days for high-ranking executives. Enough of tax loopholes and bailout programs that support millionaires and billionaires. Frontline workers have been the ones to keep us all afloat through the last 22 months. It’s unconscionable that they’ve struggled to make ends meet while Canada’s top earners had one of their most profitable years ever in 2020.

In 2022 we must also resolve to permanently fix Employment Insurance and stop letting so many workers and their families fall through the cracks in hard times. As Omicron is teaching us, we can’t keep lurching from wave to wave; we must instead get ready for the next crisis. Supports for people thrown out of work were inadequate before the pandemic and the federal government’s new Lockdown Benefit is falling far short of the mark.

Our public health care has struggled under the strain of the pandemic and chronic staffing shortages. Health care workers are overextended and underpaid, and burnout rates among health care workers are at an all-time high. We must resolve to strengthen public health care, starting with investments in more nurses and health professionals. And we can save lives and improve living conditions by taking profits out of long-term care.

With so many drowning under the rising costs of essentials, we must resolve to make life more affordable in 2022. We can save families thousands through investments in affordable housing, making child care available and accessible to every parent, and actually implementing pharmacare.

Positive change is within our grasp – if we in the labour movement can work together with governments, civil society, and business. But we must learn the right lessons from the past 22 months of pandemic and make the right investments – so our communities are ready when the next crisis hits.

2021 showed us the road may be hard at times. We must resolve, together, to respond with resilience, determination, and real ambition to do better in 2022.

Bea Bruske is the president of the Canadian Labour Congress. Follow her on Twitter @PresidentCLC

The post Resilience, Determination and Ambition in 2022 appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

We believe every worker deserves the same high standard of protection under the law. Employers have long used excuses to misclassify their employees as independent contractors, and have lobbied for exceptions and special categories that restrict workers’ rights. In recent years, platform companies like Uber, Lyft and Skip the Dishes have taken that effort to new extremes that threaten workers everywhere.

Globally, app-based workers are standing up, overturning misclassification as independent contractors, and coming together to improve their working conditions. Courts and legislatures in France, Spain, Belgium, Chile, Australia, and numerous other countries are recognizing the presumption of employment status for food delivery workers and other app-company gig workers. The new European Union Commission directive, establishing the presumption of employee status unless the company can prove the platform worker is an independent contractor, shows us that around the world, the tide is turning towards full employment rights for app-based workers. The OWRAC report recommendations are offside and out of step with this global trend.

We repeat our call from March 2021 for governments to give app-based gig workers the same legal protections as other workers, and to end employee misclassification. The CLC and Canada’s central labour bodies urge all governments to apply employment standards universally and eliminate exceptions and special categories that restrict worker rights. We urge governments to end the misclassification of workers as independent contractors and reverse the legal onus so employers must prove a worker is not an employee and is truly an independent contractor.

The OWRAC report has recommended the opposite. In line with the wishes of the digital platform companies like Uber, Lyft and Skip the Dishes, OWRAC recommends the government of Ontario create a new category of dependent contractor under employment standards legislation which would give gig workers fewer rights and entitlements than employees. Workers classified as dependent contractors would continue to have reduced or restricted access to the Canada Pension Plan, Employment Insurance, and workers’ compensation that are the bedrock of decent work. Instead, OWRAC recommends the government establish a ‘portable benefits’ scheme which will unquestionably provide inferior benefits for these workers.

As the report of the Expert Panel on Modern Federal Labour Standards recognized, the best portable benefits are universal social programs like Canada Pension Plan, Employment Insurance and national Pharmacare. Ontario workers need and deserve full access to EI and CPP, not crumbs tossed into an individual savings account.

OWRAC has heard and responded to the wishes of the platform companies, whose business model exploits the fact that workers are denied basic minimum employment standards. At the same time, OWRAC has ignored the recommendations of gig workers themselves and labour groups that are demanding governments and advisory groups protect workers’ rights, not the gig employers.

The Canadian labour movement remains firmly united with the growing global movement demanding full rights and protections for gig economy workers. We reject the platform companies’ efforts to pressure governments to invent a niche category for app-based employment. Like Proposition 22 in California, Uber and other platform companies are hoping the Ford government will enshrine insecurity and inferior work conditions into Ontario’s legislation while undermining the right of workers to organize.

Gig work is vitally important work but commonly underpaid and undervalued. Grocery store workers, delivery drivers, bike couriers and many others play a critical role in keeping our economy moving and ensuring that we have essential supplies. This work matters, and these workers matter.

Governments have a responsibility to make work better – to provide workers with security, safety and fair pay. We reiterate our call on the provincial, territorial and federal governments to protect gig and app based workers by:

• Applying employment standards universally and eliminating exceptions and special categories that restrict worker rights;
• Proactively addressing the misclassification of workers as independent contractors and reversing the legal onus so employers must prove a worker is not an employee and is truly an independent contractor; and
• Ensuring all workers have the right to organize into a union should they choose and making that right meaningful by addressing barriers to organizing.

Endorsing bodies:

Canadian Labour Congress
Alberta Federation of Labour
British Columbia Federation of Labour
Manitoba Federation of Labour
New Brunswick Federation of Labour
Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour
Northern Territories Federation of Labour
Nova Scotia Federation of Labour
Ontario Federation of Labour
Prince Edward Island Federation of Labour
Saskatchewan Federation of Labour
Yukon Federation of Labour

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With low-income seniors and unemployed workers being left behind, Canada’s unions are demanding the upcoming Economic and Fiscal Update be more than an accounting exercise but instead include a course correction on key issues.

“The most vital thing about a country’s balance sheet is the vision and values of the elected officials who control it,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “The Economic and Fiscal Update is a critical opportunity for the government to end the CERB clawbacks affecting low-income seniors and act swiftly to get help to people who were cut off when emergency benefits were cancelled.”

Bruske said that Canada’s unions are hearing every day from workers about how the crisis is not over for them, their family or their community. They are asking the government to use the Fiscal Update to show that it is serious about investing in making life more affordable and pushing back against the right-wing austerity agenda of spending cuts and a return to low-wage policies.

“We keep hearing right-wing thinkers argue for a return to austerity and 1990’s style fiscal policies. But we know a low wage agenda won’t solve the affordability crisis facing workers and their families,” said Bruske. “Instead, government must invest in repairing our social safety net and nurturing the recovering economy. This includes action on fair taxation so those at the top, who have made obscene profits during the pandemic, are finally made to pay their fair share.”

Bruske added that it is vital that we learn lessons from the pandemic and build back our communities, so they are more equitable than before the pandemic, not less.

“The fiscal update must make clear that the federal government is prepared to make investments to make life more affordable and ensure vital services, like EI, are there for people when they need it,” concluded Bruske. “This includes investments in making child care, housing and pharmacare more affordable.”

To arrange an interview, please contact:

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

The post Canada’s unions: Use fiscal update to reverse seniors’ clawbacks and emergency help for workers appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Hundreds of workers have been engaging MPs about the need for swift action to help struggling seniors and better support care workers as Parliament works to end the pandemic and start Canada along the long road towards an equitable economic recovery.

“Hundreds of union members reached out to over 140 MPs and sent over 1,700 letters, sharing powerful stories explaining the urgent need for Parliament to make sure people are not left behind,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “A critical first step would be for the government to use the upcoming Economic and Fiscal Update to immediately end the unfair GIS clawbacks tens of thousands of low-income seniors are now facing.”

Canada’s unions’ Action Week also involved 265 union members reaching out to meet their MP, almost 10,000 peer-to-peer text conversations, and 574 people engaged in training and webinars.

“With rising inflation and so many Canadians still struggling, union members are delivering a clear message to Parliamentarians that it is vital they remain focussed on helping people,” said Bruske. “MPs heard from care workers who have spent the past 20 months working around the clock on the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19 about their need for better support. Care workers have had our backs, now it’s time MPs have theirs.”

Bruske added that energy workers also engaged MPs with a clear message that action against climate change is imperative – and this must include investments in green infrastructure, green jobs and a just transition so no worker is left behind.

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

The post Rank and file union members engage MPs with powerful stories about the need to end seniors’ clawbacks appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Workers are raising their voices to make sure our elected representatives hear, loud and clear, about the need for concrete action to make life more affordable and an economic recovery plan that puts workers and their families at its heart,” said Bea Bruske, President of the CLC. “This is an opportunity for MPs to better understand the real challenges facing the people they were elected to represent.”

The CLC has been working with hundreds of workers from across the country to help them get ready to meet virtually with MPs and tell their stories.

Canada’s unions will continue to push the government and MPs from all parties to work together on a fair, progressive and worker-centred economic recovery. This includes action to:

• Bolster our social safety net through programs and services workers rely on, like child care, paid sick days and a permanent fix to employment insurance.
• Strengthen our public health care system, including through universal pharmacare, public long-term care and investments in mental health care.
• Invest in the care economy and replace lost jobs with better ones that keep workers safe and supported.
• Act on climate change through investments in green infrastructure and a just transition that makes sure no worker is left behind.

“It is vital MPs hear from workers as they move forward on the economic recovery. The reality is, there is no recovery without workers,” said Bruske. “We will make sure that every MP hears how workers kept this country running during the pandemic, and it’s long past time we build a more equitable, inclusive and sustainable economy.”

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

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Canada’s unions are disappointed in the federal government’s proposed legislation, tabled in parliament Wednesday, saying it will only entrench greater inequities and leave vulnerable and marginalized workers behind.

“This bill has been conceived so narrowly, it’s not a pivot, it pulls the rug right out from under struggling workers,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “How would it help families in places like Alberta, where the government has dragged its feet on putting lockdowns in place, despite the widespread risk of COVID?”

Over half a million Canadians were still relying on the Canadian Recovery Benefit (CRB) before it was abruptly ended by the government, a month following the federal election. There were still 575,280 CRB recipients in the latest period, between October 10 to October 23, these numbers are provisional and once retroactive applications are accounted for, the final numbers could be much higher.

“It’s shameful that the first bill of this new government is to offer band-aid solutions that benefit businesses and employers but fail to address the concerns of workers. The bill does nothing to respond to workplace outbreaks like we’ve seen at Cargill, Amazon, and Canada Post. As opposed to targeting the workplaces and workers who need help the most, its built-in blanket geography approach is designed to fail.”

“It feels like the bill was written by the business lobby, not with the intent of continuing to help workers, many who are still unemployed and unable to qualify for EI.”

Bruske said Canada’s unions are meeting with MPs next week during the CLC’s Action Week lobby on the Hill, and will be pressing for changes to this bill and a permanent repair to our Employment Insurance system.

“Hundreds of workers from across Canada will meet with MPs and demand our elected officials choose an economy that is more equitable, more inclusive, more sustainable – and where lost jobs are replaced with better ones,” concluded Bruske.

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

The post New worker lockdown benefit fails to benefit workers appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

November 25 marks the beginning of the internationally commemorated 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. Gender-based violence and harassment infiltrates every aspect of Canadian society, from our homes, to our community spaces, to the world of work. Violence and harassment is a daily reality for far too many workers in Canada, heightened even further by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 “The argument that harassment and violence is inevitable in certain workplaces is unacceptable. All workers deserve to feel safe at work,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “We want concrete action from the government to prevent and end gender-based violence and harassment at work. That starts with ratifying C-190.

C-190 is the first international standard of its kind that acknowledges the universal right to a world of work free from violence and harassment, and establishes a clear framework for ending it. Once ratified, governments are accountable for preventing and addressing all forms of violence and harassment, including gender-based violence and harassment, and it gives unions the tools they need to make work safer for everyone.

Jobs and sectors dominated by women workers are disproportionately impacted by workplace harassment and violence. Women and gender diverse workers who also face discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, race, disability, Indigeneity, immigration or migration status or other social identity are also more likely to experience workplace harassment and violence, and face additional barriers to reporting. Too often, workers are not protected by existing legislation, leaving them vulnerable to abuse and threatening their safety at work.

“Now is the time for action. The pandemic has increased incidents of harassment and violence against health care and other frontline workers,” said Siobhán Vipond, CLC Executive Vice-President. “And incidents of domestic violence for those working from home have also increased over the past 20 months. C-190 is comprehensive and inclusive. It gives us the tools we need to prevent and address gender-based violence at work, and work toward ending it.”

Join us in marking the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence by asking the new Minister of Labour to ratify C-190 to protect all workers in Canada.

On December 7^th we invite everyone to join the CLC’s virtual webinar on gender-based violence at work and learn how ILO C-190 will impact workers in Canada.

The post Canada’s unions call on federal government to ratify and implement C-190 appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, is available to speak to the media about the upcoming return of Parliament and what a workers-centred recovery looks like.

“The pandemic laid bare existing inequities and the reality is many workers and families are still struggling. Parliament must act quickly to help people now being left behind after the cancellation of emergency help last month,” said Bruske. “Canada’s unions are committed to working with the government and all parties in Parliament on behalf of Canada’s workers and their families.”

“We need concrete action to help take the strain off family budgets with investments in making housing affordable; implementation of pharmacare – to make medicine affordable for everyone; child care deals with every province and territory, so parents now pushed to the economic sidelines have a path back to the labour force; and a permanent fix to our broken EI system, so our social safety net is there for the next crisis, whether health or climate related,” concluded Bruske.

Learn more about how Canada’s unions are helping to shape the recovery at canadianplan.ca.

When: Interviews can be arranged between November 19 and November 22

What: President Bea Bruske available for comment on Canada’s unions’ priorities for return of Parliament

Where: Virtual or in-person, by arrangement

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

The post President Bea Bruske available to speak about Canada’s unions’ priorities for new Parliament appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“The banks now want to reward themselves and investors with windfall gains that come as a result of government support during the pandemic. Excessive payouts to investors, while support for people is being cut off by the government, is just not right,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Rather than allowing this pandemic to further entrench existing inequalities and allow the gap between the rich and poor to widen, the federal government should instruct OSFI to maintain restrictions on shareholder payouts, and immediately impose a windfall gains tax on banks and insurance companies to prevent surplus capital from being distributed as jackpot winnings to shareholders and company executives.”

When COVID-19 struck, the federal government’s first order of business was to pump money and credit into the financial sector and ease reporting requirements to reduce “the operational burden” on financial institutions. In the early days of the pandemic, the federal government and the Bank of Canada provided three-quarters of a trillion dollars in liquidity and financial support. In return, the financial regulator instructed banks and insurers to suspend share buybacks and not to increase dividend payments.

“The banks now want to reward themselves and investors with huge increases in dividends and share buybacks. The government must make sure that the big businesses that made record profits in the pandemic now pay their fair share,” said Bruske. “The government should go further, frankly, and introduce a wealth tax to begin taxing the concentrated riches of Canada’s wealthiest families to make sure everyone is contributing fairly to a more equitable society.”

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

The post Government must put the brakes on Bay St. and prevent windfall pandemic payouts appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“With women so disproportionately impacted by the economic crisis that accompanied the pandemic, it is not enough that Mr. Trudeau appoints a cabinet based on gender parity. The new cabinet must take concrete action to address the significant setbacks to women’s labour force participation over the last 18 months. This includes immediately implementing child care agreements in every province and territory.

“Canada’s unions look forward to working with Prime Minister Trudeau and the new federal cabinet on the pressing issues facing workers and their families.

“With the high cost of housing and growing affordability challenges plaguing so many essentials families rely on, we welcome the new creation of a Minister of Housing. This must be a top priority for the government, and we look forward to working closely with Minister Ahmed Hussen.

“We also welcome the creation of the position of Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and look to Carolyn Bennett to urgently address the opioid crisis, which has caused so much pain across Canada.

“We look forward to working with the new Minister of Labour Seamus O’Regan. His first priorities should be making sure that basic employment standards are extended to all workers in Canada, implementing a permanent fix for our broken EI system and ensuring all workers have a path to unionization.

“Now that the new cabinet is in place, the government must now demonstrate it is serious about building an inclusive and equitable recovery by investing in better, safer jobs and strengthening quality public health and our country’s care services.”

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To arrange an interview with Bea Bruske, contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
Cell: 343-549-8397

The post New cabinet must get to work on building an inclusive and equitable recovery appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Canada’s recent Labour Force Survey showed that nearly one and a half million people are still looking for work and total hours worked still lag well below pre-pandemic levels.

“Behind the headlines, the recent Labour Force report revealed some troubling facts. Nearly 250,000 people have been out of work for a year or longer. Many have exhausted their EI claims and have nowhere else to turn,” warned Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “The end of the pandemic is in sight, but the recovery is still just beginning. Canada’s unions have been demanding a recovery with workers at the centre, and that starts with extending these vital benefits.”

Despite 750,000 people still relying on the help, the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) is set to expire on October 23, 2021.

“It’s no surprise the conservative media and some businesses are demanding an end to emergency benefits – even while they are still asking for government handouts for themselves,” said Bruske. “What is shocking is that the government might declare ‘mission accomplished’ and end this vital lifeline for hundreds of thousands of jobless and vulnerable workers. If the government abandons these workers now, many will struggle for years to come.”

Bruske added that after CRB emergency help is extended, Parliament must get back to work on the other critical elements of a worker-centred recovery. This includes raising the minimum wage; enacting fair scheduling laws; increasing and permanently fixing EI and paid sick leave; extending employment standards to gig economy workers; outlawing pay discrimination against part-time employees; and strengthening workers’ voices by providing a path to unionization.

“Canada’s unions will engage our new Parliament and demand MPs choose an economy that is more equitable, more inclusive, more sustainable, and where lost jobs are replaced with better ones,” concluded Bruske.

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

The post As clock ticks down, Canada’s unions demand government chooses help for people appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

OTTAWA – Canada’s unions congratulate Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party on their re-election and offer to work with the government and Parliamentarians from all parties on building a pandemic recovery that addresses the critical challenges facing workers and their families.

“Canadians have spoken, and their message is clear: it’s time for Parliament to get down to work on a progressive recovery,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “This means MPs from all parties must act urgently on strengthening public health care – including implementing pharmacare; permanently improving our EI system so workers aren’t left behind; enacting fair tax reforms so that the richest pay their fair share; and instituting a mixed member proportional representation system.”

Bruske noted that Prime Minister Trudeau has committed to affordable child care, universal pharmacare and electoral reform, all included in Jagmeet Singh and the NDP’s platform commitments.

“Workers in Canada are worried about making ends meet, and they want to get back to work in decent jobs with real benefits and a path to unionization. Investing in key areas of the economy will create better jobs and help Canada thrive,” said Bruske. “We must now all work together on a COVID recovery plan that fixes our social safety net and addresses longstanding inequalities in our communities, so that we’re ready to weather the storm when the next disaster strikes.”

Over the course of the election campaign, Canada’s unions have been vocal about what a strong, worker-centered recovery should look like. This included measures to allow women to re-enter the workforce, including through finishing the implementation of a universal affordable child care system; strengthening health care and implementing universal pharmacare; enacting fair tax reforms; permanently improving EI; and replacing Canada’s broken first-past the post electoral system with mixed member proportional representation.

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The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions and provincial nurses’ unions across Canada are holding a National Day of Action today, making sure our health care system is top of mind when voters go to vote on Monday.

“We’ve seen a pandemic with devastating consequences on frontline health workers after more than a decade of chronic nursing shortages,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “It’s long past time nurses receive basic respect, safety and fairness. Canada’s unions are proud to stand in solidarity today with nurses across the country.”

Overworked, underpaid and suffering under the pressure of the pandemic on their work and life, hospital staff are leaving their jobs at an alarming rate. Overtime is up almost 80% on average, and almost 140% in Ontario and Quebec. For Black, Indigenous, and racialized nurses, they also can face daily discrimination.

Nursing unions have been warning about the crisis and the urgent need for governments to invest in nursing.

“The pandemic has made clear to everyone how years of health care cuts, started by Stephen Harper and Erin O’Toole, left a tattered health care system. Mr. O’Toole says he’ll restore the cuts, but only years down the road. The crisis is right now,” said Bruske. “Nurses are right to say they’re done waiting. I urge voters to reject Mr. O’Toole’s empty words and vote to strengthen our public health care system.”

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To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-355-1962

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OTTAWA – Health care systems are on the brink. Alberta is witnessing 1,500 new cases a day and rising while their health care system is on the verge of collapse. Saskatchewan saw a record 506 new cases. Cases are spiking in New Brunswick.

To make matters worse, Statistics Canada reported that nearly one-in-five job vacancies in Canada was in health care and social assistance. Many workers in the care economy are underpaid and working under poor conditions – most are women, and many are Black, Indigenous, racialized or recent immigrants and migrants.

“From coast-to-coast-to-coast, our health care systems are strained to the breaking point,” said Canadian Labour Congress president Bea Bruske. “Erin O’Toole talks like he supports public health care but when you look at his policies, he’s just another Conservative opening the door to privatization and leaving care workers behind. The bulk of his promised new health funding – if it ever actually happened – would be years down the road.”

While Alberta’s health care system is buckling under premier Jason Kenney’s mishandling of the fourth wave, his Conservative government is still planning cuts. In Ontario yesterday, the independent Financial Accountability Office revealed that the Doug Ford Conservative government spent $2.6 billion less than planned in the fiscal first quarter.

“From Ontario to Alberta to Saskatchewan, we have seen health cuts and health care systems on the brink. Conservative mismanagement is putting our public health care system at risk,” concluded Bruske. “And Mr. O’Toole already has a track record of cutting health care. In power now, he would make things even worse.”

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To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-355-1962

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Sales and service workers have seen wages rise only 59 cents on average – less than price a bag of potatoes has gone up – since the pandemic struck. There are still nearly 300,000 more unemployed than in February 2020 and another million are employed but working fewer than half their usual hours.

“Under the last Conservative government, precarious work swelled while job quality decreased,” said Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Government has a role to play in making sure new jobs are decent ones, but that won’t happen under Mr. O’Toole’s policies, which appear to be written for him by large corporations.”

Bruske pointed out that inequalities laid bare by the pandemic are now reasserting themselves, as low-paid workers in precarious work struggle to boost hours and keep up with rising prices. 1 in 5 workers in Canada ­– 1 in 4 women workers – are officially low-paid, one of the highest proportions in the OECD.

“As working families struggle, Mr. O’Toole offers kind words but hostile policies that would mean lower wages, fewer benefits, and more precarious work,” said Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Mr. O’Toole’s plan fails to address the real economic challenges facing families. He is just another Conservative who will help companies keep wages low while denying workers the help they need.”

Bruske said that a real workers’ agenda would include raising the minimum wage; fair scheduling laws; increasing EI and paid sick leave; opening employment standards to gig economy workers; outlawing pay discrimination against part-time employees; and strengthening workers’ voices by providing a path to unionization.

Contact information:
Chantal St-Denis
Cell 613-355-1962
media@clcctc.ca

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Canada’s unions are warning that a huge fiscal hole in Erin O’Toole’s platform and proposals that leave workers behind would put Canada’s already weakened social safety net at risk.

Experts have been pointing to how the Conservatives’ unrealistic growth projections create a gigantic fiscal gap in their plan.

“Mr. O’Toole’s risky plan not only has a large fiscal hole at its heart, his policies seem to be written by his friends at Uber and his buddies on Bay Street,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “He’s trying to build a social safety net out of hot air and empty promises.”

Bruske pointed to O’Toole’s pledge to cancel agreements with provinces to create new child care spaces and his proposal to create an “Employee Savings Account” as two prime examples of how Conservative policies would weaken Canada’s social safety net.

“Workers – mostly women – faced an impossible choice when schools and daycares closed. Many were forced to put their working lives on hold. What is Mr. O’Toole’s answer to parents?” asked Bruske. “After working women fought and struggled for decades for child care, Mr. O’Toole is vowing to tear up agreements for more high-quality affordable child care spaces.”

In a separate move that further weakens Canada’s social safety net, the Conservatives’ proposed “Employee Savings Account” would deny some gig economy workers real access to a pension and EI, forcing them to rely on costly financial products sold by banks and financial institutions instead.

“Mr. O’Toole would not only chip away at the foundations of EI and the CPP, he would entrench a two-tier system where low-paid workers have to accept second-class status,” said Bruske. “The pandemic taught us we must expand EI coverage to all workers, yet Conservatives would instead weaken the social safety net workers rely on.”

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media@clcctc.ca
613-355-1962

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“Over the past eighteen months, workers and their families have faced unprecedented challenges from a pandemic and fiscal crisis.

“Parents faced the pressure of working from home while dealing with their kids’ schooling. Workers faced the anxiety of being thrown out of work and being forced to turn to lower-paid, precarious jobs in the gig economy just to get by. We all faced the constant worry of trying to keep our loved ones safe and healthy.

“The pandemic also laid bare the inequality in our society. Too many women were forced out of the labour market altogether – pushed to the economic sidelines. Many of these workers are Black, Indigenous, racialized or recent immigrants and migrants. The she-cession isn’t just a catchy phrase, it’s a terrifying reality for so many women today.

“This election comes at a pivotal moment. The recovery provides a unique opportunity to finally address these problems. The choices Canada’s leaders make in the days and weeks to come will resonate for years into the future.

“While today we celebrate the important gains workers and their unions have made, we also commit to making sure the voices of working people are heard loud and clear, during this election and in the months and years that follow.

“Canada’s unions are demanding all parties embrace a recovery plan that includes replacing lost jobs with better ones. A plan for creating good jobs that are permanent, pay a living wage, have benefits and pensions, and are unionized. We know that more good union jobs means less inequality.

“The next crisis is coming, whether health or climate related. We are challenging all parties to work with us to do the hard work now, so Canada is ready when the next crisis comes. This means disaster-proofing Canada’s social safety net; investing in housing and child care, to help make life more affordable for families struggling to make ends meet; and strengthening our public health care through implementing pharmacare and getting profits out of seniors care.

“More than even in this election, political parties are campaigning for the votes of workers. We welcome this attention. But positive rhetoric is not enough if your policies appear to be written by large corporations.

“Canada’s unions will continue to amplify the voices of millions of workers – engaging voters and supporting candidates who put workers at the centre of their recovery plans. And we will be relentless in holding parties to account for policies that leave workers and their families behind.”

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CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-355-1962

The post Bea Bruske: Put working families at the heart of Canada’s recovery appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“We have seen his rhetoric around supporting working people. But when you look at his record, you start seeing the real O’Toole,’ said Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress. “While he clearly will now say anything for votes, the fact is Erin O’Toole is a former Bay St. lawyer for giant corporations. And it shows.”

O’Toole’s anti-worker record includes:

• Voting against extending emergency pandemic help for workers;
• Saying the government should have given less to working families and more to businesses instead;
• Proposing a law, making it easier for corporations to walk away from pension obligations;
• Voting in support of Bill C-377, which attacked workers and tried to weaken Canada’s labour movement;
• Attacking a union for standing up against his Conservative government’s cuts to services for vets;
• Voting to make it harder for workers to refuse dangerous work; and
• Supporting unfair trade deals that lost Canada thousands of good manufacturing jobs.

“Sadly, Mr. O’Toole cannot be counted on to stand up for workers. This election, he’s proposing policies that fail to protect workers’ pensions during commercial bankruptcies and start privatizing EI and public pensions,” said Bruske. “And during the pandemic, while Alberta premier Jason Kenney made it easier to bust unions and attacked nurses, Erin O’Toole was silent.”

During election 2021, Canada’s unions are engaging voters, supporting candidates who put workers at the centre of their recovery plan, and holding parties accountable for policies that would hurt working people.

“Our message to hard-working people is simple: Conservatives are dangerous for working Canadians. Don’t risk our future on Erin O’Toole,” concluded Bruske.

Contact information:
Chantal St-Denis
Cell 613-355-1962
media@clcctc.ca

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“Over the last year and a half, we have faced unprecedented upheaval as COVID-19 has wrought havoc on our communities,” Bruske told a crowd of CUPE New Brunswick members in Fredericton on Friday. “This is the most important election in a generation. Workers and their families have kept our country going through this pandemic and they must be front and centre in the parties’ recovery plans.”

Earlier this week, Bruske launched a national tour aimed at supporting federal candidates who are committed to making life more affordable for workers and their families by creating good jobs that offer decent wages, benefits, and a path to unionization.

“Canada’s unions are putting workers’ issues at the heart of this election,” said Bruske. “We are fighting for issues like replacing lost jobs with better ones; disaster-proofing our social safety net through investments in pharmacare, affordable housing, and universal child care; and tackling climate change so no worker is left behind. Now is our chance to work together to do what is best for our families and our communities.”

Learn more about how Canada’s unions are helping to shape the recovery at canadianplan.ca.

To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-355-1962

The post CLC President encourages New Brunswick voters to choose a worker-centred recovery in federal election appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Decades of cuts and privatization in the long-term care sector have had tragic consequences during this crisis.

“Early in the pandemic, long-term care homes accounted for four out of every five COVID-19 related deaths in Canada. In Ontario, the Commission into long-term care said for-profit companies should no longer be in charge of care.

“The for-profit model has clearly failed seniors and their families. We welcome Jagmeet Singh and the New Democrats’ commitment to take profit out of long-term care.

“For years, long-term care workers, unions and advocates for senor’s health care have demanded systemic change to a broken system.

“Canada’s unions have been fighting for long-term care to be offered as a public service. This means making major changes to Canada’s long-term care sector, including regulating long-term care under the Canada Health Act.”

Canada’s unions have been calling on governments to address the failings COVID-19 exposed in long-term care by:

• Bringing long-term care into the public system and regulating it under the Canada Health Act;
• Removing private, for-profit businesses from the sector;
• Requiring proper staffing and health and safety protections for workers; and
• Permanently raising wages and benefits for long-term care workers to match the value of the work.

Full recommendations on Long-term care can be found here.

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media@clcctc.ca
613-355-1962

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“Access to paid sick days reduces the spread of COVID and helps workers who keep our economy going stay safe,” said Bruske. “Workers have now suffered through four waves of this pandemic. It’s long past time political parties support paid sick leave for all workers.”

Alongside vaccination against COVID-19, enhanced indoor ventilation, physical distancing, mask requirements, and personal protective equipment, paid sick leave is essential to containing and defeating the virus.

“Workers without paid leave protections have sometimes faced a terrible choice: go to work while ill, at the risk of infecting others, or stay home and lose pay or even their job. In a pandemic, no one should have ever been faced with this dilemma,” said Bruske. Workers must be confident that they won’t suffer reprisal if they’re too ill to come to work. And that requires legislating paid sick days as a universal right.”

Ten paid sick days would place the federal jurisdiction ahead of all provincial and territorial standards in Canada. Canada’s unions are calling on all political parties to commit to this basic labour right and are urging all jurisdictions across the country to follow suit.

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OTTAWA – Hidden in Erin O’Toole’s Conservative policy platform is a kick in the teeth for the retirement and job security of gig workers.

“Conservatives have a policy plan that includes a blatant attack on public pensions. They would permanently relegate gig workers to second-class status in Canada’s workforce,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

The Conservative platform proposes a new private retirement and wage-loss scheme for gig workers that would replace the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Employment Insurance (EI) program. It’s called the portable Employee Savings Account, and it forces workers to depend on a private fund at the mercy of bank fees and subject to unpredictable stock markets.

“The Conservatives’ plan denies over a million gig economy workers access to not only the protections of basic labour standards, but to the Canada Pension Plan and Employment Insurance as well,” said Bruske. “These workers kept Canada going during the darkest days of the pandemic, yet Erin O’Toole and the Conservatives would deny them retirement security, EI benefits and even basic legal protections. That is reprehensible.”

The policy, as outlined in the Conservative election platform, would exclude gig economy workers from vital social programs that provide employees cost-effective retirement and unemployment benefits and force them into a riskier private plan.

“If Erin O’Toole forms government he would create two tiers of Canadian workers. One with basic workplace protections and hard-fought benefits, built by generations of Canadians – the other left to the whims of the market,” said Bruske. “Mr. O’Toole has made quite a show of claiming he is pro-union and pro-worker, but his platform amounts to a hypocritical attack on workers,” concluded Bruske.

“Canada’s unions will fight this unfair scheme and stand up for gig economy workers.”

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CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-355-1962

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Uber drivers successfully petitioned the court to certify a class action on behalf of all Uber drivers and delivery workers who submit they are employees misclassified as independent contractors.

“All workers should have workplace protections and benefits. Canada’s unions support the decision to certify this class action and invite Uber drivers from coast-to-coast to unionize and collectively bargain their rights,” said Bea Bruske, President of the CLC. “For too long, Uber has dictated terms of workers’ employment but hasn’t been accountable for providing basic employment standards like a minimum wage and vacation pay.”

In June of last year, an 8-1 decision of the Supreme Court of Canada found that Uber’s private arbitration clause in its contract with drivers is unfair, unconscionable and invalid. The company required Ontario drivers raising a dispute with the company to go to court in the Netherlands and pay legal and other fees amounting to most of their annual income.

“Courts cannot continue to be the main avenue through which workers demand their rights. It is too costly and time consuming, and companies like Uber have very deep pockets to drag out any legal challenge,” said Bruske.

“Governments must act to address the blatant misclassification of workers contained in gig economy employers’ business models. The competitiveness, growth strategy and business model of companies like Uber is built on denying workers their statutory and collective bargaining rights. Governments must step up and rectify the massive power imbalance between digital platform giants and low-paid gig workers,” Bruske added.

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A few short weeks ago, I was truly honoured to be elected to serve the working people of Canada as president of the Canadian Labour Congress. My fellow officers and I do not take this responsibility lightly – and it is not a job anyone can do alone. We are counting on you for your support … and your action.

Lily Chang, Siobhán Vipond, Larry Rousseau and I have already hit the ground running because we know that Canadians may very well be headed towards a federal election in the middle of a pandemic – making it one of the most important elections in a generation.

My first experience in the labour movement was as a young worker fighting for fair wages, benefits and protections at a corner grocery store in Winnipeg. My spirits were lifted by the incredible support we received from other workers and community members.

That memory has continued to inspire me to stand up for other people, speak out against injustice, and to always – always – try to make the world a better place.

But that memory also stands out because of how relevant that lesson is today.

When the global pandemic plunged our economy into uncertainty, it was front line workers in every sector who kept our families safe and healthy, and our communities running.

After being celebrated as heroes for the first few months, most of those workers lost their wage premiums, despite their continued dedication and exposure to risk. Meanwhile, many of the corporate CEOs clawing back their benefits continue making record profits.

I am sure that every worker in Canada has a unique story about the impact of the pandemic.

The upcoming federal election will be our opportunity to define Canada’s priorities.

It is our opportunity to fight for decent wages, standards, and equity to ensure no one is left behind, and we know that workers’ rights are human rights.

It is our opportunity to fight for paid sick leave and social programs – like universal pharmacare, affordable childcare, better healthcare and a stronger social safety net – to put an end to precarity and insecurity.

And it is our opportunity to protect the planet for future generations, by demanding bold climate action and a sustainable recovery.

That’s why I am asking you, and every worker in Canada, to sign up to be a part of this fight.

Click here to join our Action Team to help amplify worker issues and priorities in the upcoming federal election. We will call on you to share messages, send letters, and press local candidates and national parties to support worker issues.

I also invite you to follow me on Facebook and Twitter to be a part of my team too.

After all, I know that we are much stronger when we work together.

In Solidarity,

Bea Bruske
President

The post Open Letter to the Working People of Canada appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit domestic workers hard – as of June 2020, the ILO estimated that approximately 72.3% of global domestic workers were “significantly impacted” by the pandemic. For many, the pandemic closures and lockdown measures have led to reduced hours or job losses, while for others it has led to more work, unpaid wages, and increasingly unsafe and precarious working conditions.

Women make up the vast majority of domestic workers internationally. In Canada, most domestic work is carried out by racialized women, many of whom are migrants. Their work, while critical to our lives and the economy, has long been undervalued. Without full and permanent immigration status or full access to social security systems and labour protections, migrant care workers are made vulnerable, often unable to leave exploitative – and sometimes even violent – employment conditions. With domestic work largely taking place in the informal economy, workers are left without options, protections, or a safety net.

In Canada, a 2020 survey of migrant care workers found that one in three workers lost their jobs during COVID-19. Another third had their mobility limited by their employer and almost half of surveyed workers experienced work intensification and unpaid overtime as a result of the pandemic. Of those who did lose their job, one in three workers reported problems accessing the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) or Employment Insurance (EI).

“Domestic work continues to be made invisible and is underappreciated. While COVID-19 has made this work more visible, we still have a far way to go to demonstrate that this work is truly valued,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

Ten years after the adoption of ILO Convention 189, Canada’s unions call for the essential and skilled work of domestic workers be recognized and their rights protected.

—

Read more about Domestic Workers and COVID-19: https://idwfed.org/en/covid-19

Learn about migrant care worker exploitation during COVID-19: https://migrantrights.ca/BehindClosedDoors/

Read more on the campaign to Ratify C189: https://idwfed.org/en/campaigns/ratify-c189

Canada’s unions call for pathways to permanent residency for migrant workers: https://canadianlabour.ca/canadas-unions-call-for-pathway-to-permanent-residency-for-all-migrant-workers/

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OTTAWA – This week, union members from across the country are meeting online for the Canadian Labour Congress’ triennial convention to debate the labour movement’s priorities and to elect new leadership.

The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) is Canada’s major umbrella organization of national unions, provincial federations of labour and local labour councils and represents over three million workers.

The convention, originally scheduled for last May but postponed due to the pandemic, will be CLC President Hassan Yussuff’s final official duty before his retirement.

Yussuff became the first person of colour to lead Canada’s union movement when he was elected to the presidency in 2014 after having spent 15 years as part of the Executive team in various roles. Yussuff was planning to step down in 2020, but his term was extended to help confront the challenges of the pandemic.

“Practically overnight, Canada’s workers were looking down a dark, uncertain tunnel of fear about safety, joblessness, precarity and disruption that we had to address quickly,” said Yussuff, who worked with the federal government to push for worker protections. “Our priorities included ensuring that workers had adequate personal protective equipment, emergency income supports, and ensuring that governments addressed the gaps impacting frontline workers, including women and members of equity seeking communities. We were able to do much of this and help workers get through one of the most challenging moments in our history.”

Yussuff has long been at the forefront of improving conditions for Canada’s workers and their families, winning victories like a $15 dollar federal minimum wage, an expanded Canada Pension Plan, a national ban on asbestos and funding for a national child care program, and paid domestic leave, among other gains. Yussuff sat on the government’s NAFTA advisory panel, as part of an unprecedented involvement of Canada’s labour unions in the trade negotiations, and he also co-chaired the Just Transition Task Force for Canadian Coal Power Workers and Communities.

This year’s convention theme is “Defining the Future.” Delegates will be tasked with debating key policy resolutions that will address current and emerging issues in Canada’s political landscape, and will help shape a strong COVID-19 pandemic recovery.

“This event is ground-breaking,” said Yussuff. “Never before have so many union members met virtually in a setting such as this one. We hope to establish a clear roadmap for Canada’s unions that includes looking ahead to a strong pandemic recovery that puts people first, and leaves no one behind. This event will be a defining moment for Canada’s unions.”

Delegates will be electing a new CLC executive on Friday, June 18. They will cast electronic ballots for the roles of President, Secretary-Treasurer and Executive Vice-Presidents.

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

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“Our hearts are with residential school survivors, their families and all the children who never returned to the homes from which they were taken,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “This devastating discovery is yet another disturbing chapter in Canada’s long and ongoing history of colonial violence against Indigenous communities and the deeply traumatic legacy of residential schools.

“While the Canadian government has formally apologized, as have many faith institutions involved in the residential school system, survivors have not yet seen a formal apology from the Catholic Church. This must happen, and those responsible must be held accountable,” continued Yussuff.

While Canada’s unions welcome the federal government’s recent passing of Bill C-5, which would establish September 30 as a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation per Call to Action 80 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), we now call on the Senate to pass this legislation without delay. Currently recognized as Orange Shirt Day, this day is one to recognize the history of residential schools, and honour the experiences and healing journey of survivors and their families, toward reconciliation.

“Without a doubt, Canada needs a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, but this is only one step on the path to justice for Indigenous communities,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the CLC. “As this recent horrific news has shown us, there remains much work to be done when it comes to addressing the enduring and destructive impacts and outcomes of colonialism, violence and systemic racism experienced by Indigenous community members to this day. Reconciliation means pursuing justice for Indigenous communities on all fronts.”

The TRC report documented the tragic history and reverberations of Canada’s residential school system, in which more than 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis children were subjected to widespread systemic abuse, racism and mistreatment.

Canada’s unions are once again urging the federal government to swiftly implement all of the calls to action laid out in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report. Indigenous communities need urgent, concrete and meaningful action when it comes to justice, beginning with implementation of the TRC calls to action 71 through 76 on the Missing Children and Burial Information.

“The TRC report and National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) clearly laid out a path to action on reconciliation, and it is well past time for the federal government to act on every single one of their recommendations. There can be no justice or reconciliation until this is done,” Yussuff noted.

The CLC is also calling on the federal government to comply with the ruling of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ordering an end to discrimination against First Nations children in the delivery of child welfare services on reserves. The government failed to reform its First Nations Child and Family Services (FNCFS) program — which funds prevention and protection services — and by not doing so, failed First Nations children and families.

Lastly, Canada’s unions are urging the government to commit to stop fighting Indigenous families in court who are seeking access to services covered by the federal government. Since 2013, the Canadian government has spent $3.2 million battling a group of Ontario residential school survivors in court. “The government should be supporting residential school survivors and their families who have suffered tremendously as result of this system, not fighting them in court,” said Rousseau.

As we embark on Indigenous History Month, Canada’s unions reaffirm their commitment to reconciliation, to fighting for truth and justice for Indigenous communities, and continue to stand in solidarity with Indigenous workers and communities across the country.

Join us in this fight by writing to all levels of government today to urge action for justice for Indigenous communities.

RESOURCES:

Yellowhead Institute
Calls to Action Accountability: A 2020 Status Update on Reconciliation – Yellowhead Institute

Emergency Residential School Crisis Line, available 24/7 for those who may need support after the recent news:
1-866-925-4419

The post Canada’s unions mourn with Indigenous communities, call for action appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Pride is and has always been political, with deep roots in protest and resistance,” said Larry Rousseau, CLC Executive Vice-President. “As we enter the second Pride season marked by lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, it’s more important than ever to celebrate Pride with calls to action. This includes strengthening Canada’s social safety net so that we are all part of a strong pandemic recovery.”

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2SLGBTQI communities were already experiencing severe inequities. Over a year later, the situation has become even more dire, as 2SLGBTQI populations have been heavily impacted by the pandemic.

The recent federal budget committed to a $15 million investment over three years for a new LGBTQ2 Projects Fund, and $7.1 million, also over three years, for Heritage Canada to continue to operate the LGBTQ2 Secretariat.

While welcome, these funding commitments won’t address chronic underfunding of supports and services for these populations.

“Without proper investments in community organizations and support services, those who are already most vulnerable will be overlooked and left out when it comes to pandemic recovery,” said Rousseau.

In the coming months, the federal government will be developing an 2SLGBTQI Action Plan to guide its work around issues affecting 2SLGBTQI communities and conducting consultations with organizations to shape the Action Plan.

In order to meet the needs of 2SLGBTQI communities, the root causes of systemic inequity must be addressed. Canada’s unions urge the federal government to:

• Guarantee, in partnership with provinces and territories, long-term, core operational funding for 2SLGBTQI community organizations and service providers across the country, so that they are better equipped to provide the supports needed by community members;
• Strengthen the Employment Equity Act by including 2SLGBTQI workers as a designated population under the Act to combat systemic barriers and discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. They must ensure that 2SLGBTQI communities are thoroughly consulted during the process of modernizing of the Act; and
• Ensure that the implementation of GBA+ analysis across all levels of government includes meaningful intersectional 2SLGBTQI experiences and perspectives to properly identify the possible impacts of government policies, programs and services on 2SLGBTQI communities across Canada.

This Pride season, Canada’s unions continue to stand in solidarity with and fight alongside 2SLGBTQI workers and communities. We are calling for change toward a more equitable Canada for all. Sign our petition and join the fight.

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“There is no place for homophobic, transphobic or biphobic violence in our communities,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people face disproportionately high levels of violence in our workplaces and in our communities. The federal government must act immediately to address this alarming trend.”

The most recent Statistics Canada report on police reported hate crimes highlights a record high rate of hate crimes targeting individuals in the 2SLGBTQI community. Although members of the 2SLGBTQI community are less likely to report violent incidents to the police than other Canadians, the data indicates a 41% increase in hate crimes against 2SLGBTQI reported to the police, between 2018 and 2019. Over half of those reported crimes were violent.

Canada’s unions will join other organizations across the country in providing input to help shape Canada’s LGBTQ2 Action Plan. The CLC also created a new Workers in Transition handbook to help combat transphobia in the workplace.

“We are always recommitting ourselves to eradicating all forms of discrimination and harassment, whether it is on the shop floor, at the union meeting or at a community event,” said Rousseau. “We want to set an example for workers around the world, that inclusion is necessary for true worker solidarity.”

Canada’s unions continue to organize and fight for anti-harassment policies and awareness initiatives at work that ensure safer workplaces and unions for everyone. Even in the midst of a pandemic, unions are continuing to lead the way in advocating for every worker’s right to safety in the workplace. This includes a national survey on harassment and violence at work in Canada launched late last year.

The International Day Against Homophobia was first created in 2003 in Quebec, and was later amended in 2009 and 2015 to include transphobia and biphobia respectively. You can learn more about the history of IDAHOTB here.

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“We urge all parties to adopt this legislation,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “Workers and pensioners should not be written off as expendable in insolvency proceedings as they were in the Laurentian University disaster. Canada’s unions have long called for changes to bankruptcy laws so that workers and pensioners are first in line, not last, when it comes to paying creditors and we are pleased to see these proposed changes in Bill C-253.”

After a lifetime of hard work, nobody should have to struggle to make ends meet in retirement. Bill C-253 addresses many concerns advocates have had with the Companies’ Creditors Arrangements Act (CCAA) and the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (BIA). It amends the CCAA and BIA to ensure that workers’ wages, pensions and benefit programs are funded ahead of shareholder bonuses and payouts.

“In heartbreaking cases like Sears, we’ve seen how these insolvency filings play out, and workers and retirees are left holding the bag,” said Yussuff. “This bill will right those wrongs for future filings, and ensure that workers are treated with dignity and respect.”

Canada’s unions continue to encourage the federal government to work with the provinces and territories to create Canada-wide mandatory pension insurance. This would take worker protections a step further by guaranteeing monthly pensions whenever an employer with an underfunded pension plan files for bankruptcy.

To learn more about what we’re doing to strengthen pensions and Canada’s social safety net, visit canadianplan.ca.

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May Day is an annual celebration held every May 1^st during which workers from around the world celebrate the achievements made by trade unions. This year, the pandemic remains a focal point for the concerns of workers and their families.

“Millions of workers around the world have lost their jobs since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “Here in Canada, the federal government recently promised significant investments to help with our recovery. Canada’s political leaders must now work together to pass the budget implementation bill and turn these promises into action.”

The government’s recently announced investments in child care, training and skills development and a $15 federal minimum wage, in addition to a further expansion of emergency benefits would bring much needed relief to workers and their families.

Workers in Canada – and around the world – continue to struggle under the weight of the year-long pandemic. Developed countries have a responsibility to ensure that all workers in developing and under developing nations have access to vaccines to help put an end to this global health crisis.

In the meantime, gaps in the social safety net, both at home and abroad, have become painfully clear. Those gaps include a shameful lack of paid sick leave in most provinces.

“Workers and advocates have been calling for paid sick leave since before the pandemic,” said Yussuff.

“However, COVID-19 has highlighted just how dangerous a lack of paid sick time can be. Being able to stay home when you are sick is fundamental to reducing workplace exposures and illness. Essential workers being forced to choose between going to work sick and putting food on the table puts us all at risk and is prolonging and deepening the impacts of the pandemic. Provincial and territorial governments must act immediately.”

Canada’s unions further remind all levels of government to respect and uphold the collective bargaining rights of workers, even during times of crisis.

“Upholding workers’ rights is integral to the functioning of a free and fair democracy in which there is a counterweight to the unfettered power of employers and monied interests. Collective bargaining ensures a more fair, equitable present and future for all.”

To learn more about what unions are calling for, visit canadianplan.ca.

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These shortcomings were not accidental; they were the result of a political agenda that prioritized cutting taxes, minimizing costs and regulatory burdens for employers, keeping workers vulnerable and reducing social program spending and public investment. In the 2020 pandemic, the decades-old priority placed on balanced budgets and holding down social investment failed Canadians spectacularly. Equally, however, the improvised emergency income supports, caregiver benefits, sick benefits and other measures rushed into place contained the seeds, however partial and incomplete, of a more resilient, equitable and inclusive society.

The CLC, which represents over 3 million workers in Canada, previously responded to the budget announcement, and is now issuing a more in-depth analysis of what these commitments by the federal government will mean for Canadian workers and their families.

Read the CLC’s full analysis here.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified historical xenophobic, anti-Asian sentiment and rhetoric, which has resulted in increased violence against members of Asian communities. Live data from Fight COVID Racism shows that from March 10, 2020 to mid-April 2021, there were 994 reported incidents of anti-Asian hate crimes across Canada.

“May is Asian Heritage Month, and we’re taking this opportunity to highlight the struggle Asian communities are currently facing,” said Larry Rousseau, CLC Executive Vice-President. “There is no place for hate in Canada, and Canada’s unions are committed to advancing anti-racism efforts to confront and counter hate, and promote safer workplaces and communities.”

Canada’s unions are marking Asian Heritage Month by honouring the historical struggles of people of Asian descent in Canada and the community activism that challenged this country’s racist and discriminatory laws, practices and policies.

Asian communities helped build this country, yet they have faced exploitation, discrimination and racism, both in their workplaces and broader society. From the internment and property seizure of Japanese Canadians, to Chinese migrant workers who were first brought to Canada to build the Canadian Pacific Railway, to the Vancouver anti-Asian riots in the early 1900s, to the Continuous Journey Regulation and the Komagata Maru incident, the history of Asian communities in Canada includes experiences of significant adversity, as well as hard-won triumphs.

Members of Asian communities overcame these struggles by coming together and organizing in order to successfully challenge racist and discriminatory immigration laws and practices. Today, Asian community members continue to contribute greatly to the economy and to Canadian society, and provide a rich diversity of heritage, culture and perspectives across all sectors and industries.

In addition to a rise in anti-Asian sentiment, the pandemic has also increased the exploitation of workers in Canada, including migrant workers—many of whom are South Asian and South-East Asian women.

Throughout the pandemic, essential and migrant workers have made critical contributions to the wellbeing and safety of our communities. However, many have been working in dangerous conditions and without adequate protections, leaving them vulnerable and dependant on employers.

“While we welcome the recent federal announcement regarding the introduction of pathways to permanent residency for temporary essential workers, more action is needed for workers,” said Rousseau. “The limited nature of this new policy means that countless workers will continue to fall through the gaps. We urge the federal government to offer these pathways to permanent residency to all migrant workers, which would provide them with access to the government supports and labour protections they need.”

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In the years since, global initiatives, primarily the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety, have achieved remarkable improvements to health and safety standards and practices in targeted Bangladesh factories. Much more needs to be done to ensure this progress stays on track and to keep improving the working conditions for the women who make our clothes. Safe factories, workers’ jobs, incomes and benefits remain at risk as the global pandemic continues to wreak havoc on global markets and economies. The people at the bottom rung of the supply chain should not have to bear the brunt of the crisis.

The Pandemic

Bangladesh is the world’s second-largest clothing exporter and during the COVID‑19 crisis, hundreds of factories closed as international and Canadian brands and retailers cancelled orders and refused to pay for orders already in production. Factories fired over a million workers and many refused to pay legally earned severance pay. Workers were left with no savings from subsistence‑level salaries and no access to social protection to support them in times of trouble. The forecast remains dire for garment sector workers as global demand for apparel items remains low.

It is of immense importance to build up social protection systems in Bangladesh and other garment-producing countries. Trade unions and labour rights organizations call for strengthened unemployment protection and the respect for all workers’ rights, including the right to organize. Retailers and brands must take responsibility for issues in their supply chains and contribute to a global wage assurance and severance guarantee fund to help workers survive the crisis.

Workers in Bangladesh have been courageously organizing and fighting for their rights for years but need the support of voices in purchasing countries such as Canada, in order to push Canadian brands to rebuild a just economy after the pandemic by establishing more sustainable and resilient supply chains that respect workers’ rights and ensure suppliers pay workers living wages and social benefits.

To learn more about the global campaign to pay workers: #PayYourWorkers

To learn more about the Bangladeshi garment sector workers’ working and living conditions supplying Canadian brands: usw.to/3q6

Extend the Bangladesh Accord for Health and Safety

The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, a legally binding agreement between unions and brands and retailers created after the Rana Plaza collapse of 2013, led to real change in making death trap factories safe. Since its establishment, the Bangladesh Accord has provided safer working conditions for over 2 million garment workers by carrying out inspections and overseeing repairs and maintenance in more than 1,600 factories. The current agreement will end in late May and action is needed to safeguard progress in workplace safety.

There are great concerns about the functioning of the RMG Sustainability Council (RSC), the body that took over Bangladesh-based operations of the Bangladesh Accord. It is voluntary instead of being legally binding and workers hold less representation in its governing body. To prevent the RSC from becoming yet another industry-led voluntary initiative, the brands and retailers who signed the Accord before, including Loblaws (Joe Fresh), must make sure to lay their commitments down in writing again in a new international legally binding agreement. Now is the time for other Canadian brands, such as Lululemon Athletica, HBC, YM Group Inc, Arc’teryx and Canadian Tire, to also sign on to a new Accord. Brands and retailers must act now to protect progress and ensure an incident like Rana Plaza never happens again.

Mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence

A company’s responsibility flows through its entire corporate structure, including its business relationships and through its entire supply chain.

The Government of Canada must legislate companies to respect human rights in their global operations and supply chains. Such legislation should require companies to conduct due diligence on their human rights and environmental risks, take appropriate steps to prevent and mitigate such risks and hold companies accountable in the courts if they abuse human rights.

Action:

Support workers in Canadian supply chains by writing to Canadian companies Lululemon Athletica and YM Group to contribute to a Severance Guarantee Fund. Email and/or send a tweet to the CEO of Lululemon and the YM Group.

Endorsed by:
Canadian Labour Congress
Canadian Union of Public Employees
Centre international de solidarité ouvrière
Inter Pares
Maquila Solidarity Network
Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation
Oxfam Canada
Public Service Alliance of Canada
United Steelworkers
Workers United Canada Council

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Now, with more contagious and deadly variants surging in most regions of the country, this third wave threatens to be the most-deadly phase of the pandemic that we have endured to date.

Without key measures to facilitate the most at-risk people getting the vaccine, including paid leave to get the vaccine, this pandemic will get much worse before it gets better.

Canada is in a race to get enough vaccines into arms to reach herd immunity. This is not an easy task.

CLC President Hassan Yussuff co-chairs a broad task group working to promote vaccine acceptance under the banner “Faster. Together”.

Earlier this month, as part of the work of that task force, Abacus Data published public opinion research on vaccine hesitancy in Canada.

Today, 64 percent of Canadian adults have either received their shot or would take one as soon as one is available to them. Eight percent have said they will never take a vaccine for COVID-19. That leaves 28 percent who currently say they would “prefer to wait a bit to see how the vaccine works out as others take it” or “would prefer not to take one but could be persuaded to”.

Of those vaccine-hesitant Canadians, most cite reasons like not knowing the long-term impacts of the vaccines or fear of blood clots – unsurprising, given some of the public challenges with certain vaccines – as reasons to hold off on getting their shot. Carefully crafted public health approaches will be key to resolving those concerns.

A significant number of those who are hesitant about getting the vaccine cite reasons that can be connected to the workplace. Including both major and minor reasons for being hesitant, 37 percent indicate that they are worried about missing work due to potential side effects. Twenty-three percent indicate they can’t afford to take time off to get a shot. An additional 27 percent indicate that getting vaccinated seems too complicated. This no doubt includes people who have concerns about how to get the vaccine while juggling work and family responsibilities. These work-connected reasons for hesitancy could be relatively easily addressed with smart public policy.

We know the virus is spreading at work, both in health care and care settings but also in factories, farm work and food processing, warehouses, schools, offices, transportation among others. We must do everything possible to remove the barriers to those most at risk, having access to these life-saving vaccines. That includes paid leave and prioritizing those essential workers who cannot stay home to get their shot.

Saskatchewan has updated its Occupational Health and Safety Regulations to ensure a minimum of three consecutive hours of paid leave for workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. British Columbia also introduced job-protected, paid leave for workers to get the vaccine, so their jobs and paycheque are protected. Alberta also updated its employment standards code to provide three hours of job-protected leave for workers to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Public health officials and others in the medical community have been clear that with more contagious and deadly variants surging, the vaccine rollout alone will not be enough to stem this wave of the pandemic. Fifty-eight percent of Canadian workers have no access to paid sick days. That number jumps to 70 percent for low-wage workers. This is forcing workers to choose between going to work sick or not putting food on their own table. This failure is putting us all at risk and is prolonging and deepening the impacts of the pandemic.

There is no silver bullet to beating this virus. Addressing the ways in which the workplace is contributing to the pandemic is critical.

Prioritizing essential workers who cannot stay home to get the shot, along with paid leave to do so, while making sure workers have adequate paid sick leave to stem workplace transmission are critical steps that will help us come back together healthy, faster.

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“The devastating effects of the pandemic were made worse by years of austerity by successive governments,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “As a result of cuts, the social programs that would have helped sustain people were not in place. We cannot let that happen again.”

The CLC’s top five priorities for Budget 2021 include:

• A national, high-quality, public, accessible early learning and childcare system;
• Funding a national medicines formulary to establish a universal, national Pharmacare program;
• Green jobs and a Just Transition for workers;
• Improve working conditions and labour standards; and
• Fair tax reform.

“This government has promised to create one million jobs, and we need to focus on ensuring those are decent, sustainable jobs,” said Yussuff. “We also need to reform Employment Insurance so that it reflects the realities workers are facing today.”

Canada’s unions are further calling on the federal government to institute a $15 federal minimum wage and outline a plan to work with the provinces to enshrine paid sick leave across Canada.

The CLC also wants to see ambitious investments in skills training, literacy and apprenticeships, including targeted measures to help youth, women, equity-seeking groups and the long-term unemployed.

Job creation should also focus on expanding Just Transition measures, to help affected workers access training and support to transition to new jobs or retirement. For more details on what unions are asking for, read our pre-budget submission here and details on the top five priority demands here.

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

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Statistics Canada released its latest Labour Force Survey today. It shows that more than 1.5 million unemployed and under-employed workers continue to struggle to find work, and thousands more have dropped out of the labour force altogether.

While February and March numbers showed strong job gains, the cresting of the Third Wave in April and subsequent lockdowns mean many of those gains could be lost.

“Following February’s achievements, a second month of strong job growth is welcome, but the federal government must stay the course and ensure a strong and broad-based recovery,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “We need to see strong fiscal support to bring people back into the job market, especially women and workers of colour, and into decent green and care-economy jobs.”

Last fall’s Speech from the Throne promised the largest investment in Canadian history in training. That investment is what Canada’s unions will be looking for in the federal budget on April 19.

Ambitious investments in training and education are much-needed over the short- and medium term to help workers affected by ongoing technological change. Unions want to see expanded investment in upskilling opportunities and targeted support for the 30% of jobless Canadians who count among the long-term unemployed.

“Now is the time for a rapid return to full employment and investing in improving job quality to help workers fully get back on their feet,” said Yussuff.

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

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The International Trans Day of Visibility is celebrated around the world on March 31^st as an opportunity to highlight the contributions of trans and non-binary community members.

“It’s challenging to celebrate a day like today when many trans and non-binary community members continue to fear for their safety and well-being. Trans people face disproportionately high levels of violence and harassment, both in the workplace and in the community,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the CLC. “Furthermore, transphobic violence has worsened during the pandemic. The federal government must take action to make workplaces safer by immediately ratifying ILO convention C-190. Everyone has a right to enjoy a workplace free from harassment and violence.”

Convention C-190 was adopted by the ILO in 2019 and is the first-ever global treaty on violence and harassment in the world of work. It sets out clear, gender-responsive policies for governments and employers to implement in order to work towards the elimination of all forms of violence and harassment at work.

The numbers paint a stark picture. According to research by Égale Canada, 30 percent of Canadian LGBTQ2SI workers report experiencing discrimination in the workplace. For trans workers, the economic impacts of this kind of discrimination are particularly dire. Forty-nine percent of trans people are turned down or suspect they are turned down from a potential job opportunity because they are trans.

Racialized trans and non-binary people experience harassment at even higher rates. A recent report from Trans PULSE Canada on the health and wellbeing of racialized trans and non-binary people during the pandemic found that 72 percent had experienced verbal harassment in the past five years and almost half of respondents had been harassed at work or school. The majority also worried about being stopped or harassed by police or security because of who they are.

Download your copy of Workers in Transition today to learn how to be a workplace advocate for trans workers

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Among the top priorities for Canada’s unions are:

• fully containing the public health crisis and implementing national pharmacare;
• investing in the care economy; and
• and getting Canadians back to work and fully-employed in safe, decently-paid, productive and sustainable jobs.

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The Government of Canada should now move to officially recognize the genocide and implement the recommendations of the Subcommittee of International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (SDIR).

Witnesses say the persecution of Muslim groups in Xinjiang has included mass detention and inhumane treatment, forced labour, pervasive state surveillance, population control and the eradication of Uyghur culture and religion.

It is reported that over three million Uyghurs have been interned in concentration camps. Nearly a million Uyghurs have been forced into industrial slavery in manufacturing facilities across mainland China.

Due to the repressive climate, human rights monitoring by international organizations is not possible and due diligence in supply chains cannot be conducted. These forced labour practices are tainting global supply chains.

Canada’s unions support the human rights committee’s recommendations, which call on the Government of Canada to:

• Investigate potentially problematic sources of consumer goods and to take a strong stand against the use of forced labour, particularly when it involves Canadian companies;
• Enhance import control mechanisms, to prevent products made with forced labour from entering the Canadian market;
• Impose sanctions on entities and individuals that benefit from the use of forced labour;
• Empower the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise with independence and the power to investigate human rights abuse allegations and enact a comprehensive human rights due diligence law that compels businesses to respect the most current international human rights standards across their global operations and supply chains and be held accountable for harms caused or on behalf of their operations; and
• Conduct a review of its procurement practices to ensure it is not purchasing products manufactured through forced labour.

Canada’s unions are also calling on the federal government to condemn other human rights violations including mass detention, inhumane population control measures, and to ensure the protection of activists and Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims living in Canada who have experienced harassment and intimidation by the Government of China.

Here at home, Canada’s unions reject the rise in Sinophobia fuelled during the COVID-19 pandemic and underscore that this statement addresses the actions and practices of the Government of China, as represented by the Chinese Communist Party, and not the Chinese people.

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Although Canada adopted Convention 190 in 2019, the federal government has yet to ratify the convention, which would turn the global treaty into law.

Pink Shirt Day is recognized across Canada and around the world as a day to recommit ourselves to challenging bullying and harassment in our schools, communities, and in our workplaces. This year, the focus of Pink Shirt Day is about working together and treating everyone with dignity and respect as we all navigate the unprecedented realities of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There is no place for bullying and harassment in our unions, workplaces, or in our communities. This includes homophobic and transphobic bullying,” said Larry Rousseau, CLC Executive Vice-President. “COVID-19 has forced many workplaces to become virtual, exacerbating existing concerns around online violence and harassment.”

A recent study by Statistics Canada on the Experiences of Discrimination during the COVID-19 Pandemic found that three in ten respondents reported harassment in the workplace, while almost a third of all respondents reported experiences of online harassment.

In addition, the same study found that 68% of gender diverse respondents reported experiences of harassment online, while half of all Black and South Asian respondents experienced discrimination in public spaces, such as retail, restaurants and banks.

Workers experiencing harassment – including transphobic and homophobic bullying – whether virtual or in person, may feel increased pressure not to report due to the economic insecurities felt throughout this pandemic.

“It’s past time for our government to take a stance against violence and harassment at work,” said Rousseau. “Canada must join other countries around the world by ratifying this convention and solidifying our government’s commitment to the right to a workplace free of violence and harassment for all.”

Canada’s unions have long organized and fought for anti-harassment policies and awareness initiatives at work that ensure safer workplaces for everyone. Even in the midst of a pandemic, unions are leading the way in advocating for every worker’s right to safety in the workplace. This includes the recent launch of a national survey on harassment and work in Canada and the creation of a new Workers in Transition handbook.

Pink Shirt Day started as an initiative in a small town Nova Scotia school in 2007, to address homophobia and transphobia. Since then, it has grown into a global celebration of all identities and includes participants from all over the globe. Learn more about the origins of Pink Shirt Day here.

To show your virtual support, upload a photo of yourself, your workplace or your community with the hashtags #PinkShirtDay and #LiftEachOtherUp. Be sure to include a message on anti-bullying to your social media platforms.

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The government announced 12-week extensions for both the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) and the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB), as well as an additional 24 weeks of eligibility for Employment Insurance.

“This will come as very good news for the millions of Canadians who still don’t have a job they can go back to and who were growing concerned about how they would pay their bills once their benefits ended next month,” said Canadian Labour Congress President, Hassan Yussuff. “The extension will allow families to continue paying for their basic needs.”

The CRB and CRCB extensions will help thousands of workers who have been unable to return to their jobs get through the next 12 weeks, though there are still concerns about what happens next.

“These COVID benefits have been a lifeline for gig workers who, by the nature of their work, don’t qualify for Employment Insurance,” said Yussuff. “If the goal is to wind down these pandemic programs, the government needs to reform EI to support the realities these workers face.”

The government also announced an additional two weeks for the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit, which helps to protect workers who have to isolate but have no access to paid sick leave.

“It’s good to see the federal government fulfill its promise to take care of workers with these measures, including extending the duration of the federal sickness benefit for those who aren’t covered through their workplace,” said Yussuff. “The provinces must step up and offer workers universal paid sick leave. Experts have repeatedly said such access would help slow the transmission of COVID-19 and keep workers safe. It’s long overdue.”

The federal government has already promised much needed changes to Canada’s EI system. Read CLC’s recommendations for EI reform here.

For more information:

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

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Following higher than expected job losses at the end of 2020, workers faced another large drop in employment, with 213,000 jobs lost last month.

“We’ve lost the small gains we had made in the fall. Canada lost three times more jobs in January than we did the previous month,” said Canadian Labour Congress President Hassan Yussuff.

“Many workers are due to exhaust both unemployment and recovery benefits next month. The federal government must extend these benefits so that workers who are unemployed, through no fault of their own, will be supported until our economy begins a more stable recovery.”

Ongoing lockdown measures aimed at slowing the spread of the virus are inevitably having a devastating effect on job growth. Workers of colour and women have been hit especially hard by the economic upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Workers are struggling to make ends meet. The federal government must implement strong measures that will help ensure a healthy economic recovery when the pandemic is over. These job numbers highlight the important need for greater access to training opportunities for jobless workers looking to retrain or improve their skill set while receiving EI and recovery benefits,” said Yussuff.

To read more about the direct investments the CLC is calling for, visit canadaplan.ca.

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

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The Proud Boys, the Base, Atomwaffen, and the Russian Imperial Movement have been listed as terrorist entities. This means that these groups can no longer raise money or organize.

“These groups are a direct threat to the safety and wellbeing of workers of all backgrounds and specifically to those who are Indigenous, Black, Jewish, Muslim, or who represent other minority communities,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “We have seen a drastic resurgence in far-right extremist behaviour over the past several years. Letting these groups operate unchecked is dangerous and poses a real threat to our democracy and to the wellbeing of our communities. Today’s announcement is a welcome step in addressing this scourge.”

Unions in Canada have a long history of organizing against racism through advocacy and education. But far-right groups have thrived online, and the use of social media in particular has made it difficult to stem their use of misinformation to recruit new members and to mobilize.

Last year and for the first time ever, the federal government added two white-supremacist groups to the list of terrorist organizations.

“The reality is that white supremacist groups have not faced the same scrutiny as other racialized groups and that has allowed them to mobilize with relative freedom and impunity,” added Yussuff. “Furthermore, under anti-terror legislation, stereotypes and guilt by association have led to the over-surveillance of Muslim and Arab communities. Public safety measures must not stigmatize specific communities.”

According to counter-terrorism experts in Canada, there were 100 alt-right or white supremacist groups operating in Canada in 2015. There is widespread concern that those numbers are growing.

“Attacks by white supremacists tend to be targeted, and do not happen in isolation. The climate of hatred they foster puts workers’ health and safety at risk,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President at the CLC. “Incidents of intimidation at work and online harassment are on the rise, and must stop. Everyone deserves to live free from violence and harassment.”

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

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“This is a time of reckoning,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “The double crisis of a global pandemic and outcries over racial injustice and police violence have taken a significant toll on Black communities in particular. We must move forward together and ensure no one is left behind.”

Black communities have been among the hardest hit by the pandemic. COVID-19 mortality rates are higher in neighbourhoods with a larger proportion of population groups designated as visible minorities, including Black people.

Black workers are at work on the frontlines of this pandemic. Many of these workers are women who are largely underpaid, working in dangerous and precarious working conditions without access to paid sick leave. This makes them even more vulnerable to the health, social and economic fallout of the pandemic.

“The pandemic has only worsened long-standing, stark social and economic inequities,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President at the CLC. “Racial equity and the needs of Black communities must be a priority in the government’s COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. The government must seize the opportunity to centre the voices and concerns of Black workers and communities.”

Canada’s unions are also calling on the government to make stronger data collection and accountability a priority. The availability and collection of race-based data in Canada is sorely lacking. Without such data, the full scope and manifestations of systemic anti-Black racism and racial inequity will remain unaddressed.

Furthermore, there is an urgent need for critical investments in public social infrastructure including child care, Employment Insurance and affordable housing, as well as community-based health and social services.

The CLC will be hosting a webinar on equitable recovery for Black workers and communities in Canada during Black History Month. Information will be available on the CLC’s Facebook page.

In the meantime, be a part of our work by signing our petition today for a just, equitable and disaster-proof pandemic response and recovery plan.

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“Canada’s unions stand in solidarity with Muslim communities across the country in marking the fourth anniversary of this tragic event,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “We are calling for this national day of remembrance to honour the lives of the victims of this tragedy and to demonstrate a commitment towards confronting Islamophobia.”

Far-right extremism and populism continue to rise rapidly in Canada, and Islamophobia is a central and fueling feature of their rhetoric. As the CLC’s 2019 report on confronting Islamophobia in the workplace showed, numerous right-wing actors have effectively utilized fear and demonization of Muslims and Islam as a means of channeling various economic and social grievances.

It is vile hatred such as this, and the ongoing and sustained vilification of Muslims that led to the horrific attacks such as the one that took place at Quebec City’s Islamic Cultural Centre, as well as the fatal stabbing of a volunteer caretaker at a Toronto mosque in September of 2020.

“It is our collective responsibility to counter Islamophobia and hatred,” said Yussuff. “It is more important than ever to work together and show that there is no place for Islamophobia in our workplaces, nor in the communities in which we live.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly demonstrated how critical it is for workers to come together for the greater good and ensure the safety and well-being of all Canadians, regardless of religion, ability, race, ethnicity, gender or sexuality. This need for unity extends to our shared obligation to counter hatred, xenophobia and Islamophobia in our communities.

The CLC will be hosting a special webinar “Countering Islamophobia: how to be an ally” on Friday, January 29, 2021 at 1:00 pm EST. Join the webinar.

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Read our recommendations for EI reform here.

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The December Labour Force Survey, released today by Statistics Canada, shows higher than expected job losses last month. Unemployment rose to 8.6 percent, with employment down 63,000 and job-market participation dropping for the second month in a row.

“These are unprecedented times. The important public health precautions implemented over the past year have had an exceptionally hard impact on workers,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Workers in Canada need to know that when the virus is contained, they can count on decent jobs, with good wages, and adequate benefits to help their families bounce back.”

Facing another round of shutdowns as COVID numbers rise, many workers across the country worried that their financial forecast is getting bleaker. Recent reports have revealed stories of personal support workers checking into homeless shelters and other workers failing to claim the federal government’s sick leave program out of fear of reprisal.

“Investing in Canada’s workers is a direct investment in our economy and it is vital to an economic recovery. The federal government must remain focused on income support and assistance to ensure that workers’ jobs are protected,” said Yussuff. “As we invest in a healthy recovery, Canada must also prepare for the long-term future by disaster-proofing our economy so that we are ready when the next crisis hits.”

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The world has been forever changed, but people across Canada have come together to focus on our collective good.

Though the pandemic is not over and there is continued uncertainty, I have no doubt the people of Canada will continue to come together to do what is best for our families, our communities and the future of the country.

Over the course of the last few months, workers and their families have spoken out. Hundreds of thousands of people took action – writing to their MPs, holding meetings, sharing stories – and as a result the federal government created several important programs.

Throughout this pandemic, we have been reminded of the power of activism. When people come together to raise their voices, great things can happen – like emergency benefits, paid sick leave, and real discussions about the future of child care and long-term care.

This holiday season, Canada’s unions call on people across this country to recognize the thousands of frontline workers who have kept our communities running throughout the pandemic. Many of these people who will be working through the holidays. Honour them by continuing to heed public health guidelines.

This has been one of the most challenging years any of us has ever faced. As we mark the end of 2020 and all the challenges it posed, we can look toward 2021 with hope and optimism.

There are still challenges ahead. We need to remain vigilant to ensure that Canada continues to invest in people. But this pandemic has reminded us what it means to work together.

Personally, and on behalf of Canada’s unions, I wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season.”

Hassan Yussuff
President, Canadian Labour Congress

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“Deregulating local produce markets will have a devastating impact on farmers, farm workers and food security in India,” said Canadian Labour Congress President, Hassan Yussuff. “We stand with the international labour movement to support workers who are taking to the streets to protest these reforms and fight for their rights.”

India’s central and local governments passed three farm acts in September. Taken together, these acts threaten to impoverish millions of small farmers and leave millions more farm workers unemployed. Farmers’ unions have been protesting since August, escalating to a national general strike on November 26, 2020.

The government of India has also proposed reforms that undermine unions and violate international labour standards that India has ratified as a member of the International Labour Organization.

“The government’s legislation leaves farmers and workers at the mercy of large multinational corporations and global commodity price swings,” said Yussuff. “We deplore the fact that some states in India are also using the coronavirus crisis as an excuse to suspend labour laws and attack workers’ rights. The international community has to stand up.”

The protesting farmers are making several demands, including asking that the new farm laws be repealed; that all repressive measures taken against protesters cease; and that movement leaders who have been arrested be released. Other workers’ unions in the country have joined the protests in support of the farmers.

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The new bill, Bill C-15, comes four years after former NDP MP Romeo Saganash introduced Bill C-262, a similar private members bill that died in the Senate.

“By introducing Bill C-15, the federal government is taking a long overdue and much needed step on the path toward reconciliation,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “The Bill would require the government to take concrete action to ensure that Canadian laws are consistent with the Declaration.”

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People establishes a framework of global minimum human rights standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of Indigenous peoples. Just as Bill C-262 did before it, the new Bill affirms UNDRIP as a universal international human rights framework with application in Canadian law.

The Bill would require the federal government, in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous peoples, to:

• Ensure the laws of Canada are consistent with the Declaration;
• Prepare and implement an action plan to achieve the objectives of UNDRIP, to be completed as soon as practicable, but no later than three years after the day on which this section comes into force; and
• Prepare and table an annual report on progress on the action plan, and to align the laws of Canada with UNDRIP.

Both the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls called for the government to fully adopt and implement UNDRIP as the framework for reconciliation and justice for Indigenous peoples, including Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit persons who continue to face the deep brunt of the legacy of colonial violence.

Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to pass and enact Bill C-15 in a timely fashion and are joining Indigenous leaders and community members in stressing that Indigenous peoples have been waiting far too long for substantive and resolute measures from the federal government when it comes to justice and reconciliation.

“The government must seize this opportunity to make significant and meaningful change in the lives of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples and move forward on the path to true reconciliation,” said CLC Executive Vice-President Larry Rousseau.

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Expanded investments in energy efficiency, conservation and large-scale retrofitting of residential and commercial structures will create significant numbers of new jobs and require expanded investments in skills training and growing Canada’s construction trades.

Green and climate-resilient infrastructure investments will also mean an expanded skilled trades workforce.

“Labour will be looking to the federal government to make good on its commitment to supporting local job creation, skills training, apprenticeships and decent wages for workers, especially to those historically underrepresented in the skilled trades sector, including Indigenous workers, racialized workers and women,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

“Canada needs strong Just Transition measures to assist workers in resource communities and fossil fuel-dependent economies to access new job opportunities in clean energy, green transportation, efficient buildings and conservation if Canada hopes to meet and exceed the targets and prevent the worst outcomes of climate change.”

Canada’s unions welcome the government’s emphasis on domestic manufacturing, including developing Canadian supply chains for low-emission building materials, clean tech, and aerospace and automotive investments, and leveraging the power of public procurement. Additionally, unions are noting the crucial commitments made today towards bringing Indigenous communities into the process.

Despite today’s heavy emphasis on market signals and the private sector, public investment and planning will be vital to meeting Canada’s emissions-reduction targets.

“Today’s commitments towards public transit, including the domestic procurement of ZEV public transit and school buses, demonstrate progress,” added Yussuff.

As for increases on the price of carbon, unions are urging the government to ensure that the burden is fairly distributed, with low- and modest-income families protected.

Furthermore, the CLC welcomes the Government of Canada’s commitment to deliver on the country’s G20 commitment to phase-out all inefficient fossil fuel subsidies by 2025 and its commitment to explore border carbon adjustments on imports.

To read more about the directed investments the CLC is calling for, visit canadianplan.ca.

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

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“Recover Better – Stand Up for Human Rights” is the United Nations theme for this year’s International Human Rights Day, which is observed December 10.

“It is critical that Canada’s COVID-19 recovery efforts tackle the human rights failures that have been exposed by the pandemic. Significant government investments in the care sector will help level the playing field for those most affected by this virus,” said CLC Executive Vice-President Larry Rousseau.

“We welcome the federal government’s recent commitments to invest in public care systems. Canada must focus on creating better jobs, improving working conditions, and addressing the deep disparities within our economy,” he added.

The pandemic has demonstrated how our communities rely on precarious, low-wage work and unpaid labour in critical care sectors. This includes child care, early childhood education, elderly care, mental health, and other social care services that serve the health and safety of our communities.

Many of the workers in these sectors are Black, Indigenous, women of colour and recent immigrants. While this work is deemed “essential”, it is undervalued and workers face poor working conditions, violence, harassment and numerous other risks to their health and safety. They also face a higher risk of exposure to COVID-19 and a lack of job security and access to benefits.

“This global crisis has laid bare what we’ve been saying for years: systemic discrimination and marginalization have put certain groups at a disadvantage. Entire communities are having a much harder time recovering due to unequal access to opportunities and services such as employment, health care and housing,” said Rousseau. “Long-term investment in care is crucial to disaster-proofing our economy, safeguarding our social safety net against future crises, and ensuring our collective well-being.”

Sign our petition urging the government to increase investments in our public care systems so we can move forward together and build a more sustainable and inclusive economy.

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December 6 marks the 31^st anniversary of the shooting at Montréal’s École Polytechnique where fourteen women were killed in what was then Canada’s deadliest massacre.

In April of this year that record was surpassed when 22 people were tragically killed in Nova Scotia.

“Both events were motivated by misogyny and both these tragedies spotlight the lethalness of Canada’s gender-based violence crisis,” said CLC Secretary-Treasurer Marie Clarke Walker. “However, this crisis is not limited to mass murder: a woman is killed by an intimate or former partner every six days in this country.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the gender-based violence crisis in Canada. With many workers laid off or working from home, those experiencing domestic violence can become trapped at home with their abuser. They may find it increasingly difficult to seek help, contact family and friends, or to make plans to leave.

Even when women have the courage to leave, there isn’t always a safe place to go. Before the pandemic began, women and children were turned away from domestic violence shelters more than 19,000 times every month in Canada. Now, 61 percent of women’s shelters are reporting a spike in demand for services at a time when they have also been forced to reduce their capacity in order to comply with public health guidelines.

“We welcome the government’s recently announced $100 million investment in women’s shelters and sexual assault centres to help meet the surge in demand. But these investments fall short of what’s needed to truly tackle Canada’s gender-based violence crisis,” said Clarke Walker. “One-time funding boosts will not help repair our crumbling social infrastructure. Anti-violence organizations need long-term core operational funding in order to effectively support survivors and keep everyone safe.”

Trans people, Indigenous, Black, racialized people, women with disabilities, refugee, migrant, and undocumented women all face increased risks and barriers when trying to access support. These communities are often hit hardest by the ongoing strain on services.

“As we honour lives lost to gender-based violence, let’s also take action to prevent future tragedies. No one who is in a violent situation should be rejected or turned away when trying to get help. The time to invest is now,” said Clarke Walker.

Find a virtual vigil for December 6 in your community here.

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November’s labour force survey released today by Statistics Canada showed high rates of long-term unemployment. A total of 1.5 million people are currently unemployed and looking for work; 400,000 have been without work for six months or longer. Another 317,000 workers dropped out of the labour market altogether last month.

“The scale of the jobs crisis has been without parallel in recent memory,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “The second wave of this pandemic is making life very difficult for many workers, many of whom have given up trying to find work for the time being. Beyond the immediate emergency supports that are helping to put food on the table for these families, government stimulus will be key to putting people back to work.”

The survey also showed that women continue to bear the brunt of child care responsibilities, with 55 per cent more mothers with young children working less than half their usual hours compared to this time last year.

The federal government has made commitments towards the creation of one million jobs and investments in skills and training.

“We’re heartened that the government has promised to make investments in long-term care and child care, two areas that employ significant numbers of women, including many who are racialized,” said Yussuff. “However, time is of the essence and workers need to see concrete actions.”

A recent study showed that investment in early learning and child care would create 200,000 new jobs in child care provision and another 80,000 indirect jobs, including 8,000 construction jobs. It would also increase women’s participation by as many as 725,000 additional workers.

Austerity policies implemented soon after the 2008-09 global economic downturn led to sluggish growth, prolonged unemployment and growing precarity in Canada. In our current crisis, continued income support and expanded public investments will be crucial to help people weather the pandemic’s second wave and to move the nation towards a strong recovery.

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

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This award is named in honour of Carol McGregor, an outstanding disability rights activist, member of BCGEU/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 2020, the award recognized the lifetime achievements of Darryl Flasch, a member of the British Columbia Government and Services Employees Union (BCGEU/NUPGE). As an active trade unionist since 1990, Darryl has dedicated 30 years of his life to removing barriers and ensuring the inclusion of workers with disabilities in his workplace and in the labour movement. He also worked tirelessly to advocate for more tools and resources within his union, including accessibility audits, in order to build a labour movement and communities that are inclusive of all abilities.

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Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada’s unions have collaborated with disability rights coalitions like the Include Me Campaign, to highlight the unique challenges and barriers faced by persons with disabilities during this health crisis.

“We know that the current health crisis has intensified the discrimination and stigma towards workers with disabilities. Hard-won workplace accommodations are at risk when the office becomes virtual, and workers with disabilities are at a greater risk of being laid off or having their jobs furloughed,” said Larry Rousseau, CLC Executive Vice-President.

“It’s critical that we shine a light on the challenges faced by persons with disabilities during this pandemic, especially those whose experiences are amplified by multiple marginalized identities including women, Indigenous and racialized people, and those in the LGBTQ2SI community.”

Even before the pandemic, unemployment rates ranged between 35 per cent for people with ‘mild’ disabilities to 74 per cent for people with ‘severe’ disabilities. High levels of poverty and unemployment have only worsened for persons with disabilities in the midst of this crisis.

Meanwhile, the reliance on affordable housing, income and health care supports is greater than ever – programs for which funding and availability already vary greatly across the country.

The federal government’s throne speech earlier this fall highlighted many new and important initiatives to help address the disproportionate impacts of this crisis on persons with disabilities. This included a new Disability Inclusion Plan, which would feature:

• A new Canadian Disability Benefit modelled after the Guaranteed Income Supplement for seniors;
• A robust employment strategy for Canadians with disabilities; and
• A better process to determine eligibility for government disability programs and benefits.

“While we welcome the new disability inclusion strategy, we are also calling for the voices of workers with disabilities and their unions to be at the forefront,” added Rousseau.

“These discussions will guide the design and implementation of this strategy and must ensure that it adequately addresses the barriers to employment and economic security that workers with disabilities face.”

The federal government can help alleviate anxiety by investing in jobs and collaborating with unions on initiatives like a robust employment strategy for persons with disabilities, making long-term care part of public health care, supporting a child care strategy, and implementing national pharmacare.

Learn more about the CLC’s Forward Together campaign at canadianplan.ca.

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The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women – observed every year on November 25 – also marks the start of 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence.

“Gender-based violence was a crisis in Canada even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the pandemic, domestic violence has increased and measures to slow the spread of the virus have made it increasingly difficult for anyone living in an abusive relationship to escape their abusers,” said CLC Secretary-Treasurer Marie Clarke Walker. “Over a third of women workers have experienced domestic violence – and those numbers are even higher for trans people,”

A woman is killed by her intimate partner every 6 days in this country. Thousands of Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people have been murdered or gone missing. And more than half of women have been exposed to sexual harassment at work.

Shelters and support organizations in many areas have reported alarming increases in demand for services. With many people, working from home and many others laid off, the stress of economic insecurity, social isolation, fear of infection and other pressures raises the risk of escalating violence ꟷ and creates new barriers to support.

Calling a shelter or sexual assault centre can feel impossible when under a partner’s watch. Police interventions and “wellness checks” have proven deadly for Black and Indigenous people in particular.

COVID-19 has also led to a rise in violence and harassment at work, especially for workers on the front lines in health care, food services and retail, and other public-facing jobs. These are sectors where the majority of workers are women, many of whom are BIPOC, immigrant and migrant women and young women.

“We applaud governments’ efforts to support shelters through the increased demand this year, but this pandemic clearly shows the importance of services and supports for women, children and others experiencing violence,” said Walker. “Now more than ever, Canada needs a National Action Plan to tackle this crisis.

The National Action Plan must establish clear targets for eliminating gender-based violence. It must be intersectional and long-term and it must tackle gender-based violence and harassment at work. This means that Canada needs to ratify ILO Convention-190 on violence and harassment, and establish concrete ways to meet ILO obligations. Canada’s unions are ready to work with governments and employers to make this happen.

“Five years ago, Canada’s unions joined feminist and women’s organizations to lay out the blueprint for a National Action Plan. The time to act is now. We are done waiting,” said Walker. ‘

Visit the Done Waiting website for more information.

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The latest figures from this morning’s release of Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey demonstrates a weakening jobs rebound. The survey showed a slowing recovery, with employment rising just 0.5 percent in October, a dramatic slowdown compared to summer months. The unemployment rate currently sits at 8.9 percent, and long-term unemployment rose sharply in September and October.

“Growing long-term joblessness means more workers risk disconnection from the job market, causing lasting harm to skills, incomes and opportunities,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “The federal government assured Canadians it is committed to creating one million new jobs and that will be crucial. Time is running out for hundreds of thousands of workers who are seeing job prospects deteriorate in the midst of a second wave of the pandemic which shows no signs of slowing,”

Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to provide details on its commitments when it tables the next fiscal update.

Nearly 50,000 people working in the already hard-hit accommodation and hospitality sector lost their jobs in October. The job recovery in various industries including construction, transportation and warehousing remains stalled.

The latest survey also shows that workers of colour struggle with a higher unemployment rate (11.7%) than Canadians who were not Indigenous or racialized.

Women of various backgrounds also continue to experience disproportionately lower rates of employment than men; racialized women are even more disadvantaged.

To read more about the direct investments the CLC is calling for, visit canadianplan.ca.

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

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On any given day of a normal year, Parliament Hill is buzzing with people lobbying elected representatives. According to the federal government’s lobbying commissioner, there were 18,728 monthly communications reports submitted in 2019 20.

Those communications reports were generated in large part by paid, registered lobbyists working with large corporations.

This year, there are far fewer meetings on the Hill but that doesn’t mean that elected representatives aren’t hearing from anyone. They are. And we want to make sure they’re hearing from workers, too. We know that pressing issues are mounting for many workers and communities across the country. In the past six months, people have seen their livelihoods disappear or they are staving off disaster, all while worrying about their health and the health of their families.

Workers want to see governments make decisions that will improve their lives and move Canada forward. They want to trust the government will make decisions based on the needs of everyday working people and of their communities. We only need to look South to see what can go wrong when governments let down their citizens.

In 2019, a study done by the OECD showed trust in government is falling worldwide. In 2019, only 38 per cent of Canadians said they had confidence in the government. The good news is that it has gone up since the pandemic made government more central to our lives than ever, according to a report from Samara Canada. Trust in government now stands at 59 per cent. This should not be taken for granted.

One of the best ways to maintain trust is to encourage citizen engagement in decision making.

This is why we are organizing the first-ever virtual lobbying effort, National Action Week. It’s an opportunity for workers from across the country to participate in our democracy, even in the midst of a pandemic. We are helping them reach out to their elected representatives to tell decision-makers what needs to happen in their communities.

Our hope is that our week of action will not only allow for conversations that will build trust in our democracy, but that these meetings will open the door for further conversations. Knowledge sharing is also essential for trust in democracy, meaning elected representatives should provide information and answer questions from their constituents – and constituents should know to ask questions.

After all, so much has changed and Members of Parliament need to hear from their constituents on what they need to focus on. Millions of people who were employed in March are now dependent on the government for support. As we continue to respond and as we move towards a recovery stage, the Minister of Finance has indicated the government is willing to make more and longer-term investments to provide economic stimulus, given historically low interest rates.

The most important thing right now is to move government investment into those sectors that will offer the most benefit to the most people across the country. The Prime Minister talks about building back better, and there are priorities that can’t be ignored if this government plans to improve the lives of those most affected by this pandemic.

The government made clear in September’s Speech from the Throne that it is listening to the concerns of workers and their families. The speech promised investments to create new jobs, accelerate the implementation of universal national pharmacare and focus on child care and long-term care. Workers across Canada are trusting that the government will include all these investments in the next federal budget and go even further, including raising the federal minimum wage to $15 dollars an hour as promised in the last federal election.

Those who have been working on the front lines without proper protective equipment, those who have watched their loved ones suffer in for-profit long-term care homes, parents who have been stuck with no options for child care, women forced to choose between career and family after all these years of progress deserve support. These workers know where investments need to go and so should their representatives.

They are ready to bring their stories and experiences directly to policy-makers. It’s up to those making decisions to listen carefully and act accordingly in the best interests of the nation’s workers and their families.

Hassan Yussuff is the president of the Canadian Labour Congress. Follow him on Twitter @Hassan_Yussuff

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Participants will be calling on elected representatives to push for federal investments towards job creation, health care and child care, among other necessary programs. Over 200 meetings are scheduled.

“The pandemic continues to disrupt our lives in a myriad of ways. Our governments have an integral role in making sure that workers and their families get through this ongoing crisis,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “Workers know they have to advocate for solutions that centre their experiences and which address the systemic gaps this pandemic has revealed. Right now, the only way to do that is virtually and workers are stepping up in a significant way to do what it takes to be heard,” said Yussuff.

Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to disaster-proof the economy.  This includes committing to shovel-ready projects that create stable, well-paying jobs, as well as investing in job training for workers, particularly those disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, including racialized workers, women, and people with disabilities. Unions are urging the government to start by implementing its promised $15 minimum wage in federally regulated workplaces.

The pandemic has also demonstrated the need for a more resilient and comprehensive public health care system. Canada’s unions have long called for the implementation of single-payer, universal pharmacare, particularly urgent now considering that millions of people in Canada have lost access to drug benefits and are struggling to pay for their prescription medications.

“There is no going back to business as usual,” said Yussuff. “On the contrary, we’ve managed to weather this pandemic better than some countries by working together and taking care of one another. MPs will be hearing directly from their own constituents this week on how they can continue to support working people and their families going forward.”

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

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The proposed plan will bring skilled workers, family members and refugees to Canada between 2021 and 2023.

“For many years, Canada’s unions have called on the government to increase immigration targets. We welcome today’s announcement as an important part of our country’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “A robust immigration plan will help increase our workforce and productivity. This in turn strengthens the social programs and services that support our communities.”

Lockdowns and other measures meant to slow the spread of COVID-19 resulted in a significant shortfall in Canada’s immigration numbers this year. Only 128,425 people were settled in 2020, far under the 341,000 that was previously targeted.

Furthermore, there are worker shortages in various sectors across Canada, which necessitate a ramping up of the country’s immigration levels. Despite current high unemployment levels in Canada due to the pandemic, the need for immigration persists including to support essential services in health care, long-term care facilities, farms and in meat processing plants, among others, as well as in high-skill fields in STEM.

Canada’s unions also welcome the federal government’s signal today that it will offer a pathway to permanent residency to immigrants and migrant workers already in Canada.

These workers must also have comprehensive worker protections in order to prevent abuse, mistreatment and discriminatory workplace policies.

“Workers deserve a chance to continue their lives here, regardless of the industry they work in. The federal government has provided a temporary measure for asylum claimants working in healthcare to apply for permanent residency, and this should apply to workers in all sectors,” said Marie Clarke Walker, Secretary-Treasurer at the Canadian Labour Congress.

“Our country and our economy are stronger with a rich and diverse workforce.”

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

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Workers around the world want investment in public health and care services including mental health, child care, early childhood education, elderly care and other social care services that serve all our communities. In Canada, unions are also calling for a federal Care Economy Commission.

Decades of austerity-driven fiscal policies and a market-based approach to the delivery of care have created inequities and gaps.

“We have been sounding the alarm about the crisis in care services for years,” said CLC Secretary-Treasurer Marie Clarke Walker. “The added pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic has compounded these problems. Our economy is relying more than ever on unpaid labour, and on precarious, low-wage work done by women, a disproportionate number of whom are racialized.”

Canada needs care-focused solutions for the recovery. These solutions must meet the needs of our most vulnerable, create better jobs and disaster-proof our economy and our social safety net against future crises.

The proposed federal Care Economy Commission would study, design and implement a care strategy for Canada that would:

• Create a broad and inclusive labour market strategy to achieve high-quality, equitable care jobs;
• Examine paid and unpaid care work and develop a roadmap to meet the increasing demands for care; and
• Reduce and redistribute women’s unpaid care work by improving access to public care services for children, the elderly and people living with disabilities.

“This pandemic has shone a light on what’s been broken for too long,” said Walker. “We need to rethink our approach to care. Strong public care systems – whether health care, child care, long term care or care services for persons with disabilities – are central to the well-being of individuals, families and communities.”

Canada’s unions are calling for a Canadian plan that’s rooted in our way of doing things – and that means taking care of one another. Public investments in services – not austerity – are a key part of a robust response and recovery that ensures our collective well-being.

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COVID-19 has forced rethinks on many aspects of our lives that we previously took for granted.

That includes thinking about how our communities function, and specifically about who ensures that they continue to, even in times of upheaval.

This has brought more visibility to the workers who many of us don’t often consider: migrant workers, temporary foreign workers, and newcomers who do the jobs that many Canadians won’t.

Even in the midst of a pandemic, these essential workers were hard at work, day in and day out, in order to put food on our table, to take care of our seniors, and to help us all maintain some level of normalcy.

Their contributions point to how invaluable a well-rounded immigration policy would mean to a nation like Canada that relies on immigrants for its prosperity and well-being, especially now as our communities struggle to recover.

This crisis has shone a light on the weaknesses of our current immigration system and demonstrated how workers can easily be taken advantage of, mistreated and/or prevented from fully integrating due to policies and attitudes that are at times discriminatory and tilted in favour of employers rather than towards the rights of workers.

In fact, after hearing stories of abuse this past summer, Canada’s Health Minister, Patty Hajdu, went as far as to call the treatment of some migrant farm workers a “national disgrace”. The Minister pledged to look at how to reform the program. Overall, some 60,000 temporary foreign workers plant and harvest crops each year, often forced to live in cramped and crowded conditions.

Advocates, including the nation’s unions, have long pointed to solutions such as ensuring that all workers be provided with comprehensive workers protections, and that we finally provide pathways for status for workers who want to stay in Canada and contribute like the generations of immigrants before them.

Numerous studies have pointed out that without immigration, we will struggle to sustain the social programs and services that support our society. With a population that is both shrinking and aging, our reliance on immigration remains high. Yet, this year alone, the number of immigrants arriving in Canada has tumbled significantly from this time last year and the country will fall well below its targets (the government will need to increase its future targets to address this or risk an even more sluggish economy).

In the meantime, we can help address these shortfalls immediately by providing pathways to status to workers who are already here or on their way. The federal government has already provided a temporary measure that would allow asylum claimants working in health care to apply for permanent residency. A similar measure should extend to all asylum claimants working to get us through this pandemic. Whether a worker is clearing our hospitals, stocking our warehouses, or picking fruit, they deserve an opportunity to continue their lives here without the uncertainty and anxiety of the unknown. Otherwise, these programs risk becoming exploitative and make us vulnerable when borders shut down.

As for undocumented workers, they, too, deserve the opportunity to become regularized and to live with their families without fear of being imprisoned and deported. It’s why pilot projects to help provide status for those without it are important, yet represent only a stop-gap measure until we implement more permanent ways to provide amnesty to those living and working amongst us.

Furthermore, even high-skilled professional newcomers require more support to ensure Canada remains an attractive destination. Stories of foreign-trained doctors offering their services during the peak of the pandemic and anemic efforts to provide temporary licences are a reminder that we fail to recognize international credentials to our peril. The under-employment and over-qualification of newcomers is far too common, as are the pay gaps facing immigrants, particularly women.

Our rethink on immigration requires we no longer view those considered to have low skills any less valuable than those with university degrees. And those with those degrees deserve to put them to use and to expect fair treatment.

We need a robust system that welcomes everyone who helps make our country stronger, more resilient, and increases our capacity to take care of each other. This is crucial to our collective recovery.

Hassan Yussuff is the president of the Canadian Labour Congress. Follow him on Twitter @Hassan_Yussuff

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“The government is making it clear that it is listening to the concerns of workers and their families by recognizing that investments are the only way to get us through this pandemic. We only have to look at the United States to understand how critical it is for us to keep working together towards a full recovery,” said Canadian Labour Congress President, Hassan Yussuff.

The Speech from the Throne made specific commitments towards creating:

• 1 million new jobs, including investments in infrastructure, public transit, energy efficient retrofits, clean energy, affordable housing, and domestic production of Personal Protective Equipment;
• Accelerating implementation of a universal national pharmacare program;
• An early learning and child care system;
• Working with the provinces and territories to set new, national standards for long-term care;
• Task force to address the specific impacts on women;
• Strengthened Employment Insurance and the introduction of the Canada Recovery Benefit;
• Supports for hardest-hit industries including travel, tourism, hospitality, and cultural industries like the performing arts;
• Immediate training to quickly skill up workers; and
• A new Canadian Disability Benefit.

“It’s time to roll up our sleeves. We’re going to have to keep working closely with the government to ensure that they get the details on these programs and initiatives right. The provinces are going to have to step up and work with the federal government to make pharmacare a reality,” said Yussuff. “No doubt, there will be those calling for austerity even as people are vulnerable and need our governments to step up most. The federal government must stay the course and invest in people.”

“Long-standing systemic racism has meant that this pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on racialized and Indigenous communities. We welcome efforts to address inequality and we will continue advocating for all workers,” said Yussuff.

To arrange an interview, please contact:
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This year’s week-long commemoration is happening against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Speech from the Throne.

“This pandemic has laid bare the gender inequities in our society,” said Marie Clarke Walker, Secretary Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Even before COVID 19 hit, the realities for women in the workplace and in our economy were already at crisis level. The pandemic has amplified existing barriers to women’s economic justice, like wage discrimination, sexual harassment and violence, and the lack of affordable child care. Now, more than ever, we are urging Canada’s federal government to prioritize a feminist recovery plan that is inclusive and equitable.”

To address the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on women, Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to take immediate action to:

Fix the Child Care Crisis: The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated just how essential child care is for working families and our economy. It is clear there can be no economic recovery without high quality, accessible, affordable, public child care.

End Wage Discrimination: Women have fought for pay equity for decades, and although a proactive pay equity act was passed in 2018, the legislation hasn’t taken effect. Advocates are calling on the federal government work with unions and employers to develop pay equity regulations and bring the law into force by 2021.

End Sexual Harassment and Violence: With the spike in domestic violence, homicide and cyberbullying since the onset of the pandemic, action on gender-based violence has never been more urgent. Canada needs a National Action Plan on Violence Against Women that is robust, long-term, cross-jurisdictional and adequately funded. Add your voice.

Make Work Fair: We know that women, newcomers and racialized workers have been disproportionately impacted by the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the economy has gradually reopened, job gains have been slower for women than men. To address these gaps, the federal government should appoint a Care Economy Commission to study, design and implement a care strategy, strengthen employment laws to improve working conditions, and improve access to training for women and marginalized workers.

“Women already bore the weight of most of the unpaid care and domestic work in Canadian households, and now they make up the majority of people who have lost jobs or hours of work since the COVID-19 crisis began,” continued Walker. “We need federal leadership to ensure a just and equitable economic recovery that secures fair and decent work for all and leaves no one behind. If Canada is going to emerge as a global leader from this crisis, we need a feminist recovery plan that moves us all forward, together.”

Learn more about the CLC’s new recovery campaign here. To take action on gender inequality, visit DoneWaiting.ca.

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“Social programs like national pharmacare and child care will help to rectify structural inequities that this pandemic has made all the more clear,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “A stronger public health system that includes mental health, long-term care and home care will help to protect people in Canada throughout this pandemic and beyond.”

The pandemic has underscored the inseparability of Canada’s economic, health and social well-being. A sound recovery will depend on the government’s efforts towards addressing the stark gaps in our social safety net and ensuring that the most vulnerable communities are not left behind.

The establishment of the CERB was a response to the inadequacy of the country’s Employment Insurance program and the government will need to shore up the system to address current and future job losses. The government must also invest in job training, as well as a national child care system to further address the negative impacts on women.

People of colour, including Black Canadians and Indigenous communities, are facing particular challenges that have been exacerbated during this pandemic. The Speech from the Throne must include concrete action to address systemic racism and discrimination.

“We have the opportunity to disaster-proof our communities now and into the future,” said Yussuff. “People in Canada deserve a government that is ready to rise to the challenge and make significant investments that will support a strong recovery that includes everyone.”

The Throne speech must further include a plan to invest in job creation, including building green infrastructure while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

For more information:
CLC Media Relations
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613-526-7426

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The Cambie Surgeries Centre case put Canada’s public medicare system on trial and threatened the principle of universal and equal access to health care. The court’s decision to reject the arguments made by Dr. Brian Day is a significant blow to those who would push for profit-driven care in this country.

“Looking at what’s happening in the United States, this pandemic has demonstrated how important Canada’s public health care system is and how devastating private, for-profit care can be,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “Now is the time to be investing in a health care system that serves us all. Two-tier health care is simply un-Canadian.”

Canada’s unions congratulate the BC Health Coalition and Canadian Doctors for Medicare who were intervenors in this case.

“We know the fight to protect public health care won’t end here, but the Cambie decision is an important victory that adds strength to the case that the Canada Health Act allows no leeway for profit over patients,” said Yussuff. “If we’re going to improve the health care system, we have to focus on improving it for everyone, not just for the people with the ability to pay.”

The Court noted that there is a “lack of capacity in the public health system” which has led to some patients having to wait beyond suggested timelines for surgeries.

This is in part due to decades of austerity by successive governments. If this chronic underfunding isn’t rectified, more challenges will be brought against the Canada Health Act.

“This case should serve as a wake-up call to governments that they will have to address decades of underfunding with significant investments into our health care system to ensure it remains equitable and accessible to all,” added Yussuff.

To arrange an interview, please contact:
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Forward Together: A Canadian Plan is a new campaign centred on ensuring that Canada is ready to disaster-proof our nation so that no one is left behind when crisis hits. The campaign will roll out digitally on various social media platforms and will encourage Canadians to engage with their elected representatives on key issues.

“There are important lessons to be learned from this pandemic and we have a real opportunity to strengthen our communities and to better protect one another,” said Hassan Yussuff, CLC President. “We have been able to withstand this pandemic by supporting each other, and that is the only way to move forward.”

Learning from the chaos seen in the United States, Canada’s unions will be pushing for a plan that focuses on:

• Replacing lost jobs with better ones
• Strengthening Canadian public health care
• Disaster-proofing our social safety net

“We need the government to reject calls for austerity and make real investments in our future. The only way to fix what’s broken is to invest,” said Yussuff. “Workers are key to the recovery. The federal government can help alleviate a lot of anxiety by investing in jobs, making long-term care part of public health care, supporting a child care strategy, and implementing national pharmacare.”

Canada’s unions are looking for targeted investments in green infrastructure, education and training, and care work.

“A strong economy is inextricably linked with strong social services that support workers and their families through bad times,” said Yussuff. “The United States is showing us what happens when we act like everyone is in it for themselves. We can and must do better.”

Go to www.canadianplan.ca to learn more about the campaign.

To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
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Millions of people have been relying on the CERB for financial support after losing their jobs because of the pandemic. The benefit was set to terminate but will now be extended for another month.

In the meantime, the temporary changes to EI will support those who still need help once the CERB expires and who wouldn’t otherwise be eligible under previous rules.

“Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough are clearly listening to the palpable fears of unemployed workers and are ensuring support for the hardest hit. Today’s extension of the CERB and the various changes to EI are going to provide a lifeline for people who are worried about how they will make ends meet,” said CLC President, Hassan Yussuff. “As much as people want to get back to work, many jobs are still not there. Today’s announcement will be a huge relief for workers and their families who deserve to live in dignity.”

Today’s reforms include:

• a new stand-alone unemployment benefit of $400 for contract, self-employed, freelance and gig-economy workers that is modelled on CERB, and outside EI;
• a rule that effectively lowers the eligibility threshold for maternity/parental benefits from 600 hours to 120 hours of insurable earnings;
• a two-week flat-rate paid sick leave benefit.

“Canada’s unions have long called for paid sick leave. With this new benefit, workers can return to work with confidence knowing they can take time off without fear of lost pay or of losing their job,” says Yussuff.

“Today’s temporary reforms should help set the stage for a future permanent overhaul of EI that has been long overdue. That overhaul should include changes that would see employers who currently avoid paying EI premiums by claiming their workers are independent contractors be compelled to pay into EI programs.”

Last month, CLC released its own recommendations for EI reform, read more here.

To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
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613-526-742

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Canada’s unions believe the federal government should use the 2020-21 budget to set out clear plans and targets to address climate change and a Just Transition for workers, the ongoing child care crisis, and the implementation of National Pharmacare. The government must also commit to implementing the recommendations on the Expert Panel on Modern Federal Labour Standards.

You can read the Canadian Labour Congress’ full pre-budget submission here.

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“The announcement today by the U.S. President undermines the stated purpose and spirit of Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement,” said Hassan Yussuff, president of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “The Canadian government must provide support to affected workers while they work out this dispute. The government should respond swiftly with retaliatory actions.”

The United States previously imposed tariffs on Canadian aluminum and steel before the ratification of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). Canada’s unions fought for over a year to have them removed.

The imposition of tariffs for a second time is particularly offensive considering the newly renegotiated trade agreement entered into force on July 1^st.

“Canadian workers are not a prop for Donald Trump to use in his re-election campaign,” said Yussuff. “This is a clear affront. The federal government has to continue to forcefully stand up for Canadian workers and industry and must counter these unfair tariffs.”

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

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“We were very glad to see sick leave specifically mentioned in this agreement,” said Canadian Labour Congress President, Hassan Yussuff. “Canada’s unions have been fighting for paid sick leave for all workers. This ensures that every worker can take time off when they are sick and need to self-isolate. Workers should not be penalized for taking care of themselves and safeguarding public health.”

It should be noted that BC Premier John Horgan acted as the champion of sick leave during these negotiations.

Unions are also welcoming other important measures in the new agreement including funding directed at municipalities and investments in child care and long-term care.

“Communities across the country are in financial crisis after months of unanticipated costs and collapsing revenues,” said Yussuff. “Municipalities are not only major employers, they are major economic drivers. This deal will have a significant impact, though we still have a long way ahead towards full recovery.”

The CLC is calling for reforms to the Employment Insurance system to support workers who will no longer be covered by the Canada Emergency Response Benefit in September.

“There is no quick way out of this crisis; funding must be directed towards social supports that will help workers get back on their feet,” said Yussuff. “Millions of Canadians are still facing uncertainty and governments will need to continue to step up.”

To arrange an interview, please contact:

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

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“A single deficit number does not tell the full story. If we look at the total debt to GDP ratio, Canada is still in good shape,” said Canadian Labour Congress President, Hassan Yussuff. “This means the country is in a strong position to ensure that workers and their families continue to receive the support they desperately need. Calls for austerity and cuts are misguided, cruel and out of step with what most Canadians expect from our governments.

“We are still in the midst of dealing with the social and economic fallout of an ongoing pandemic. Two million jobs are currently being subsidized by the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program. Almost seven million Canadians still don’t have a job to go back to, and with the Canada Emergency Response Benefit ending in August, we urgently need a plan to help those who continue to face uncertainty.”

The CLC has six recommendations for EI reform to ensure a smooth transition for those currently on CERB. These reforms include waiving qualifying hours to maximize access to the program, increasing the duration of EI and allowing EI claimants to enroll in education programs.

Furthermore, the CLC will be calling on all levels of government to learn from the lessons of COVID-19 to build a stronger, more resilient economy. The recovery should include reforms of social programs to ensure no one falls through the cracks.

“The federal government responded quickly when we needed them to,” said Yussuff. “There is still capacity to deal with what has been the most significant financial and health crisis in recent history. The government is right to continue financially supporting Canadians throughout these unprecedented times.”

Canada has the lowest debt to GDP ratio among G7 nations, and is the only G7 country below 50 per cent.

To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
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The federal government moved quickly to respond to the economic fallout precipitated by COVID-19. Since March, the government has spent heavily on a variety of programs that ensure workers and businesses received support throughout this crisis.

“The Canadian Emergency Response Benefit and the Canada Emergency Wage Supplement have provided urgent relief to many workers and businesses devastated by the pandemic,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Millions of people continue to be out of work and many businesses remain shuttered or are operating at diminished capacity.”

While this unexpected government spending has no doubt resulted in significant deficits, Canada’s unions maintain that the country requires ongoing investment to ensure a full recovery.

“The federal government has spent these past few months investing in people at a time of uncertainty and heightened fears about the future,” said Yussuff. “This pandemic continues to have devastating financial impacts on workers and families across the country. Millions of people still require help to get through these unprecedented times.”

The CLC is calling on the government to recognize the critical need for a responsive Employment Insurance program to protect low-wage workers who were hit the hardest by the crisis. This will necessitate significant reforms to ensure unemployed workers currently dependant on the CERB are able to transition smoothly to the EI program.

“Our focus must be on the people who still don’t have jobs to go back to,” said Yussuff. “The government recognized that the EI system was not good enough to help every worker affected by the pandemic. It still isn’t.”

The CLC has six recommendations for EI reform, including waiving qualifying hours to maximize access to the program, increasing the duration of EI and allowing EI claimants to enroll in education programs. For further details, click here.

Furthermore, the CLC urges the federal government to ensure our country’s robust public service remains intact in order to oversee and deliver the programs that Canadians rely on.

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“This decision underscores the message that a worker is a worker,” said Canadian Labour Congress President, Hassan Yussuff. “This ruling sends a clear message to employers that they can’t skirt around workers’ rights by using legalese to pretend they are ‘independent operators’ instead of employees.”

The Supreme Court ruling reaffirms a ruling by the Ontario Court of Appeal that Uber drivers may be subject to the Ontario Employment Standards Act. With this ruling, a class-action suit against Uber can proceed.

“There is an imbalance of power in organizations like Uber, with precarious workers fighting for better job conditions against a behemoth enterprise hiding behind complex international legal loopholes,” said Yussuff. “Given this ruling, provincial governments have a responsibility to examine the misclassification of employees and protect all gig economy workers.”

Canada’s unions have been raising the alarm about the rise of the gig economy and precarious work for years and will continue to fight for workers in these jobs.

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CLC Media Relations
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“As we face the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of the public sector has never been more evident,” said Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) President Hassan Yussuff. “Public sector workers have kept our communities running day-to-day, ensuring that Canadians can rely on the services they need. It is critical that governments safeguard these services against bids towards privatization.”

The CLC Task Force on New Forms of Privatization report, For the Public Good: The growing threat of privatization and workers’ proposals to protect our future, calls on governments to:

• Strengthen and expand public services and infrastructure for all;
• Expand public revenue;
• Expand and enhance public services;
• End the financialization of and the facilitation of privatization globally; and
• Expand public control over infrastructure development.

“As important as public services have been during this pandemic, they will be even more important as we re-open and re-build our economy,” said Yussuff.

The report’s recommendations on strengthening and expanding public services and infrastructure are especially relevant in the post-COVID-19 era. The report contains immediate actions to address threats and provides a long-term vision to build a sustainable and equitable public sector.

Read the Summary Statement here.

Read the Full Report here.

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“We as a movement are raising our voices to express alarm and outrage over recent incidents of police brutality, including the deaths of Chantal Moore and Rodney Levi,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “We can no longer ignore the systemic racism in this country.”

In light of these tragedies, Canada’s unions reiterate their support for all calls to action calling for reforms of policing and the criminal justice system found within the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report, as well as the final report of the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

These incidents also come in the midst of a global health crisis that has, again, exposed inequities faced by Indigenous peoples and communities.

“The CLC supports the calls from the Assembly of First Nations for a dedicated plan in response to the unique realities that have made Indigenous communities vulnerable to the impacts of COVID-19,” said Rousseau. “This day is one occasion to celebrate the history and cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples across this northern part of Turtle Island, also known as Canada, but they cannot be ignored for the other 364 days.”

The Assembly of First Nations has pointed to the remoteness of many First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, inadequate housing that is often over-crowded, a lack of safe drinking water and more.

“Continued inaction is not an option. We must cement our solidarity as trade unionists in the struggle for justice that Indigenous communities face every day across Canada,” concluded Rousseau.

You can mark National Indigenous People’s Day 2020 with us by reading and reviewing the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, as well as the final report of the Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. In both reports, you will find specific calls to action and calls to justice for organizations, individuals and governments. Do what you can in your communities to support these calls to action and pressure all levels of government to take immediate action to implement them.

Check out the links below to find out about virtual events and calls to action being organized by Indigenous organizations across Canada to mark National Indigenous People’s Day 2020:

Assembly of First Nations
Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
Metis National Council
Native Women’s Association of Canada
Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada

For further reading on Indigenous history and racism in Canada:

• Children of the Broken Treaty : Canada’s Lost Promise of One Girl’s Dream by Charlie Angus
• #IdleNoMore by Ken Coates
• Clearing the Plains by James W. Daschuk
• Peace Pipe Dreams by Darrell Dennis
• Surviving Canada: Indigenous Peoples Celebrate 150 Years of Betrayal, Edited by Myra Tait and Kiera Ladner
• Indigenous Relations: Insights, Tips & Suggestions to Make Reconciliation a Reality by Bob Joseph
• Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death and Hard Truths in a Northern City by Tanya Talaga

Find more resources here.

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