MONTRÉAL – The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), together representing close to 50 million workers, support a closer and deeper partnership between the European Union and Canada. At a time of tariff threats, geopolitical instability, and pressure on democratic institutions, cooperation between two democratic partners can be a source of stability, quality jobs, and shared prosperity.

The areas now under discussion, from defence and industrial procurement to critical minerals, energy, clean technologies, digital, the Arctic, and mobility, go well beyond the existing Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Workers in all of these sectors have a direct stake in the outcome, and their trade unions must be fully involved in shaping it. Labour cannot be marginalized in these discussions.

Good jobs must be the condition for any preferential treatment, including through Made in Europe treatment and participation in joint procurement and security instruments. This means full respect for fundamental principles and rights at work, including freedom of association, collective bargaining, and the right to strike, which the International Court of Justice has confirmed as protected under ILO Convention 87. Restrictions on the right to strike are a red line. We denounce any regression on workers’ rights as the wrong way to preserve competitiveness.

In Canada, the use of section 107, the ongoing review of the Labour Code, and recent Senate recommendations to further limit strikes in the transport sector risk entrenching this pattern, and we call for its repeal. In the EU, deregulation presented as simplification must not erode workers’ rights either. CETA already commits both parties not to weaken labour protections to encourage trade or investment.

A deepened partnership cannot pit workers against each other, nor become a backdoor to offshore production and undercut industrial capacity and jobs on either side of the Atlantic.

Deep cooperation must rest on a level playing field on workers’ rights and working conditions. This requires binding and enforceable labour clauses covering all new areas of cooperation, including high health and safety standards and workforce strategy for emerging low-carbon industry, just transition guarantees in raw materials and energy, and a stronger role for trade unions and the Domestic Advisory Groups in monitoring implementation.

Likewise, we reject any regression on democracy. Across the world, democratic institutions, the rule of law, and civic space are under growing pressure from authoritarian governments, the rise of the far right, and the concentration of economic and technological power in the hands of a few.

Trade unions are often the first target: trade unionists are harassed, imprisoned, and even killed for defending workers’ rights. In this context, the EU and Canada must stand together to defend democracy and free and independent trade unions worldwide, and use their trade, cooperation, and external policies to that end. Decisions on a new framework must be transparent, subject to democratic scrutiny, and developed with the meaningful involvement of social partners and civil society.

The ETUC and the CLC will continue to work together to ensure that EU-Canada cooperation delivers for working people on both sides of the Atlantic. We call on EU and Canadian leaders to place workers’ rights and democracy at the heart of the outcome of the Montreal Summit.

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The post European and Canadian Labour Leaders Stand Together for Workers’ Rights appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Bruske will urge committee members to remove the proposed expansion of Section 107 and adopt amendments the CLC has already presented to the Minister of Labour.

“We’ve heard a great deal about the need for economic certainty. But protecting workers’ rights and maintaining labour stability are not competing goals,” said Bruske. “Parliament needs to consider what happens to collective bargaining when employers can count on the government to intervene.”

The CLC warns that giving employers reason to expect government intervention could make disputes harder to settle. It could also erode workers’ confidence in the labour relations system, increasing the risk of illegal strikes and escalating conflict.

“When workers lose faith that their legal rights will be respected, the risk of illegal strikes and escalating labour conflict grows,” said Bruske. “The government is taking an enormous gamble with a system that has served Canada well for decades.”

The CLC has proposed an alternative that would remove the new Section 107 powers and prevent the existing provision from being used to end legal strikes. It would also establish an independent panel of labour relations experts to assess whether a strike has created a genuine national economic emergency.

Under the proposed amendments, any decision to end a legal strike would require the government to make its case to Parliament, rather than allowing a minister to act unilaterally.

“Canada’s unions want a strong economy, reliable supply chains and stable labour relations. We share those goals with the business community,” said Bruske. “Labour stability is built when workers and employers bargain and reach a fair deal, not when government puts its thumb on the scale for employers.”

Bruske’s appearance follows testimony from business organizations, including the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters.

“We’ve given the government a clear path forward,” said Bruske. “Canada doesn’t have to sacrifice workers’ rights to achieve labour stability. Our amendments protect both. We’re asking parliamentarians to adopt them.”

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Media availability: Bea Bruske will appear before the Legislative Committee on Bill C-39 on Tuesday, October 20, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET.

Backgrounder – CLC’s Proposed Amendments to Bill C-39

The Canadian Labour Congress has submitted proposed amendments to the Minister of Labour focused on four changes.

1. Remove the new Section 107 powers and protect legal strikes

Remove the proposed expansion of Section 107 and clarify that the existing provision cannot be used to direct the end of legal strikes. Limit its use to referring questions to the Canada Industrial Relations Board, consistent with its historical purpose.

2. Establish an independent public interest panel

Create a standing panel of independent labour relations experts to assess whether an ongoing strike has caused a genuine national economic emergency. Intervention could be considered only where there is imminent, widespread, serious, and irreparable harm to the national economy. Ordinary economic disruption would not meet this threshold.

3. Require parliamentary consideration

The independent panel would provide its assessment to the Minister or Cabinet. If the government believed intervention was necessary, it would have to introduce back-to-work legislation for Parliament to consider, rather than ending the strike through ministerial action.

4. Ensure mediators are independent and qualified

Require special mediators to be independent of government, experienced in collective bargaining, and trusted by both unions and employers, with a mandate to help the parties reach negotiated agreements.

The proposed approach draws on recommendations from independent federal labour relations reviews, including the 1967 Woods Report and the 1996 Sims Report, which supported using independent expert bodies to assess disputes affecting the public interest.

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With MPs home for constituency week, demonstrations are taking place outside constituency offices across the country, including those of Prime Minister Mark Carney and several federal cabinet ministers.

“These changes will increase labour unrest across Canada,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “The government cannot credibly claim to be protecting labour stability while introducing legislation that will make disputes harder to resolve and more disruptive.”

Bill C-39 would give the federal labour minister sweeping new powers to end legal strikes based solely on the minister’s opinion that a work stoppage could be contrary to the national interest.

Nearly 95 percent of federally regulated labour disputes are resolved without a work stoppage. The CLC warns that giving employers reason to expect government intervention will encourage them to hold out at the bargaining table, making agreements harder to reach and increasing the likelihood of conflict.

Some of Canada’s largest unions have already pledged to defy the proposed restrictions if they become law and to stand behind other unions that do the same.

“Collective bargaining works because both sides have a reason to reach a deal,” said Bruske. “If employers believe the government will end a strike for them, that incentive disappears. And workers aren’t going to quietly accept having their rights taken away.”

Today’s National Day of Action follows weeks of growing opposition from unions across Canada, including grassroots mobilization, national advertising, direct lobbying of MPs, and international condemnation of the proposed legislation.

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Media opportunities: Rallies are taking place throughout the day at MPs’ constituency offices and other locations across Canada.

List of events:

• Guelph, ON: 9 a.m. – MP Dominique O’Rourke’s office, 350 Speedvale Avenue West
• Kelowna, BC: 9 a.m. – MP Stephen Fuhr’s office, 890 Clement Avenue
• North Bay, ON: 11:30 a.m. – MP Pauline Rochefort’s office, 375 Main Street West
• Sydney, NS: 12 p.m. – MP Mike Kelloway’s office, 850 Grand Lake Road
• Moncton, NB: 12 p.m. – MP Ginette Petitpas Taylor’s office, 272 St. George Street
• Montréal, QC: 12 p.m. – Complexe Guy-Favreau, 200 René-Lévesque Boulevard West
• Ottawa, ON: 12 p.m. – Prime Minister Mark Carney’s constituency office, 240 Kennevale Drive
• Saint John, NB: 12 p.m. – MP Wayne Long’s office, Market Square
• St. John’s, NL: 12 p.m. – Minister Joanne Thompson’s office, 120 Torbay Road
• Toronto, ON: 12 p.m. – Minister Evan Solomon’s office, 409 Parliament Street
• Prince Albert, SK: 12:15 p.m. – MP Randy Hoback’s office, 598 15th Street East
• Regina, SK: 12:15 p.m. – Scarth Street, across from Cornwall Centre
• Burnaby, BC: 1 p.m. – MP Wade Chang’s office, 4940 Kingsway
• Edmonton, AB: 2 p.m. – Minister Eleanor Olszewski’s office, 12220 Stony Plain Road NW
• Sudbury, ON: 4 p.m. – MP Vivian Lapointe’s office, 469 Bouchard Street
• Thunder Bay, ON: 4 p.m. – Minister Patty Hajdu’s office, 705 Red River Road
• Windsor, ON: 4 p.m. – MP Kathy Borrelli’s office, 9733 Tecumseh Road East
• Hamilton, ON: 4:30 p.m. – MP Lisa Hepfner’s office, 1394 Upper Gage Avenue
• Winnipeg, MB: 4:30 p.m. – MP Kevin Lamoureux’s office, 98 Mandalay Drive
• St. Catharines, ON: 5 p.m. – MP Chris Bittle’s office, 61 Geneva Street
• Pickering, ON: 5 p.m. – MP Juanita Nathan’s office, 1154 Kingston Road

Full list of events, times and locations: ⁠Workers Together National Day of Action map

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The post Workers rally at MPs’ offices across Canada to defend right to strike appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Ahead of Thursday’s second reading vote, Canadian Labour Congress President Bea Bruske joined Candace Rennick, National Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Tom Doran, President of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada, and CLC Executive Vice-President Marc-Édouard Joubert to urge MPs to remove the bill’s proposed restrictions on the right to strike.

“Employers have been asking Ottawa for greater power to end strikes, and Bill C-39 gives it to them,” said Bruske. “That changes the calculation at every bargaining table. Employers will have a reason to hold out for government intervention instead of reaching a deal. The result will be greater unrest, and it will be because this government chose to tip the scales in employers’ favour.”

The vast majority of disputes in the federal sector are already resolved without a work stoppage. Canada’s unions say the possibility of a strike is one of the reasons the system works: both sides know there are consequences if they fail to reach an agreement.

Bruske pointed to the International Longshoremen’s Association, whose Canadian members have gone nearly 50 years without a labour disruption, as evidence that strong collective bargaining can deliver the stability the government says it is seeking.

“For nearly 50 years, these workers and their employers have reached agreements without a labour disruption,” said Bruske. “That record has survived tough negotiations, changing governments and enormous changes in the industry. The irony is that a law being sold as a way to guarantee stability could be the very thing that ends it.”

Canadian Union of Public Employees National Secretary-Treasurer Candace Rennick said taking power away from workers will not produce labour peace.

“Governments cannot legislate labour peace by taking away workers’ power to fight for a fair deal. As MPs consider Bill C-39 at second reading, our message is clear: remove the new restrictions on the right to strike and make employers bargain fairly. Legislating away our constitutional right to strike will not stop us from using the full strength of our union to defend our members,” said Rennick.

International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada President Tom Doran warned that the consequences will extend beyond individual labour disputes as workers bargain over automation, outsourcing, and the future of their jobs.

“ILWU members keep Canada’s economy moving and growing. Our members may also be among the first to face these new restrictions, and the consequences will reach far beyond the waterfront,” said Doran. “You cannot build a stronger Canada by stifling the rights of workers, making it easier to eliminate good union jobs, and harder for workers to defend them. They have a fundamental right to bargain over their future, and to withhold their labour to defend it.”  

Since Bill C-39 was introduced, unions across Canada have been united in strong opposition to the proposed restrictions on the right to strike, mobilizing members, engaging MPs directly, and speaking out publicly against the legislation.

The Canadian Labour Congress is calling on Parliament to remove the new restrictions proposed in Bill C-39 and repeal Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code.

“If this government moves ahead with changes that encourage employers to hold out and make disputes harder to settle, it cannot credibly say these changes are about stability and certainty,” said Bruske. “They are a choice to give employers greater power at the bargaining table.”

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The post Bill C-39 could create more labour unrest, union leaders warn appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Representing workers through national trade union organizations in 169 countries and territories, the ITUC is calling on the federal government to suspend consideration of the proposed restrictions and engage in meaningful consultations with Canadian unions.

“Canada has a long history of standing up for fundamental labour rights,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “It should concern all of us when the international labour movement is warning that legislation before our Parliament could put those commitments at risk. This is an opportunity for the government to reconsider these provisions and get this right.”

The ITUC letter points to Prime Minister Carney’s own defence of a democratic, rights-based international order and warns that expanding ministerial powers to intervene in legal strikes risks putting Canada at odds with those principles and its international commitments.

Canada ratified ILO Convention 87 in 1972. The ITUC’s intervention comes months after the International Court of Justice confirmed that the right to strike is protected under the Convention.

“The government has heard these concerns from workers and unions across Canada. Now it is hearing them from the international labour movement,” said Bruske. “We hope the Prime Minister will take a hard look at what is being raised here. There is still time to change course.”

In his letter, ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle warns that when countries fail to uphold the rights they defend internationally, authoritarian governments can use that inconsistency to justify their own attacks on international human rights and labour standards.

The Canadian Labour Congress is calling on the federal government to remove the proposed new restrictions on the right to strike from Bill C-39.

Link to the official letter here.

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The post Global labour body warns Bill C-39 could violate Canada’s international obligations appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

In 2024, the CEOs of Air Canada, CN, CPKC, Rogers, Bell, and TELUS received between $12.4 million and $23.6 million each in total compensation.

That amounts to between 124 and 199 times the average annual compensation per job in their respective industries.

“These CEOs make more in a few hours than what many workers earn in an entire year,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “And now they are cheering legislation that would weaken workers’ leverage to negotiate for better wages and working conditions.”

Employer groups have publicly welcomed Bill C-39’s changes to section 107, with some calling for even broader government intervention in labour disputes.

Bill C-39 would give the Minister of Labour broad discretion to intervene in a legal strike where the minister forms the “opinion” that the strike is, or could be, contrary to the “national interest”. The CLC has called for those provisions to be removed.

“The right to strike is what gives workers leverage at the bargaining table,” said Bruske. “Without it, workers are left asking some of the richest and most powerful corporations in the country to voluntarily give them a fair share.”

The CEO-worker gap is stark:

• TELUS CEO: $20.6 million — 199 times the average compensation in telecommunications.
• CPKC CEO: $23.6 million — 188 times the average compensation in rail transportation.
• CN CEO: $18.6 million — 148 times the average compensation in rail transportation.
• Rogers CEO: $14.1 million — 136 times the average compensation in telecommunications.
• Air Canada CEO: $12.4 million — 128 times the average compensation in air transportation.
• Bell CEO: $12.8 million — 124 times the average compensation in telecommunications.

“When workers lose leverage, employers gain it,” said Bruske. “The government’s proposed legislation tips the balance at the bargaining table. Workers will be the victims of this bill, and corporations that already hold enormous economic power will be its only winner.”

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The post CEOs covered by new labour code make up to 199 times more than their workers appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

That includes Donald Trump’s United States, where even the President cannot unilaterally end a national-emergency strike and impose a binding settlement. U.S. law requires a threat to national health or safety, court approval and a temporary limit on intervention. 

“Canada should be setting the standard for workers’ rights, not falling behind every other G7 country,” said Lily Chang, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress. “If passed, Section 107 would give one minister extraordinary power to shut down a legal strike, with no parliamentary oversight and no one with the power to stop them.” 

Canada’s Labour Code currently takes the same approach as other G7 countries, using targeted tools that limit the right to strike on national-security or public-health grounds. Bill C-39 would set Canada apart by giving a single minister sweeping new powers over workers’ right to strike. 

G7 powers to intervene in legal strikes, from most limited to broadest: 

If Bill C-39 passes with its proposed restrictions on the right to strike, the CLC intends to file a complaint with the International Labour Organization’s Committee on Freedom of Association, as part of a broad campaign to fight against the government’s undermining of the right to strike. 

Canada has ratified ILO Convention 87 on freedom of association and Convention 98 on collective bargaining. The ILO’s freedom-of-association principles place strict limits on restrictions of the right to strike, including emphasizing independent safeguards where strikes may be suspended on national-security or public-health grounds. 

“Canada cannot claim to champion workers’ rights around the world while weakening them at home,” said Lily Chang, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress. “If this bill passes unchanged, we will take our case to the ILO and ask it to examine whether Canada is living up to the international labour standards it has committed to uphold.” 

The Canadian Labour Congress is calling on Parliament to remove Bill C-39’s proposed restrictions on the right to strike. 

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“When large corporations are cheering new government powers to shut down legal strikes, workers should be alarmed,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Bill C-39 gives one minister unchecked power to override workers’ constitutional right to strike, with no independent body required to agree and no one with the power to stop them.”

Employer groups representing major companies in rail, ports, airlines, and other sectors have welcomed the changes. Some are already arguing the government should go further and give the minister power to intervene before a strike even begins.

Their enthusiasm is telling. Employers understand that the credible threat of a strike is what gives workers leverage to win better wages and working conditions.

Bill C-39 also allows the economic and social consequences of a strike to weigh in favour of government intervention. But those consequences are what give workers leverage to get an employer to compromise and reach a deal.

“The right to strike only means something if workers can use it when it matters,” said Bruske. “If employers believe government will step in when the pressure is on, they have less reason to compromise. A right you cannot exercise is not a right.”

The government has pointed to safeguards around the minister’s new power. But the ultimate decision is based on the Minister’s opinion and is completely at the discretion of the Minister.

“These aren’t guardrails. They’re procedural cover for unchecked power,” said Bruske.

Canada’s largest union has already warned where restricting legal strikes could lead. The Canadian Union of Public Employees’ National Executive Board unanimously committed this week to defying Bill C-39’s restrictions on the right to strike if the legislation passes unamended.

“Taking away the legal right to strike does not make a labour dispute disappear,” said Bruske. “It forces workers to choose between giving up their rights and defying the government.”

The Canadian Labour Congress is calling on Parliament to remove Bill C-39’s new restrictions on the right to strike.

BACKGROUND: Reality Check — Bill C-39 and the Right to Strike attached.

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The post Employers cheer Bill C-39 restrictions on the right to strike appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Last night, I met with the heads of Canada’s unions, representing workers across the country and every part of our economy. We are united: any new restriction on the right to strike is unacceptable,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

The proposed legislation includes important measures workers and unions have fought for, including protections against contract flipping and wage theft, as well as additional resources for the Canada Industrial Relations Board and health and safety enforcement.

But those measures come alongside a fundamental attack on the right to strike. The legislation would give the minister extraordinarily broad discretion to end a legal strike based on the minister’s view of the national interest.

“The so-called guardrails are frankly nonsense,” said Mark Rowlinson, lawyer at Goldblatt Partners. “The legislation gives the minister unfettered power to single-handedly shut down a strike based purely on their opinion. That concentration of power is unprecedented among G7 countries.”

“Strong collective bargaining, including the right to strike, is in Canada’s national interest,” said Bruske.

Canada’s unions have been clear that workers are ready to defend Canadian jobs, build what Canada needs, attract investment and make the country more resilient in the face of the U.S. trade war.

“Workers are on Team Canada. Our elbows are up. But we cannot defend Canada with our hands tied at the bargaining table,” said Bruske.

The CLC warned that giving government the power to end legal strikes would also change the balance at the bargaining table, giving employers no real incentive to reach a deal.

“A right you cannot exercise is not a right,” said Bruske. “Canada’s unions fought for the right to strike, and we will fight to defend it.”

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The post Canada’s unions united against new restrictions on the right to strike appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Private investors don’t put billions into airports unless they expect to make billions back. The government is pointing to Australia as its model, and we’ve already seen the results there: higher costs for passengers and airlines, pressure on workers, and more airport revenue flowing to private investors.

Canada’s airports are already productive public assets, generating approximately $525 million a year in revenue for the federal government. Giving private investors long-term concessions means trading away decades of that value for cash today.

In the middle of a trade war, handing profitable public infrastructure over to private investors is exactly the wrong move. If the goal is to make Canada stronger and more secure, we should be investing in the assets we depend on, keeping their value here at home.

Canada needs to invest in itself and protect good jobs. We won’t build a stronger Canada by selling pieces of it to the highest bidder.”

Link to the CLC’s official Airport Privatization report here.

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The post Airport privatization will cost Canadians, warns CLC appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Public Runways, Private Profits: Why Airport Privatization Would Be Risky and Costly for Canadians examines airport privatization in Australia, New Zealand, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It finds a recurring pattern of higher charges, pressure on workers, and the loss of long-term public value.

“Canadians already pay too much to fly. Privatizing our airports risks making that problem worse,” said Lily Chang, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Private investors need to make a profit, and that money has to come from somewhere. The evidence shows it can come from higher costs for passengers, lower labour costs and staffing, or revenue that would otherwise stay in public hands.”

The report estimates that private investors would need airports to generate 15 to 20 percent more revenue than they do under the current model to provide competitive returns.

After Australia privatized its airports, passengers and airlines paid more while airport profits grew. At Perth Airport, revenue collected from airlines per passenger rose by more than 60 percent over a decade, while Sydney Airport cut 40 percent of its workforce once post-sale job protections expired.

“Airport workers in Canada already deal with contract flipping, outsourcing and pressure on wages and staffing,” Chang said. “We should be making airport jobs better and more secure, not creating another incentive to cut labour costs to generate returns for investors.”

Currently, Canada’s airport authorities are not-for-profit and reinvest surpluses back into airports, while airport rents return roughly $525 million a year to the federal government.

While airport privatization is not on the agenda for next week’s Investment Summit, it is not off the table. The federal government has repeatedly said it is considering privatization and alternative ownership models.

“We want investment that builds infrastructure, expands our productive capacity, and creates good union jobs. The Investment Summit should be about building and strengthening Canada, not putting public infrastructure on the auction block,” Chang said.

The CLC is calling on the federal government to reject airport privatization and focus instead on affordable air travel, better infrastructure and services, and good union jobs.

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“The government’s What We Heard report reflects what workers and unions have been saying throughout the Labour Code review, but it also leaves the door open to proposals that would give government more power to intervene in strikes and restrict workers’ bargaining power. Canada needs stronger labour laws that protect the right to strike, support free collective bargaining, and hold employers accountable when they break the rules.

That is especially important now. Canada is confronting a trade war that is forcing us to make fundamental choices about the kind of economy we want to protect and build.

Strong worker protections, decent wages, and collective bargaining make our economy stronger and more resilient. They are part of what we are fighting to protect. We cannot respond to Donald Trump’s trade war with a race to the bottom here at home.

Workers have been clear about what needs to change: repeal section 107, protect paid sick leave, crack down on wage theft and misclassification, and strengthen protections against bad-faith bargaining.

The government has heard from workers. Now we need to see those priorities reflected in the legislation that follows”.

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The post CLC warns Labour Code report leaves door open to restrictions on the right to strike appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Canada is right to stand firm against Trump, but we cannot lose sight of what that will mean for working people,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “There will be real costs and disruption. Workers cannot be left to shoulder those costs and risks alone.”

Canada’s unions are calling for stronger Employment Insurance with easier access, increased benefits, and support for workers directly and indirectly affected by the trade war. Protecting workers and communities through the disruption also means maintaining the public services people rely on and ensuring government support for companies protects Canadian jobs and production.

Economic uncertainty cannot be used as an excuse to weaken workers’ rights. As Ottawa reviews the Canada Labour Code, unions are calling on the government to protect the right to strike and reject new powers to interfere in legal strikes.

“The right to strike is fundamental to fair bargaining,” said Bruske. “Government’s job is to be a fair referee, set fair rules, and let workers and employers negotiate. It should not step in and tip the scales when employers don’t like where negotiations are going.”

The choices made now will shape what comes after this trade war.

“We need to protect as many jobs as we can, help workers and communities weather the disruption, protect the public services people depend on, and build an economy that delivers a better future for working people and their communities,” said Bruske.

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“Walking away was the right decision. Canada’s workers are behind our country in this fight,” said Bruske. “But as the trade war escalates, supports for workers must keep pace.”

Bruske urged the government to strengthen Employment Insurance by increasing benefit levels, lowering qualifying requirements so more workers can access EI, and extending how long benefits last. She also stressed that support must reach workers who lose their jobs because of the broader economic fallout from tariffs, not only those directly affected, and called on Canada’s banks to provide temporary mortgage and loan relief to workers who lose jobs or income because of the trade war.

Bruske joined labour leaders in calling for a long-term industrial strategy that creates good union jobs and strengthens Canada’s domestic capacity. Public investments and major projects should come with strong labour conditions, including prevailing wages, apprenticeships, community benefits agreements and project labour agreements.

Finally, Bruske warned against weakening collective bargaining rights through the current Canada Labour Code review.

“Workers are being asked to stand together for Canada. This is not the time to drive a wedge between workers and their government by weakening their right to strike,” said Bruske. “We need to protect the unity this moment demands.”

Bruske also offered the CLC as a partner as Canada works to diversify trade, pointing to the labour movement’s strong relationships with unions in the United States and around the world.

“Canada’s unions are ready to help build a stronger, more resilient country and make sure workers are at the centre of what comes next.”

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The post Canada’s unions back firm stand on trade, call for stronger worker supports and good union jobs appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Walking away from a bad deal was the right choice for Canada. We support the Prime Minister and Canada’s negotiating team in this crucial decision.

“Donald Trump has once again chosen economic intimidation over fair trade, imposing 50 percent tariffs on billions of dollars of Canadian goods. Canada cannot bargain away our jobs, industries or economic sovereignty simply to satisfy an American president who keeps changing the terms of the deal.

“The road ahead will be tough. Workers and communities are already paying the price for Trump’s trade war, and these new tariffs will put even more Canadian jobs at risk.

“But we are all in this together. Canada must stand firm, use our leverage to force Trump to back down, and make protecting workers and communities our number-one priority.

“Matching Trump’s new tariffs dollar-for-dollar is an important first step that labour supports. But Canada must be prepared to do more. We have leverage in energy, critical minerals, lumber, potash and other resources the United States depends on. We should be prepared to use it.

“At the same time, standing up to Trump means standing up for the workers who will bear the brunt of this fight. No worker should lose their home or struggle to put food on the table because Donald Trump decided to start a trade war.

“The federal government must immediately put in place a comprehensive plan to protect Canadian workers, jobs and industries.”

Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to:

• Strengthen Employment Insurance immediately so workers affected by tariffs can get help quickly and for as long as they need it, including easier access, longer benefit periods and adequate weekly benefits.
• Expand Work-Sharing and introduce wage subsidies to keep workers on the job and prevent temporary disruptions from becoming permanent layoffs.
• Provide direct income assistance and emergency supports to workers and communities facing severe disruption.
• Use Canada’s economic leverage. Retaliate strategically against U.S. tariffs and be prepared to use export taxes and restrictions on strategic resources, including energy, critical minerals and lumber, to put pressure where it will be felt in the United States.
• Protect strategic Canadian industries and jobs, including steel, aluminum, auto, forestry and manufacturing, with targeted support tied directly to maintaining Canadian jobs and production.
• Build Canadian and buy Canadian. Use public procurement and major infrastructure projects to create Canadian jobs and require Canadian steel, aluminum, lumber and other Canadian-made products wherever possible.
• Accelerate nation-building investments in housing, public transit, energy, transportation and other infrastructure that will create good union jobs and make Canada more economically resilient.
• Invest in domestic manufacturing, supply chains and value-added production so Canada is less dependent on the United States and more of our resources are processed and manufactured here at home.
• Invest in workers, including expanded apprenticeships, skills training and pathways into good union jobs in the industries Canada needs to build.
• Stop public-service cuts and reject austerity. At a moment when Trump is threatening Canadian jobs and economic growth, governments should be creating jobs and strengthening public services not adding to unemployment.
• Make corporations share the burden. Prevent price gouging and profiteering, ensure companies receiving public support protect Canadian jobs, and make profitable corporations pay their fair share.
• Diversify Canadian trade and build stronger economic relationships with reliable partners around the world so Canada is never again this vulnerable to the decisions of one American president.

“Workers did not start this trade war, and they cannot be left to pay for it.

“Canada has the resources, the skills and the workers to withstand this fight. What we need now is the determination to use them.

“This is the moment to stand together, governments, workers, unions, businesses and communities, to defend Canadian jobs and build a stronger, more independent Canadian economy.

“Trump is betting that Canada will buckle under pressure. We will prove him wrong.”

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The post Walking Away from a Bad Deal Was the Right Choice. Now Canada Must Protect Workers appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

As trade unionists, we know what it takes to win at the negotiating table against a powerful counterpart. It takes strength, clarity, unity. It means knowing your bottom line, understanding your leverage and being prepared to use it. Sometimes it means not being afraid to walk away from a bad deal, and that’s our message to the entire Canadian negotiating team.

Canadian workers need a deal that protects good jobs, strengthens our economy and delivers real stability for workers and communities. Canada must be prepared to hold firm on our interests and our red lines, while also having a clear plan to support workers and communities if tariffs come into effect.

We stand with Team Canada as it works toward a strong and fair agreement that benefits workers on both sides of the border. As these negotiations enter a critical stage, now is the time to stay united and make sure that whatever comes next delivers for workers.

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The post BRUSKE: Canada Must Stand Firm for a Trade Deal That Delivers for Workers appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“The government is asking the wrong question,” said Bea Bruske, President of the CLC. “You don’t fix a problem by writing a manual for it. The federal government has repeatedly used section 107 to undermine free collective bargaining. The answer isn’t to codify that power. It’s to repeal it.”

In its second submission to the Canada Labour Code review, the CLC renews its call to repeal section 107 and warns that proposals to codify its use would legitimize government interference in free collective bargaining instead of strengthening workers’ right to strike.

“This week’s resolution of the WestJet dispute is another reminder that collective bargaining works. Even difficult disputes can be resolved through negotiation when governments allow the bargaining process to run its course.”

The submission also calls for reforms to strengthen collective bargaining, including expedited grievance arbitration, stronger first-contract dispute resolution, better enforcement against wage theft and employee misclassification, and protecting paid medical leave.

“Canadians understand that strong worker protections make Canada stronger. Recent national polling commissioned by the CLC found overwhelming support for strong labour protections and the right of workers to have a meaningful voice at work. This review should strengthen those rights, not look for new ways to weaken them.”

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The post Second Labour Code submission warns Ottawa not to entrench powers to end legal strikes appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Emancipation Day recognizes the abolition of slavery in Canada and other British colonies on August 1^st, 1834. It is a day to reflect on this nation’s history and participation in slavery, and to remember and honour those who were engaged in the struggle and uprisings against the transatlantic slave trade in British colonies. This day is significant because it’s also about dignity and resilience.

“While we are reflecting on the past, it is also important to recognize the present-day impacts of Canada’s history of slavery on Black communities. Black people in Canada still face major injustices and the legacy of the slave trade lives on today in the form of racial inequities in employment, education, housing, and health, as well as the over-policing and over-surveillance of Black communities,” said Marc-Édouard Joubert, Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

When it comes to employment, data from Statistics Canada showed that Black workers experienced significant earnings gaps, often working in lower-wage occupations despite their education. They were also less likely to have full-time, year-round employment compared to non-racialized workers who are third-generation or more in Canada.

A 2023 Black Canadian National Survey conducted by York University’s Institute for Social Research, in partnership with the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, found that 96% of Black Canadians identified racism as a workplace problem and 78% viewed it as serious or very serious. Nearly half of Black workers (48%) reported experiencing workplace discrimination or unfair treatment, compared to other racialized groups (39%) and non-racialized workers (41%). Black workers perceived workplaces as epicentres of racial discrimination and unfairness.

A modernized Employment Equity Act is a critical means to addressing the issues of systemic racism and discrimination illustrated by this data. It has been three years since the release of the federal government’s Employment Equity Task Force’s thorough report and recommendations on updating the Act, and since the previous government committed to adding Black workers as a new designated equity group under the Act, and inequities continue to deepen while workers wait for action from government.

Canada’s unions are once again urging the federal government to fully implement the recommendations of the Task Force and introduce an updated Act, with sufficient funding to support employers in implementing it and the resources necessary for the Canadian Human Rights Commission to carry out enforcement and ensure compliance and effective evaluation.

This Emancipation Day, here are some ways to celebrate and support Black workers and communities:

• Find and participate in Emancipation Day events in your area
• Check out the CLC’s factsheet on the issues Black workers are facing
• Join the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists’ (CBTU) campaign calling on the Government of Canada to issue a formal apology for Canada’s role in the trafficking and enslavement of Africans.
• Educate yourself on Canada’s history of slavery and its lasting impacts
• Read the United Nations Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent’s country report on Canada.

The post Emancipation Day: Justice requires action, not just reflection. appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Parliament passed this law to protect workers’ right to strike and ensure collective bargaining is fair. When employers use scab labour, they undermine that fundamental right.

The Bank of Canada should immediately stop using scab labour, comply with the Canada Industrial Relations Board’s orders, and return to the bargaining table.

Workers need to know that Canada’s labour laws apply equally to everyone, including the country’s public institutions. Respect for the law begins with following it.”

Link to the official letter here.

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Parliament passed this law to protect workers’ right to strike and ensure collective bargaining is fair. When employers use scab labour, they undermine that fundamental right.

The Bank of Canada should immediately stop using scab labour, comply with the Canada Industrial Relations Board’s orders, and return to the bargaining table.

Workers need to know that Canada’s labour laws apply equally to everyone, including the country’s public institutions. Respect for the law begins with following it.”

Link to the official letter here.

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On behalf of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), which represents over three million workers across Canada, I am writing to you today about a matter of historical and moral importance.

On March 25, 2026, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution declaring the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans a crime against humanity. Canada abstained. At least four resolutions have been presented in the last six years regarding a federal apology for Canada’s role in chattel slavery.

Overwhelming historical evidence documenting the trafficking of enslaved Africans has demonstrated the gravity and enduring consequences of these systems. Africans were enslaved in colonial Canada for over 200 years. The Atlantic provinces, as well as Upper and Lower Canada (now Ontario and Quebec), built prosperity as a direct result of the trafficking of enslaved Africans.

International recognition is not merely symbolic; it preserves an accurate historical record and acknowledges both the global suffering caused by such a profound crime against humanity, and its deeply negative generational impacts.

The data on said impacts on Black communities here in Canada is clear. Per Statistics Canada:

• Black Canadians earn 75.6 cents per dollar compared to non-racialized workers.
• Black youth face unemployment rates more than double the national average.
• Black families present in Canada for three generations or more still experience poverty rates double those of non-racialized neighbours.

These outcomes are the measurable legacies of systems that have never been fully acknowledged. The CLC joins the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) and other members of Black communities across Canada in calling on the federal government to:

• Provide a full public explanation for Canada’s abstention from the March 25, 2026, UN resolution.
• Formally acknowledge Canada’s historical role in the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans.
• Issue a federal apology to Black Canadians.
• Work in genuine partnership with Black communities to address enduring inequalities.

These actions reinforce and affirm Canada’s stated commitments to human rights, both domestically and internationally, and provide a meaningful path to righting historical wrongs.

Sincerely,

Bea Bruske
President

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OTTAWA — As the federal government reviews the Canada Labour Code, new national polling conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights for the Canadian Labour Congress shows Canadians believe workers need a stronger voice at work, are concerned that large corporations have too much power, and reject proposals that would make it harder for workers to exercise their right to strike.

The survey of 1,950 Canadian adults found that every worker protection measure under review is seen as fair by an overwhelming majority, including improved health and safety enforcement, faster grievance resolution, tougher action on wage theft and misclassification, successor rights, and paid sick day protections. But when asked about requiring workers to wait longer and clear additional hurdles before striking, Canadians were evenly split, giving the proposal no net support at 44% fair and 44% unfair.

The findings suggest Canadians see collective bargaining as one of the few ways workers can balance the power of large employers. Nearly two-thirds (65%) support the right of workers in key industries to strike when negotiations have broken down, including majorities of NDP, Liberal, and Conservative voters. Half of Canadians (50%) oppose giving the federal government greater power to make strikes harder, compared to 39% who support it. An overwhelming 84% say it is important that workers have a strong voice in decisions affecting their jobs, pay, and working conditions during economic uncertainty.

The results come amid deep economic anxiety. While 45% identify the rising cost of living as their top household concern, they do not blame workers for the country’s economic challenges. Nearly half of Canadians (47%) say they have little or no power to improve their own wages, working conditions, or job security, rising to 67% among service workers.

Canadians rank large corporations having too much economic power as a greater threat to the economy than strikes, which finish last among the seven issues tested. At the same time, 90% say strong labour protections are important to the stability of the Canadian economy.

“Canadians draw a very clear line in this data,” said Matt Smith, Executive Vice President at Pollara Strategic Insights. “There is broad, cross-partisan support for the measures that protect workers. But when a proposal is understood as making it harder for workers to strike, support disappears. Canadians see strong labour protections as part of a stable economy, not a threat to it, and they rank strikes last among the economic risks facing the country.”

“Canadians don’t want government wearing a corporate jersey. They expect a fair referee that protects workers’ rights, keeps the playing field level, and ensures everyone plays by the same rules,” said Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress. “This poll makes it clear that Canadians want government to strengthen workers’ rights, not tip the balance even further toward powerful employers.”

The survey also found that individual workers are by far the most trusted voices on labour issues and workers’ rights, with a net trust score of +56. Trade unions and labour organizations are also trusted on these topics (+20), while the federal government (−4) and companies and industry associations (−13) are both distrusted on balance when addressing labour issues and workers’ rights.

About the survey
The survey was conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights on behalf of the Canadian Labour Congress between June 9 and 18, 2026, among 1,950 Canadian adults (18+) using an online research panel, including an oversample of 200 union members. Data were weighted by gender, age, and region using the most recent Census data. Online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error; as a guideline, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of ±2.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Pollara Strategic Insights is a member of the Canadian Research Insights Council (CRIC), and this research was conducted in compliance with CRIC standards.

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Media contacts
Canadian Labour Congress: CLC Media Relations – media@clcctc.ca | 613-526-7426

Pollara Strategic Insights: Matt Smith, Executive Vice President, West – mattsmith@pollara.com | 604-750-4383

The post New poll: Canadians draw a line: protect workers, don’t restrict strikes appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Forced labour is a fundamental violation of workers’ rights,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Workers in Canada should not be forced to compete against exploitation, and workers anywhere in the world should not be subjected to forced labour so corporations can increase their profits.”

The Canadian Labour Congress supports measures to strengthen enforcement against forced labour imports in Bill C-35. However, stronger enforcement of an import ban alone is not enough. Canada also needs mandatory human rights due diligence requirements, meaningful penalties for corporations that profit from forced labour, and real remedies for workers harmed by abuse in global supply chains.

Bruske said Canada should strengthen its laws because it is the right thing to do for workers, not because Donald Trump is looking for a new excuse to attack Canadian jobs and industries through trade and tariffs. She added that workers know the difference between a genuine commitment to labour rights and a trade strategy dressed up as one.

“Workers deserve more than a response designed to avoid Donald Trump’s latest trade and tariff threats,” said Bruske. “Canada should use this moment to build a real forced labour regime that tackles exploitation and holds corporations accountable.”

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The post Statement From CLC President Bea Bruske On Senate Report: Keep Canada Moving appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Addressing delegates from governments, employers, and workers from around the world, Chang said that workers must be partners in the decisions that will shape the future of work.

“Artificial intelligence is already transforming workplaces and industries around the world,” said Chang. “Workers see the potential, but many are also worried about what it means for their jobs, their privacy, and their futures.”

Chang warned that too many governments and employers view technological change as an opportunity to reduce their workforce, intensify work, and increase surveillance. Instead, she argued innovation must be accompanied by strong labour protections and meaningful worker participation.

Chang’s intervention builds on the Canadian Labour Congress’s recent call for a worker-centred approach to artificial intelligence. Canada’s unions have stressed that workers and their unions must be involved in shaping how AI is introduced and governed in workplaces across the country and called for stronger protections against workplace surveillance and discrimination, as well as independent oversight.

Canada’s unions are also calling for updates to the Canada Labour Code to address the growing use of artificial intelligence in federally regulated workplaces. The proposed changes would ensure workers have a voice in decisions about the use of AI, and strengthen protections for workers whose jobs, working conditions, or rights might be affected by new technologies.

“Workers cannot be expected to carry the burden of economic uncertainty by giving up fundamental rights,” said Chang. “The right to organize, bargain collectively, and strike are essential to ensuring workers have a meaningful voice in the economy and in their workplaces.”

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The post Canada’s unions take concerns over AI and labour rights to global stage appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“A trade agreement that weakens labour standards, undermines workers’ rights, or trades away our industrial capacity is not a good deal,” said Bruske. “And let me say this clearly: no deal is better than a bad deal.” 

As governments begin positioning for the upcoming review of the Canada—United States—Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), Bruske emphasized that workers have a direct stake in the outcome and must have a seat at the table.

Bruske warned against repeating the mistakes of past trade models that weakened industries and hollowed out communities, while also rejecting the uncertainty created by trade wars that leave workers paying the price.

“For too long, we have been presented with a false choice,” said Bruske. “Working people should not have to choose between a trade model that sacrifices them and a trade war that uses them as collateral damage.”

Bruske said workers must be part of discussions about the future of trade between Canada and the United States.

“Trade policies are not just about markets and supply chains. It is about jobs. It is about communities. It is about what kind of economy we’re trying to build,” said Bruske.

The CLC said the upcoming CUSMA review must focus on creating and protecting good jobs, strengthening labour standards, supporting domestic industrial capacity, and building a more resilient economy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Link to the Executive Summary here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The post Thousands of union activists rally to protect Canadian jobs, improve working conditions appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In solidarity,

Lana Payne
Unifor

Bea Bruske
Canadian Labour Congress

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About the Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Investing in people and communities

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

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

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

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

Protecting jobs and preparing for the future

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

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

Fair taxation and fiscal responsibility

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

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

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

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

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

Housing for everyone

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

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

Putting workers first

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To our governments:

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

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

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

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

To every worker in Canada:

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

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

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

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Dear Prime Minister: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The full letter is available here.

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

Among those unlawfully detained are several trade unionists:

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

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

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

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

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

The ITUC urgently calls for:

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

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

The Canadian Labour Congress is a member of the ITUC.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

However, words must be matched by action.

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

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

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

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

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

Link to the official letter sent to the Prime Minister here

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

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

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

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

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

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

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We are thinking of you. We stand with you. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This includes: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

The post Statement from Bea Bruske in Reaction to Trump’s Plan to Double Tariffs appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Canadians are struggling with the rising cost of living, a worsening housing crisis, a strained public health care system, and job insecurity in the face of global economic instability fueled by Trump’s tariffs. At the same time, we are seeing the cracks in systems meant to protect workers, like Employment Insurance, widen as too many are left behind.

The time for hesitation is over. Workers are counting on this government to deliver real investments in people, in public services, and in the good union jobs that sustain families and communities.

Canada’s unions, representing more than 3 million workers from coast to coast to coast, are ready to work with this new Cabinet. And we understand the stakes—and the urgency of bold action. Our economy cannot afford a wait-and-see approach, nor can we continue to rely on outdated structures or foreign markets. In this moment of economic uncertainty and mounting trade pressures from the United States, we need leadership that will meet the urgency of this moment with courage and ambition.

That means:

• Delivering public health care that includes universal Pharmacare and access to a doctor or nurse practitioner for every Canadian.
• Making life more affordable by tackling corporate greed and raising wages.
• Building truly affordable housing, not just promises and plans.
• Creating good union jobs in every region through investments in clean energy, manufacturing, and public infrastructure.
• Investing in public services that families rely on and reforming EI to ensure no worker falls through the cracks.

Canada’s unions will be holding the new Minister for Jobs and Families, Patty Hadju, accountable to the core priorities of Canada’s workers and the labour movement. Workers expect the Minister to take concrete action to raise wages, respect free and fair collective bargaining, improve workplace safety, and strengthen rights and protections for all workers—no matter how or where they work. It means ensuring that key reforms like the ban on replacement workers are implemented and enforced. And it means urgently updating our outdated Employment Insurance system so that no worker is left behind.

The role of Canada’s Minister responsible for Labour is not just symbolic. It is critical. This is the person tasked with upholding and advancing the rights of working people across the country. That role must be rooted in a firm, unwavering commitment to protecting workers—not serving corporate interests.

Among the new appointments, the Prime Minister has named a Secretary of State, John Zerucelli, for Labour to support the Minister responsible for Labour. While not a member of the Cabinet, this role must be carried with a focused mandate and work closely with the Minister to ensure that workers’ rights and protections remain a central pillar of the government’s agenda.

Now is the time for this government to show workers that their voices will not be ignored. Canadians are not asking for the impossible—they are demanding what is fair, just, and long overdue. Workers built this country, and they will drive our future. The decisions made in the days and weeks ahead will send a clear signal: either this government is prepared to lead with bold and decisive actions, or it will fall short of the moment. Canada’s unions are watching.

We are ready to partner in progress—but we will not hesitate to hold this government to account. Workers are not waiting, and neither can this government.

The post Statement from Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, on the swearing-in of Prime Minister Carney’s Cabinet appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Mental health care supports in Canada will only improve if governments invest in our existing health care infrastructure,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “But Canada’s health care systems are struggling. Rebuilding our cherished public health care systems must be a priority and must include investment in mental health care for all.”

Mental health continues to be a significant issue facing workers in the workplace. According to a 2024 survey from the Canadian Mental Health Association, at least 500,000 Canadians miss work due to mental illness every week, with an estimated economic cost of $51 billion annually.

Health care workers are also facing serious and well-documented challenges, including poor working conditions, stagnant wages and an alarming rise in workplace violence and harassment.

“Workers and their families have been sounding the alarm for years that Canada’s health care systems are in desperate need of strong investment. Our country deserves commitments and real solutions from our new federal leaders to bring all levels of government, employers, and workers on board, and finally fix health care in Canada” added Siobhán Vipond, Executive Vice President of the CLC.

The recent election included specific platform commitments from several parties on improving our health care system and working conditions for health care workers, including improving mental health support for first responders. The CLC welcomes these commitments and urges our newly elected government to implement them. The CLC also reiterates our call for the federal government to introduce a Canada Universal Mental Health and Substance Act with enforceable national standards and a dedicated health transfer to support meaningful investments and infrastructure in this sector.

“Mental health matters everywhere, for everyone, including at work. Canada’s unions are looking forward to working with this new government to rebuild our health care system and ensure that every person across our country can access the mental health care they need,” said Lily Chang, Secretary Treasurer of the CLC.

For more resources on navigating mental health at work for unions, visit the CLC’s Mental Health Online Resource Center.

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Jagmeet has been a tireless, principled, and passionate champion for fairness, justice, and the dignity of work.

I’ve had the honour of working alongside him for many years, and I can say with certainty: his legacy will live on through the millions of lives he’s improved, and through the real, lasting change he helped deliver for Canadians. I am proud to call him my friend.

As the first racialized person to lead a major federal party in Canada, Jagmeet made history—and he did so with courage, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to social justice. His politics have always been rooted in unity—bringing people together across differences and fighting for a Canada where no one is left behind.

As leader, he rolled up his sleeves and did the hard work of turning principles into action. From delivering historic wins like dental care and advancing the fight for universal Pharmacare, to standing firm against corporate greed and advocating for equity and inclusion, Jagmeet has never stopped fighting for what matters to working people.

These are not small victories. These are transformative policies that will improve lives for generations.

Whether it’s advocating for good union jobs, defending our public services, or pushing for true reconciliation with Indigenous communities, Jagmeet has remained focused on building a fairer, more just Canada. He has always stood up to the wealthy and powerful—and stood with working people every step of the way.

Thank you, Jagmeet, for your leadership, your heart, and your belief in a better Canada. The labour movement is proud to stand with you—yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

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Canadians with a diversity of political views have delivered a clear message: they have rejected Pierre Poilievre’s American-style conservative politics. They chose to uphold the values that define us—strong public services like health care, reliable union jobs, and the belief that neighbours look out for one another.

Now, Canadians are looking to this new government to act—urgently.

Canadians are counting on Prime Minister Carney to move quickly. The time for hesitation is over.

Already, we are seeing job losses across sectors, and far too many workers are being left behind by an outdated Employment Insurance system that is in urgent need of reform. People expect investments in public health care, in affordable housing, and in the services families rely on. They want a government that will lessen our dependence on the United States, strengthen domestic industries, and create good union jobs in every region of the country—all while clearly upholding Canadian values.

We cannot cut our way to prosperity. Now is the time to build—by investing in people and the public systems that support them.

Canada’s unions, representing over 3 million workers, stand ready to work with this government to deliver real progress. We know that by working together, we can take on the challenges ahead and build a fairer, more resilient economy that works for everyone.

That includes:

• Delivering on public health care, including access to a doctor or nurse practitioner for every Canadian and expanding universal, public Pharmacare;
• Bringing down the cost of living by addressing corporate price gouging and raising wages;
• Investing in the public services families rely on;
• Tackling the housing crisis by building truly affordable homes; and
• Creating good union jobs by investing in social and physical infrastructure, clean energy, and domestic manufacturing.

But we must be clear: the threat from the United States is far from over. Economic volatility, escalating trade pressures, and the growing unpredictability of the U.S. market are already undermining business investment and confidence here at home. Canadian workers and industries are feeling the effects. Canada cannot afford to sit back or play it safe. What’s needed now is a bold, ambitious response—one that meets this moment with the scale and seriousness it demands.

This is a critical moment for Canada. The choices made in the weeks ahead will shape our economy, our communities, and our future for generations.

Canada’s unions are ready to act—with urgency, with resolve, and in partnership—to ensure this government delivers the secure, inclusive, and prosperous country that Canadians voted for.

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“Our public health care system is on life support,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Staffing shortages have reached a dangerous tipping point. Wait times for surgeries span months or even years. Millions of Canadians are living without access to a family doctor, and far too many must choose between paying for medication and covering basic needs.” 

Canada’s unions are calling out decades of underfunding, understaffing, privatization, and political decisions that have allowed corporate interests to flourish at the expense of everyday Canadians. 

“This didn’t happen overnight. It’s the direct result of choices made by politicians who prioritize tax breaks for the wealthy over investments in public health care,” said Bruske. 

Labour leaders underscored the rise in for-profit care, including the growing presence of American health care corporations operating in Canada.  

“Canada’s health care system was built on the principle that everyone deserves care based on need, not ability to pay,” said Barb Nederpel, President, Hospital Employees’ Union, who represents over 60,000 health care workers in British Columbia. “Our members are exhausted. They were called heroes during the pandemic, and now they’re working in a broken, overburdened system, without the support they need.” 

Canada’s unions are calling on all political parties, especially during this federal election, to commit to: 

• A national health workforce strategy that recruits, retains, and properly compensates health care workers; 
• A full, universal, single-payer Pharmacare program—no more delays or half-measures; 
• Reinvestment in public health, long-term care, and home care to meet the needs of an aging population; 
• An end to growing privatization that leaves patients behind and profits corporations. 

The message was clear: Canadians cherish their public health care system. It is a pillar of national identity and a foundation for a fairer society. 

“We don’t want American-style health care where people go bankrupt for getting sick,” said Bruske. “We want a system that puts patients before profits—and politicians who are brave enough to fight for it.” 

Despite this crisis, health care will not be a focus of this week’s federal leaders’ debate, an astonishing omission and a missed opportunity to address one of the most urgent issues facing Canadians today. Our leaders must stop ignoring the crisis and commit to fixing our health care system. 

Canada’s unions are demanding urgent leadership to fix the crisis, invest in care, and protect what generations of Canadians have built. 

-30- 

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

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The shutdown of the Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant, effective today, marks the beginning of a growing crisis that extends beyond the auto sector.

Entire communities face financial uncertainty, and the labour movement is demanding swift federal action to stabilize affected industries and support workers.

This morning, CLC President Bea Bruske and Executive Vice-President Siobhán Vipond joined local labour leaders and workers at Assumption North Park in Windsor, Ontario, to address the economic disruption triggered by the U.S. administration’s imposition of 25% tariffs on Canadian autos—a direct attack on over half a million Canadian jobs.

“Workers across the country are worried about their future and their jobs and they are looking for a national response as bold as the threat we face,” said Bruske. “That starts with defending Canadian jobs, and it ends with building a future where Canada is less vulnerable to the whims of foreign actors.”

Bruske emphasized the need for the government to support workers through emergency reforms to Employment Insurance (EI), relief from banks and financial institutions, and strong industrial investments.

“Overnight, thousands of workers lost paycheques. Canadian workers should never be collateral damage in a political power play,” Bruske continued. “We must defend jobs today while building a more self-reliant, resilient economy for tomorrow. That means investing in local production, protecting our manufacturing base, and putting workers at the centre of our recovery strategy.”

The CLC laid out a comprehensive blueprint for immediate action, including:

• Modernizing EI with lower qualification thresholds and longer benefits;
• Using public procurement to drive innovation and sustain good union jobs;
• Expanding domestic green industry with government support tied to wages, training, and sustainability; and
• Cracking down on profiteering and redirecting revenues into health care, housing, and essential services.

“We’re not going to let workers bear the brunt of this alone,” said Vipond. “We’ve done our part. Now it’s time for the government—and corporate Canada—to do theirs.”

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To arrange an interview, please contact:

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

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At a joint press conference today, Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) President Bea Bruske and Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec (FTQ) President Magali Picard called on the federal government to deliver urgent and robust support for affected workers, industries and communities.

“Over one million jobs. That’s what’s on the line. These reckless and unjustified tariffs from President Trump are a direct attack on Canadian workers, our industries and our economy,” said Bea Bruske. “Workers are watching. They want to know if their government has their back and is ready to fight for them. We need a plan to protect livelihoods, stabilize communities and stand up to the United States.”

With the U.S. expected to impose sweeping tariffs as early as this afternoon, Bruske emphasized the gravity of the situation, citing the 123,000 jobs in Canada’s steel and aluminum industries and over 587,000 auto and supply chain jobs at risk.

“These are not just numbers on a spreadsheet,” added Bruske. “These are real people, real families and real communities who are already stretched to the brink. The time for warnings is over. This is real, and we need immediate action.”

Beyond manufacturing and resource sectors, Bruske warned that the ripple effects of these tariffs threaten Canada’s broader economy, including critical jobs in healthcare and public services.

“Let’s be clear. When our economy suffers, public services are at risk. Cuts to healthcare and public care services always follow austerity. And right now, in the midst of an election, is not the time to slash support for the very public servants who keep this country running,” said Bruske.

The CLC and FTQ are urging all political parties to deliver bold commitments that put Canadian workers first, including:

• Investing in public healthcare and housing affordability
• Cracking down on corporate price gouging
• Making corporations pay their fair share
• Cutting off U.S. access to key Canadian resources—such as electricity, lumber, critical minerals and oil and gas—until tariffs are lifted
• Supporting communities through job protections and public service investments

FTQ President Magali Picard echoed Bruske’s call to action and emphasized the unity of Canada’s labour movement.

“This isn’t just an economic crisis, it’s a national emergency for workers and families,” said Picard. “We cannot allow our communities to shoulder the cost of a political game being played in the U.S. Canada’s unions are united. We are ready to fight—together—for the jobs, livelihoods and future of every worker in this country.”

Picard stressed the significance of the upcoming federal election and urged Canadians to hold their leaders accountable. “This is a defining moment for Canada. We need leaders who are prepared to go to the mat for workers—who won’t waver in the face of pressure from foreign governments or corporate lobbyists. The path forward will be hard, but if we act with courage and unity, we can protect our jobs, our industries and our communities,” added Picard.

Canada’s unions are united in this fight and will continue to press all levels of government to put working people first in the face of growing uncertainty.

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Liberal Leader Mark Carney’s comments today, stating that he would not expand Pharmacare, make it clear that he is siding with Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives instead of standing with Canadians.

Let’s be clear: this is a choice. A choice by Liberals and Conservatives to let corporations and Big Pharma keep profiting while workers and their families pay the price. 

Poll after poll shows that Canadians overwhelmingly support Pharmacare. 

Mr. Carney should uphold the Liberal legacy by following through on the Hoskins Report.

They still have a choice: they can stand with workers and immediately expand Pharmacare.

The NDP has been unwavering in its commitment to Pharmacare. Together, we fought to secure the Pharmacare Act, and we will keep fighting until all Canadians have access to a universal, fully public prescription Pharmacare program.

The fallout from these tariffs will be devastating; thousands of workers will lose their jobs and, with that, their workplace health benefits. Now is the time for leadership, not political cowardice. Canada’s unions have advocated for universal public Pharmacare for decades, and in this moment of crisis, we demand urgent action.

We are calling for the expansion of universal, single-payer public Pharmacare to immediately cover 50% of the most prescribed drugs with full implementation by 2027. 

Across the country, workers and their families are caught between aggressive U.S. trade threats, corporate price gouging, and increasingly strained health care and public services. 

The urgency for universal Pharmacare cannot be overstated—this is about ensuring that every Canadian, regardless of income or employment status, has access to the medication they need.

On April 28th, Canada’s unions will be closely watching to see which politicians stand with workers and which ones side with wealthy corporations.

The next government must be ready to take bold action from day one.

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With more than 9,300 jobs on the line, it is unacceptable that HBC is choosing to funnel up to $3 million in bonuses to executives and managers while denying severance to the very workers who built the company.

Canada’s unions stand in full solidarity with HBC workers and demand that the company reverse course immediately. This is not restructuring, it’s a betrayal. No executive should be pocketing bonuses while workers are left without a safety net.

HBC must honour its responsibilities to its workers, including wages, benefits, and severance. These are not optional.

This situation is yet another example of why Canada’s unions have long advocated for changes to federal laws like the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the Pension Benefits Standards Act. For decades, we have fought to protect workers and ensure that they are not left at the back of the line when companies go bankrupt, forcing them to wait behind lenders, suppliers, and tax collectors for the wages, severance, and pensions they are entitled to. In 2023, following years of advocacy, the federal government successfully passed the Pension Protection Act, a crucial step forward. However, these vital protections will not come into effect until April 27, 2027.

We also call on the federal government to ensure that no worker falls through the cracks and that programs like the Wage Earner Protection Program are accessible without delay, and that no Employment Insurance benefits are clawed back in this process.

Make no mistake: thousands of workers at Hudson’s Bay are facing economic uncertainty thanks to corporate greed and government weakness. Every leader in this election must be asked what they will do to strengthen protections for workers and their livelihoods. Workers deserve respect, security, and the dignity of knowing they won’t be abandoned in a difficult economy.

Canada’s unions are watching closely. Hudson’s Bay must act with integrity. It’s time to put people before profit.

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ST. JOHN’S, NL–With yesterday’s election call sending voters to the polls on April 28, Canada’s unions are challenging all parties to put working families first. The Workers Together platform, Building a Better Future for Working People, was launched today in St. John’s, Newfoundland, by Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), alongside Jessica McCormick, President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour.

The platform provides a clear blueprint for the next government at a time when Canadians face mounting pressures from all sides.

“This isn’t just another election – it’s a crucial choice about who will support Canadian workers in these turbulent times,” said Bruske. “Workers and their families are caught between aggressive U.S. trade threats, corporate price gouging, and increasingly strained health care and public services. The next government must be ready to take bold action from day one.” 

As the voice of more than 3 million workers across Canada, Canada’s unions are calling for commitments from all political parties to:  

• Mitigate the trade tariff threat with a worker-first response to secure jobs, support workers, and strengthen communities    
• Ensure everyone has access to a family doctor or nurse practitioner and deliver fully universal public Pharmacare to ensure health care is accessible to all  
• Cap prices on food staples and essential goods to stop corporate price gouging and protect family budgets  
• Build one million truly affordable homes to bring down the cost of housing and tackle the housing crisis  
• Fix our broken tax system by restructuring corporate taxes to fund affordable housing, hospitals and the public services Canadians count on  

The CLC President emphasized that campaign promises alone aren’t enough – Canadians need leaders with proven experience of standing up for workers. 

“Pierre Poilievre has never worked on a factory floor, never run a business, never held corporate interests accountable. How can he negotiate with Trump when he has no experience of getting things done for Canadians?” said Bruske.  

“Workers in Newfoundland and Labrador, like workers across Canada, are facing an affordability crisis compounded by the effects of a trade war,” said McCormick. “Workers and their families need and deserve elected officials who will prioritize their needs – not the interests of the corporate elite.”
 
Canada’s unions are ready to work with political leaders who will deliver results for workers and their families. The solutions outlined in the Workers Together platform offer a clear path forward for any party serious about supporting working families.  

“The time for bold action isn’t just now – it’s overdue. We need a government that will crack down on corporate greed, rebuild public health care, and protect workers against Trump’s attacks. When working people thrive, our whole economy grows stronger. That’s what the Workers Together platform will deliver,” Bruske stressed. 

Click here to view the full platform.

The event was held with workers from both the private and public sectors, highlighting solidarity across various industries.

The Canadian Labour Congress is Canada’s largest labour organization, bringing together dozens of national and international unions, provincial and territorial federations of labour and community-based labour councils.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour unites and represents nearly 70,000 workers across Newfoundland and Labrador.

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Nearly 9,000 jobs are on the line, and Canada’s unions won’t stand by while workers are left in the dark.

Canada’s unions stand in solidarity with HBC workers and urge the company to prioritize workers’ rights throughout the liquidation process.

We demand that HBC honour its commitments—wages, benefits, and severance must be paid. No backroom deals, no vague promises—workers deserve full transparency.

HBC must ensure that frontline workers aren’t the ones left paying the price.

We demand full and timely transparency from HBC on store closures, layoffs, and severance protections.

We call on the federal government to confirm that workers’ EI benefits will not be clawed back because of the severance and termination benefits HBC owes them.

These commitments are not merely legal obligations but a matter of fundamental fairness and respect for the dedicated employees who have contributed to the company’s success.

Workers’ livelihoods are at stake and they deserve clear, honest communication about their future.

Canada’s unions are calling on HBC to put workers first during these creditor protection and bankruptcy proceedings. We stand ready to defend workers’ rights and fight for their financial security every step of the way.

HBC must act with responsibility and compassion as they navigate this crisis.

The well-being of thousands of workers and their families hangs in the balance. We will not stand by as corporate interests trample on the people who built this company.

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Just today, Trump announced yet another round of retaliatory tariffs on steel and aluminum, this time in response to Ontario’s energy surcharge.

“This is spiraling out of control, and workers across Canada are rightfully alarmed. They are looking to their government for urgent and concrete measures to shield them from job losses and economic uncertainty,” said Bea Bruske, President of the CLC.

Canada’s unions have sent a letter to Prime Minister Designate Mark Carney, pressing him and his incoming cabinet to take immediate steps to strengthen Employment Insurance (EI), particularly for high earners who are now at risk of layoffs. The federal government has yet to fully wield its authority under the EI Act, which grants it the power to launch pilot programs and allocate emergency funding through the EI Commission.

While the newly announced $6 billion aid package and EI reforms provide some short-term relief, they fall far short of the long-term security that workers and communities desperately need. This is a moment for bold leadership—workers cannot afford hesitation or half-measures.

“Canadian workers are under attack in an unprecedented economic trade war, and the government’s response simply does not go far enough,” added Bruske. “We need more than band-aid solutions. We need a comprehensive strategy that ensures no worker is left behind. The government must take decisive action, including imposing export taxes on Canadian energy, to demonstrate that Canada will stand firm in defending its industries and workforce.” 

The letter outlines key priorities to support workers and strengthen the economy, including:

• Expanding and strengthening Employment Insurance (EI): Ensuring EI benefits are more accessible and adequate for all workers. 

• Taking action to preserve good jobs: Implementing industrial strategies to protect Canadian industries and their workers from economic shocks and global instability. 
• Investing in Canada’s domestic economy: Supporting economic diversification, manufacturing, and sustainable industries to create stable, well-paying jobs. 
• Protecting and strengthening public services: Ensuring vital public services remain strong and publicly funded to support all Canadians. 

“This trade war has exposed serious vulnerabilities in our economy, and it’s workers who are bearing the brunt of the impact,” Bruske added. “The government must move beyond stopgap measures and commit to real investments that safeguard livelihoods and build a resilient future.” 

The Canadian Labour Congress urges the federal government to work closely with unions and labour organizations to develop a robust plan that prioritizes workers, secures jobs, and strengthens communities. Canada’s economic recovery depends on it. 

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Link to the letter sent to the Prime Minister-designate available here. 

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Armed conflicts are causing enormous suffering and have devastating spillover effects at a global level. Trade unions of the Labour 7 stand in solidarity with people affected by wars on all continents, fighting for their freedoms, for social justice, for democracy, for their rights and those of future generations. The Labour 7 urges members of the G7 to overcome divisions and to reaffirm their commitment to uphold human rights and international humanitarian law, as well as to promote peace and respect for the principles enshrined in the UN Charter.

In recent months, the resources have been found to significantly increase military spending, when for more than a decade, public services have been starved of resources under wrongheaded fiscal consolidation and austerity policies. This armament race must not undermine social spending nor deprive countries and people of necessary investment in health, education, infrastructure, the ecological transition, job creation, skills development, and social protection. In G7 countries and beyond, inequalities are rising, essential public services are deteriorating, and the cost-of-living crisis, just like in-work poverty, remains a reality for millions of workers and their families. G7 members should commit to pursuing economic, employment and fiscal policies that promote collective bargaining and real-wage growth, decent job creation, the reduction of inequalities and a just transition to net zero economies. Urgent policies must be adopted to tackle all forms of discrimination, including those against women and vulnerable groups, LGBTQI+, ethnic minorities or people with disabilities.

The year 2024 was the warmest ever recorded and environmental disruptions are multiplying, with severe humanitarian, social, and economic consequences, including in G7 countries. Workers are on the frontline of the crisis, being exposed to both environmental degradation and worsening working conditions, as well as to the radical transformation of the labour market. The G7 and its members cannot look the other way—they must commit to net zero pathways based on science and must adopt Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that put a just transition founded on the protection and promotion of fundamental labour rights, including collective bargaining, at the centre. Gathering some of the biggest historic greenhouse gas emitters, as well as fossil fuel producers and consumers, the G7 must live up to its responsibility and commit to enhancing climate finance and advancing a just transition for the workforce, in line with the Paris Agreement and the ILO Guidelines of 2015.

As labour markets are profoundly affected by climate change, the advancement of artificial intelligence and demographic shifts, social dialogue is needed to make sure that the costs and benefits associated with these shifts are shared fairly across societies. Furthermore, as fundamental enabling rights, freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining play an essential role in ensuring decent working conditions, including in enforcing living wages and non-discrimination, enhancing social cohesion, and boosting inclusive economic development. The Labour 7 urges G7 members to support workers’ efforts to organize and bargain collectively, both within G7 countries and beyond, as key enablers of sustainable development. The G7 must effectively follow up on previous commitments made, including those contained in the G7 Action Plan on artificial intelligence adopted in 2024.

At global level, however, evidence indicates that violations of labour rights are rising, as illustrated by the ITUC Global Rights Index. Countries are experiencing dramatic setbacks in development, with increases in poverty preventing access to education, health and the realization of other basic human rights, including gender equality. Most people living in extreme poverty have a job but do not earn a living wage. The majority of workers work in the informal economy, with almost one in two not benefitting from any form of social protection. This situation could be further exacerbated by trade wars. The G7 should promote a global level playing field, putting international labour standards at its core. In particular, G7 members must uphold ILO fundamental principles and rights at work, advance WTO trade rules that encourage the ratification and effective implementation of fundamental ILO conventions, and secure policy space for governments to promote decent work and enforce sustainable development commitments in trade agreements.

The global SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) financing gap continues to widen, despite alarming situations of underdevelopment and decent work deficits. If it continues to grow at its 2015–2023 rate, it will reach USD 6.4 trillion by 2030, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The politicization of, and severe cuts in, Official Development Assistance (ODA) are likely to accelerate this trend. Meanwhile the debt crisis intensifies, as 92 countries are projected to have spent more on external public debt service than on SDG investments in 2024. In this context, ahead of the 4^th UN Conference on Financing for Development (30 June–3 July 2025), the Labour 7 urges the G7 to deliver a clear commitment to reform the international financial architecture and to meet their commitment to dedicate 0.7% of their GNI to ODA. The Labour 7 calls upon the G7 to upscale both climate and development finance, including through increased public finance support and additional macroprudential tools on private finance, as well as through measures to lower the cost of capital for developing countries. For the L7, the 2025 Jubilee is an opportunity to advance and reach consensus on debt cancellation and sustainable restructuring of public debts.

This climate and development finance crisis is taking place despite the world growing richer and having the resources to meet internationally agreed objectives. However, global wealth has never been so unequally distributed. Today, the world’s richest 1% own more wealth than 95% of humanity. The concentration of wealth and increased corporate power have allowed large corporations to play an increasingly important—and destabilizing—role in the shaping of global rules and agendas. The Labour 7 urges the G7 to put the reduction of inequality, both between and within countries, at the centre of its work—including through fair and progressive taxation and the promotion of responsible business conduct. G7 members should endorse work undertaken by the G20 towards the adoption of a global wealth tax on the ultra-rich and promote a financial transactions tax as well as a windfall tax on multinational enterprises. They should also actively support the ongoing negotiations for the development of a UN Framework Convention on Tax, building on existing G20/OECD initiatives for tax coordination. The G7 should also scale up its work to ensure corporate transparency and accountability through the ongoing UN negotiations on a binding treaty on business and human rights.

The Labour 7 reiterates its willingness to work closely with the G7 to strengthen multilateralism. In these challenging times, transparent and meaningful engagement with G7 social partners, the Labour 7 and the Business 7, is more important than ever. We expect the G7 to stand by its principles and reaffirm its commitment to the values of international cooperation, democracy and human rights.

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“We are pleased to see that the Canada Wide Early Learning and Child Care funding agreements will continue until 2031 in almost every province and territory,” said Bea Bruske, CLC President.  “Sustainable federal funding is essential to building a national child care system that meets the needs of working families in Canada.  In the midst of a trade war that will have far-reaching impacts on many workers, access to affordable child care will make a huge difference for parents who need to know their children are safe and well cared for while they go to work or receive training”.

During times of economic stress, workers need stable and reliable public services so they can participate in the labour force and manage the increased costs of essentials.  While our child care system is still expanding to meet the increasing demand for care, having the security of longer-term federal funding will help the sector continue to grow.

“The next step is to help the early learning and child care system expand and flourish with new public and not-for-profit facilities in every community and a robust workforce strategy that will help recruit and retain child care workers by improving wages, benefits, working conditions, and professional development opportunities”, said Siobhán Vipond, CLC Executive Vice-President.

“As we approach a federal election, Canada’s unions urge all parties to commit to $10 a Day Child Care and to continuing to build and strengthen the system so that every working family has quality, comprehensive care they can count on.  Our economy depends on it”, said Bruske.

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To our governments: 

This is a time for action. Canadians expect a strong and decisive response that meets this attack with the full weight of our country’s power. This is not a moment for half-measures or empty words. We must protect Canadian jobs and industries through retaliation and investments in our future. We must enhance Employment Insurance benefits, expand Work-Sharing programs and provide direct financial support to those at the frontlines of this trade war. This is a moment to rebuild our manufacturing, strengthen our supply chains, and create the good union jobs of tomorrow. We must replace lost economic activity with ambitious nation-building projects—affordable housing, public transit, and industrial development that makes our country stronger and more self-sufficient. We need our governments to match the ambition of Canadians in defence of this country. This war will not be won on the cheap.  

To all workers in Canada:

The road ahead will be tough. We will see job losses, we will see economic pain, and we will see attempts to divide us. But Canada’s workers are strong, smart, and resilient. What makes us Canadian is our unwavering belief in the collective—that we take care of each other, that no one gets left behind. Now more than ever, we must live those values. Already you’ve shown your pride at hockey games and in grocery stores. Now is the time to dig in. Get involved in your union. Stand up for your community. Support local businesses and union-made products. Look out for your neighbours. Reach across political lines and reject the forces of division. Because we are stronger together, and together, we will overcome this.  

Make no mistake: Trump wants to hurt Canadian workers. He wants to shake our confidence and weaken our country. But what he doesn’t understand is that Canadians do not break. We will fight for our jobs, for our families, and for our future—come hell or high water.

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Link to Backgrounder available here
Link to Letter to Prime Minister available here

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“Donald Trump’s reckless threats are a direct attack on workers on both sides of the border”, said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Canadians are rightfully alarmed and expect strong leadership from their governments to protect their jobs and defend our industries from these harmful policies.”

Eight in ten Canadians believe American tariffs on Canadian goods will increase the cost of living and nine in ten believe it will have a negative impact on Canada-US relations.

In response to these threats:

• 90% of Canadians support an investment plan to grow our economy, support Canadian industries and create good jobs.
• 77% believe the federal government should retaliate by placing tariffs on American imports and 75% want Canada to cut off American access to Canadian resources like electricity, oil and wood.
• 80% want the government to support people who would be impacted by job losses.
• Two in three Canadians reject an appeasement policy toward Trump.

“This is a moment of unity for Canada,” said Bruske. “Political leaders at all levels of government and from all parties should listen to Canadians and understand that people expect them to stand united for Canada and Canadian workers.”

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OTTAWA — There’s been too much emphasis on the jobs of a few politicians and not enough focus on the jobs of thousands of workers who will be impacted by Trump’s tariff threats.

It is now clear that Canadians will be heading to the polls sooner than expected. In the meantime, the attention must be on the future of workers and their communities.

The stakes could not be higher. Workers are facing a perfect storm of threats: escalating costs of living, stagnant wages, and now the looming specter of a 25% tariff on Canadian products threatened by Donald Trump.

This is a direct attack on our jobs, our industries and our communities. The damage will ripple beyond workplaces, straining families and devastating communities. This is a moment that demands an all-hands-on-deck, cross-partisan approach to stand against economic disruption and ensure stability for the working people who drive our economy. Workers should be central to this effort.

It’s time for action. Workers are watching, and they expect nothing less.

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OTTAWA – At the end of a tumultuous day on Parliament Hill, the federal government’s Fall Economic Statement failed to deliver for workers and once again overlooks the daily struggles of Canadians.

“Workers across this country are battling skyrocketing housing costs, soaring grocery bills, and wages that are not keeping up with the cost of living,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “This Fall Economic Statement falls short of workers’ needs.”

The 2024 FES takes some limited steps to address worker issues, like the proposed new refundable tax credit for personal support workers and the government’s consultations plan on regulatory changes to increase penalties for federally regulated employers committing wage theft. Although these measures could improve accountability, they fall short of ensuring comprehensive protections and fair wages for workers.

The economic document tabled in the House of Commons also failed to address critical issues affecting workers including:

• Fixing Canada’s broken Employment Insurance (EI) system, which remains inadequate as layoffs and plant closures loom amid economic uncertainty.
• Implementing fair corporate taxation, such as an excess profits tax and a wealth tax, to ensure corporations and the ultra-rich pay their fair share.
• Expanding affordable housing supply, childcare access, healthcare and income supports, which are urgently needed to ease the affordability crisis gripping Canadians.
• Committing to a bold industrial strategy that prioritizes good, unionized jobs, sustainability, and a worker-centred transition to a net-zero economy.

While the economic statement touches on the housing crisis, it prioritizes low-cost loans to the private sector and mortgage incentives for homebuyers and funding for co-op housing and incentives for secondary suites, it doesn’t address the core housing needs people across Canada are facing. It ignores the financialization of housing driving evictions and rent hikes, fails to invest in non-market housing, and offers nothing for renters, another missed opportunity to address the affordability crisis.

Instead of delivering solutions this government is focusing on misguided priorities—like privatizing public assets—while working families continue to feel the pinch. The government’s push to facilitate private, for-profit ownership of public assets, such as airports, is deeply concerning.

“Public assets belong to Canadians, not large institutional investors looking to profit at the expense of workers and communities,” added Bruske. “Taxpayer money should be used to strengthen public services, not to fund corporate takeovers.”
The looming threat of Trump’s punitive U.S. tariffs targeting Canadian exports poses a significant risk to workers, industries, and communities.

Yet the government’s Fall Economic Statement offered no concrete plans to protect workers from these economic shocks.

Workers are fed up and are standing up, demanding better from their government. This start with taking immediate action to reduce grocery bills, housing costs, and essential service fees and strengthening workers’ rights and ensuring fair negotiations by ending the misuse of back-to-work legislation.

Canada’s Workers Deserve Better
“Budget decisions are about priorities,” said Bruske. “This Fall Economic Statement reflects a government that prioritizes big business over workers’ needs.” Canada’s unions are clear: workers deserve political leadership that prioritizes affordability, fairness, and job security. Canada’s unions will continue to demand action to ensure workers are at the centre of the government’s economic decisions.

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OTTAWA- The government’s decision to order CUPW workers back to work is a stark reminder of this government’s continued interference in collective bargaining. The misuse of Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code undermines workers’ fundamental rights, prolongs disputes, and erodes trust at the bargaining table. 

Let me be clear: the best and most enduring agreements are negotiated—not imposed—through good-faith discussions at the table.  

For over 150 years, Canada Post workers have connected communities, serving as the backbone of our postal system and our economy. They deserve fair wages, better working conditions, and dignity in retirement.  

The invocation of Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code, Part I marks the fourth instance just this year in which the government has used this extraordinary power, impacting seven distinct groups of workers whose Charter-protected rights to engage in legal work stoppages have been trampled.  

Such repeated interference not only infringes on these fundamental rights but also sets a dangerous precedent, signaling to employers that they can rely on the government to side with them instead of respecting the collective bargaining process. We demand an end to the abuse of Section 107 by the government, and clear guardrails to curtail the uses of this section at the whim of politicians.  

At the same time, it is disappointing but not surprising to see Conservative Leader, Pierre Poilievre calling for government intervention to trample workers’ rights. Despite the lofty statements he makes in support of workers and their unions, Mr. Poilievre has repeatedly shown that when the rubber hits the road, he will never stand up with workers and their right to strike. 

As we approach the next federal election, the government must consult with unions and workers about the misuse of Section 107 and commit to respecting workers’ rights. Undermining collective bargaining undermines democracy itself. 

Canada’s unions stand in solidarity with postal workers and all workers who make the difficult decision to strike in pursuit of fairness. Workers are being left behind while corporations post record profits, exacerbating the growing economic inequities in this country. Government interventions that undermine collective bargaining rights only further tip the scales against working people. 

The only path to lasting stability and fairness is mutual respect and good-faith negotiations—nothing less. We demand better for all workers across this country. 

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Workers will advocate, propose solutions, and demand immediate action on three key priorities: making life more affordable, supporting workers, and strengthening Canada’s public health care system.

The rising costs, on everything, has imposed an immense strain on working families. Canada’s unions are urging the federal government to take decisive action to make life more affordable for Canadians.

“This isn’t just an affordability crisis—it’s an inequality crisis. Canadians are being squeezed from every angle, and the government has a responsibility to act now”, said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Housing, groceries, healthcare—these aren’t luxuries; they are basic human rights. It’s time for bold action to make life affordable and hold corporations accountable for their role in this crisis.”

Canada’s unions are demanding strong government actions that support workers and the economy. This includes expanding EI access, investing in skills training, strengthening the care economy, and improving workplace standards and union access to protect workers’ rights and ensure better working conditions.

Furthermore, Canada’s unions are demanding concrete actions to protect and strengthen our public healthcare system. From coast-to-coast, workers agree that healthcare must remain a universal right, driven by need—not by the ability to pay or private insurance coverage. The growing shift toward privatization threatens equitable access to care. People don’t need less access to care, they need meaningful investments in public healthcare.

“Every day, workers are feeling the pinch of higher costs, a strained and underfunded public health system with an exhausted and overburdened workforce, and inadequate workplace protections. Lobby Day is our opportunity for workers to bring these urgent concerns directly to decision-makers and demand action,” said Bea Bruske. “Canada’s unions are ready to work with the government to find solutions that will improve the lives of millions of Canadians.”

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The damage from such tariffs will not stop at the workplace. Families will feel the economic strain, and entire communities will suffer as good jobs disappear and opportunities shrink. This is not just a trade issue; it’s about protecting the future of workers and their families.

The federal government must take this threat seriously and act quickly. Workers are demanding leadership that prioritizes their well-being. We need decisive action to safeguard jobs, defend industries, develop an industrial strategy, and prevent working families from bearing the brunt of reckless and unnecessary trade policies.

This is an all-hands-on-deck moment for Canada and workers must be front and centre of any decision from the government.

Canada’s unions stand ready to fight alongside workers, unions, and communities to defend jobs and protect our shared future. In 2023, Canada imported 277 billion dollars from the United States. If the American government triggers a full-blown trade war, it’s workers on both sides of the border who will pay the price.

In the long term, the government must focus on a new industrial strategy for Canada to protect our workers from the whims of any US administration. 

We call on the government to send a clear message: we will not let our workers and industries become collateral damage, we will stand strong, act boldly, and prioritize Canadian workers.”

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Workers are being left behind while corporations rake in record profits; this is not fair.

Too many Canadians are struggling to make ends meet. This is not just about port workers; it’s about an economic system where the gap between the wealthy and working people continues to grow. Workers are simply fighting for fair wages, job security, and safe workplaces—basic rights that should never be up for debate.

No one takes the decision to strike or endure a lockout lightly. Workers are left with no choice when employers refuse to engage in fair negotiations, especially when those same employers have enjoyed windfall profits during the pandemic.

Despite their record-breaking profits during the pandemic, port employers have refused to engage in good-faith negotiations, pushing workers to the brink. Now, by resorting to binding arbitration under section 107, the government is sending a dangerous message: employers can bypass meaningful negotiations, lock out their workers, and wait for political intervention to secure a more favourable deal.

Imposing binding arbitration or back-to-work legislation undermines workers’ rights to collective bargaining, weakening their ability to fight for fair wages and safe workplaces. Political interference tips the scales toward employers and sets a dangerous precedent. Canada’s unions believe lasting solutions come from fair negotiations, not government-imposed deals. The government must let collective bargaining take its course to protect the rights of all workers.

Port workers are simply asking for what they deserve—fair wages, job security, and safe working conditions. These demands are not unreasonable, particularly when employers have reaped extraordinary financial gains in recent years. 

Canada’s unions stand united in calling on the government to respect the Canada Labour Code and allow for a fair collective bargaining process that respects workers and ensures they receive their fair share in an era of record corporate profits.

Workers deserve a fair deal, and the only way to achieve lasting stability is through mutual respect and good-faith negotiations. 

Workers are not asking for the moon—they’re asking for their fair share in an era of extraordinary corporate wealth. The government must decide: will it stand with working people, or will it continue to tip the scales in favour of those who already have more than enough? 

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The passing of the Pharmacare Act is a direct result of decades of advocacy from the labour movement, civil society groups, and the tireless efforts of political leaders. The Canadian Labour Congress’ Pharmacare campaign has brought together tens of thousands of workers and activists, hosting cross-country town halls and lobbying parliamentarians. In just the past few weeks, hundreds of calls were made to senators. The CLC also recognizes the New Democratic Party (NDP) for its decades of dedication to this fight and thanks the federal government for delivering on its promise to prioritize pharmacare through the confidence-and-supply agreement. 

“This is a monumental win for workers and their families,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “For too long, people across this country have had to choose between putting food on the table and paying for the medications they need. Bill C-64 brings us one step closer to ending that predicament, but we still have work to do.” 

Canada’s unions urge all levels of government to move swiftly and decisively to ensure this is just the beginning. Bill C-64 sets the framework, but it is essential that provincial and territorial governments sign bilateral agreements to implement the program fully and equitably across the country. 

“We are celebrating today, but we know this is just the first step toward a truly comprehensive, single-payer public pharmacare program,” added Bruske. “We call on every province and territory to get on board, so that no Canadian is left behind. This is an opportunity to build a stronger, fairer healthcare system for all.” 

The Canadian Labour Congress remains committed to ensuring the implementation of a national pharmacare program and looks forward to working alongside the federal government, provinces, territories, and Indigenous communities to make this a reality. 

“We must continue working together to finish what we’ve started,” Bruske said. 

-30- 

For media inquiries, please contact:   
CLC Media Relations  
media@clcctc.ca 
613-526-7426    

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“Workers are the backbone of this country, they power our economy, and the government has an obligation to invest in programs that support them,” said CLC President Bea Bruske. “This fall, the government has a clear choice: either invest in people, or allow the challenges facing workers to worsen.”

The cost-of-living crisis has left many workers struggling to afford basic necessities. The CLC is calling for the government to step in and provide relief by ensuring a fairer tax system is in place in which the wealthiest pay their fair share and that housing and groceries are affordable for everyone.

The CLC is issuing a stark warning about Canada’s healthcare crisis, citing chronic underfunding and the growing threat of privatization. The CLC is urging the Senate to pass Bill C-64, long-promised pharmacare legislation, and significantly invest in public healthcare, including long-term care. Privatization, Bruske warned, threatens to undermine the universal healthcare that Canadians rely on and will further deepen inequities in access to care.

Finally, the CLC demands for the government to focus on enhancing support for Canada’s workforce by reforming the Employment Insurance (EI) system and pension programs to ensure workers can access benefits when they need them most. Canada’s unions are also calling for a national strategy to expand skills training and upskilling opportunities, allowing workers to adapt to a rapidly changing economy.

“Our EI system is outdated, and too many workers fall through the cracks when they lose their jobs. Now is the time for the government to create a more inclusive and supportive EI program,” said Bruske. “At the same time, we need to invest in training that prepares workers for the future, so no one is left behind as industries evolve.”

As Parliament resumes, Canada’s unions will continue to advocate for policies that prioritize workers’ rights, urging the government to commit to real, lasting change that benefits everyone in Canada

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“This agreement was a success. Workers are seeing real, meaningful improvements in their lives because the NDP and the Liberals found common ground in this minority parliament.

I want to thank Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh for their efforts. Their willingness to work across the aisle has led to landmark gains for Canadian workers on dental care, pharmacare, anti-scab legislation, and sustainable jobs.

The end of the Confidence and Supply Agreement does not trigger an election – nor should it.

We need all political leaders to get down to work and prioritize the needs of Canadians over politics. The call for an early election by some politicians, including Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, is driven more by political strategy than by a genuine commitment to addressing the pressing issues that Canadians face today.

In the months to come, Canada’s unions expect their elected representatives to continue to find opportunities to work together on key issues like health care, affordable housing, and economic security.

In particular, we urge the Senate to move quickly to adopt the pharmacare bill so people in Canada have immediate access to free birth control and free diabetic medication and supplies. Canadians have waited too long already.

The current minority parliament has shown that great progress can be made when parties focus on the common good. All leaders need to continue to find ways to work together to ensure a prosperous and inclusive future for all Canadians.”

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Protecting the EV supply chains in Canada is about investing in Canada’s capacity to transition to a low-carbon economy with good, unionized jobs that support families—not a backdoor for China to flood our market with its cars.  

The consultations announced today should result in quick and decisive action to protect from unfair Chinese competition and create Canadian jobs in domestic EV supply chains.  

Both the United States and Europe have introduced higher import tariffs on Chinese-made EVs. Similar action from Canada is essential to ensure that the highly integrated automotive sector in Canada, U.S. and Mexico will continue to grow with good, unionized jobs that strengthen our economy and ensure we meet our climate ambitions. 

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OTTAWA – As Parliament adjourns for the summer, Canada’s unions are celebrating major and historic victories for the labour movement. However, the struggle is far from over.

We are finally charting a course towards a sustainable future with workers at the forefront. Last October, Poilievre’s Conservatives stalled Bill C-50 in committee for over a month, engaging in nothing but shenanigans and squandering time and public funds.

Today, workers can celebrate the Royal Assent of the Sustainable Jobs Act, a landmark legislation that grants workers a decisive voice in shaping their future.

The CLC would like to thank the government and the NDP for moving Bill C-50 through the House of Commons and Senator Hassan Yussuff for sponsoring the Bill in the Senate.

The next imperative is for the government to collaborate with industry and workers to set concrete goals that create and protect good union jobs as we confront climate change and establish the Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council.

“This legislation might never have materialized if workers from coast to coast hadn’t raised their voices,” declared Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “By bringing together workers, unions, and businesses, governments now have the potential to drive innovation, decarbonize existing jobs for long-term sustainability, and generate new low-carbon job jobs that enable workers to support their families.”

Another monumental triumph for the labour movement is the passage of Bill C-58, the Anti-Scab legislation, which received unanimous support from MPs and clearance by the Senate. After decades of relentless advocacy, Canada now has federal anti-scab legislation. This is crucial for protecting workers and their right to strike. The use of scab labour not only undermines this right but also exacerbates labour disputes and intensifies hostility on picket lines.

“I’ve heard countless stories from workers who have faced direct confrontations during strikes, jeopardizing their safety and livelihoods. This must never happen. We are pleased to see this long-overdue protection for workers that will significantly restore balance at the bargaining table,” added Bruske.

Earlier this week, CLC President Bea Bruske, alongside Jason Maclean, Chair of the Canadian Health Coalition, and Manuel Arango, Vice President at the Heart and Stroke Foundation, urged Senators to pass Bill C-64, the Pharmacare Act, without amendments or further delays.

“Canadians could be accessing free birth control and diabetes medication this summer if the Senate were to pass Bill C-64 now. People have waited long enough to access free birth control and free diabetes medication and devices. Our message to the Senate is clear: pass this bill now and let’s get these medications to people who need them immediately,” stated Bruske

As the countdown to the next election begins, workers stand united with a clear message to all political parties: if you want our votes, you must respect our rights and deliver real help to workers and families. We demand concrete actions, not empty promises.

Last April, Canada’s labour leaders from across the nation issued a stern warning to politicians from all parties that workers demand more than just supportive rhetoric.

“Workers will hold politicians accountable if they fail to support concrete measures to protect workers’ rights and continue allowing employers to have the upper hand,” warned Bruske. “All parties must commit to concrete actions that dismantle barriers to joining or forming a union and crack down on any company that unfairly obstructs workers from organizing.”

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OTTAWA- Pharmacare is about ensuring that families across Canada have access to better health care by covering prescription medications. It fills a critical gap in our healthcare system but, the Senate’s delay in passing Bill C-64 is jeopardizing this critical legislation.

“Millions of Canadians have waited long enough to benefit from free diabetes medication and birth control,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “The Senate needs to pass the bill without amendments before they break for the summer.”

Canada’s current drug insurance system is a fragmented patchwork of 100 public and over 100,000 private plans, causing major disparities in accessibility, affordability, and coverage. This inconsistency leaves millions of Canadians struggling to afford their prescriptions.

Each province and territory operates its own distinct prescription drug plans, creating a complex system further exacerbated by the disparities among private insurers. As a result, 7.5 million Canadians lack insurance coverage and bear the cost of their medications out-of-pocket.

“Pharmacare is the most significant enhancement to our healthcare system since the introduction of public healthcare in Canada. The urgency for this cannot be overstated. Nearly one million Canadians have had to sacrifice basic necessities like food and heating to afford medications, and another million have resorted to borrowing money,” added Bruske.

“For too long, many among us have struggled to afford their life-saving prescription drugs, making risky tradeoffs between following doctor’s orders and paying the rent,” says Manuel Arango, Heart & Stroke’s Vice President of Policy and Advocacy. “This bill is a historic first step toward equal access to prescription drugs for all people in Canada. We urge the government to seize this moment and pass the Pharmacare Act before the end of June.”

‘’Over 50 civil society organizations under the CHC umbrella endorse and support Bill C-64, the Pharmacare Act, a cause we’ve advocated for decades. Representing various sectors including healthcare, seniors, migrant rights, sexual health, and women’s rights, we urge the Senate to swiftly pass Bill C-64. It’s vital for millions to access free birth control and diabetes medication.” Jason Maclean, Chair, Canadian Health Coalition

Implementing pharmacare will save money for Canadians. With a national pharmacare program, bulk purchasing and streamlined administration can reduce overall drug costs, putting money back into the pockets of families. Pharmacare will also alleviate the strain on our healthcare system.

The swift passage of Bill C-64, An Act respecting Pharmacare, is necessary for millions of Canadians to access free birth control and diabetes medication, providing much-needed relief from the high cost of living.

Canada’s unions are calling on all Senators to stop withholding Bill C-64, a crucial piece of legislation that will put money back in people’s pockets, and allow easier access to diabetes medications as well as allow women greater freedom over their sexual and reproductive health.

Our message to Senators is clear: Pass Bill C-64 without further delays.

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The delegation which included the General Secretaries of the ITUC and the Global Union Federations, as well as several top union leaders from across the world, met with representatives of the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) as well as union leaders representing workers in the West Bank and Gaza. They also met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mustapha, and several government ministers during the mission on 28-30 May 2024. Several global unions are already deeply engaged with their Palestinian colleagues, all committed to supporting and sustaining the struggle of Palestinian workers.

The delegation made clear that “we express our solidarity with Palestinian trade unions and workers in these difficult times. We are deeply concerned by the grave humanitarian crisis faced by the people of Gaza, and we stand with Palestinians, Israelis, and people the world over calling for peace, equality, and justice.”

Immediate priorities must include an immediate and permanent ceasefire with full respect for international humanitarian law, immediate access to humanitarian assistance, the release of all hostages and others held without due judicial process, and enabling the safe return of all workers trapped by the conflict.

The delegation also recalled the ITUC and other global unions’ long-standing policy for a two-state solution, and the call for a just and durable peace through the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 to facilitate a real economic future for an independent Palestine. This involves ending the occupation of the West Bank, dismantling all illegal settlements, and recognizing the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state.

The delegation urged governments to resume and increase funding to UNRWA. “UNRWA’s role is vital in providing essential services and supporting Palestinians at a time when they are most in need.”

“We came here to reinforce the depth of our commitment to Palestinian workers and their unions – we are all part of the same family. Our goal is a democratic and sovereign Palestine, living in just and lasting peace and security alongside Israel. We know that trade unions are an essential element of any democracy, and that strong and democratic independent unions will be a key building block towards that end in Palestine. “

The delegation reported hearing moving testimony from Palestinians who have paid a terrible price during the current war. On top of the distressing reality of destruction and loss of life in Gaza, we have heard about settler violence and restrictions on human rights such as freedom of movement and economic hardship in the West Bank.

Nevertheless, what shines through is the commitment to trade unionism and its potential to help deliver a just settlement in the broader chaos of this conflict.

Our responsibility as global trade unionists is to nurture that sentiment and we call upon the global labour movement to deliver on its principles of peace, humanity, democracy, and solidarity. This includes continuing to invest in a constructive dialogue with trade unions in both Palestine and Israel which recognizes their critical role in their respective societies”.

“Global unions will neither forget nor forsake our sisters and brothers in Palestine. We will redouble efforts to support your unions and support you. Trade unions have remained a constant – democratically rooted in their communities and well equipped to provide concrete support during the reconstruction which should embed the principles of decent work and quality public services.”

Many of the global unions have already provided significant aid to workers through unions in Gaza and the West Bank. For example, Education International has provided financial assistance for more than 1,000 teachers in Palestine and provides shelter centres for more than 5,000 children in Rafah. The International Federation of Journalists provides direct support for reporters in Gaza and operates a solidarity centre with workspace and equipment in Khan Younis, and the International Transport Workers Federation and PSI have launched a Palestine solidarity fund to provide immediate relief and longer-term support for Palestinian transport and public service workers and their families. BWI provided humanitarian support and shelters for construction workers and their families.

The delegation concluded: ‘Trade unions are part of the global peace movement. We stand for peace alongside such important values as democracy and humanity. That’s why we are here.”

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According to the Association of Workers Compensation Boards of Canada, an astounding 348,747 lost time claims were made in 2022, the last year for which complete data is available.

Shockingly, this number doesn’t even count those who decline – or are illegally persuaded by their employers not – to report their injuries.

On Day of Mourning, Canada’s unions issued a demand for “Safe work now!”, a call to action for employers and governments to make work and workplaces truly safe for all workers.

“Every workplace injury is preventable, says Bea Bruske, President of the CLC. ” These injuries – be they physical or psychological – should never be seen as “part of the job”. Employers have a legal and moral responsibility to ensure that workers aren’t hurt or maimed.”

To ensure that every worker returns home whole from the job at the end of every work day, Canada’s unions demand from every level of government:

• Holding criminally negligent employers accountable through proactive enforcement of the Westray Law – not just for fatalities, but injuries as well;
• Substantive action to ensure workers know about the hazards in their work and workplace, regardless of the type of products they use;
• Development and implementation of comprehensive strategies to remove toxic substances from the workplace;
• That every workplace be free from violence and harassment; and
• Increased proactive workplace health and safety investigations and stronger enforcement of health and safety laws.

“Workers compensation systems must also provide workers with the compensation they deserve in a fair and transparent manner,” says Bruske. “Easy access to the rehabilitation and vocational services they need is also essential.”

Workers demand that governments have their backs, so they can get back on track: “Any shirking responsibility for injured workers by employers and governments is simply unacceptable: it’s time for safe work, now.” 

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OTTAWA — Today marks a significant milestone in the history of the labour movement as Canadian Labour Congress President, Bea Bruske, and Canadian Labour Congress Executive Vice President, Siobhán Vipond, stood with NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and his caucus to celebrate the passage of Bill C-58, the legislation to ban the use of replacement workers.

The labour movement has long fought for anti-scab legislation, recognizing its crucial role in protecting workers and their right to strike. The passing of Bill C-58 is not just a legislative win but a monumental victory for workers across the country.

Walking the picket line is a tough decision, made even harder when faced with the threat of scab labour. This reality intensifies the stress on workers who are already making difficult choices for their families and communities. The use of replacement workers undermines the right to strike, escalates labour disputes, and increases hostility on picket lines. Too many workers have faced direct conflicts during strikes, threatening their safety and livelihoods. This must end.

“This achievement was made possible with the efforts of thousands of union activists across the country who stood up and demanded better from the government”, said Bea Bruske, CLC President. “With a ban on the use of replacement workers, we take a real step toward true protection for workers’ rights, restoring fairness to the collective bargaining process, less labour disruptions, avoiding work stoppages and building a more balanced economy.’’

This win is a result of decades of advocacy by the NDP alongside the labour movement. Political leaders who truly support workers understand that banning scabs is essential for fair bargaining and worker protection.

“I want to extend my gratitude to Jagmeet Singh and Alexandre Boulerice for their steadfast support and Minister O’Regan for his collaboration,” added Bruske.

We must now call for anti-scab legislation in all provinces. Quebec has had such a law for over 45 years, and British Columbia for 30 years, with positive impacts in both provinces. Strong anti-scab legislation is vital for the future of all workers, protecting their rights and restoring fairness at the bargaining table.

There is unanimous support from all MPs for banning replacement workers. The Standing Committee has carefully scrutinized and strengthened the bill.

Canada’s unions are urging Senators to pass Bill C-58 without further delays.

The future of workers and the integrity of our labour system depend on it.

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“When we look at the price increases since April 2021, it becomes clear that the Bank’s interest rate hikes have not made life more affordable for workers and their families,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. 

Over the last three years:

• Consumer Price Index (CPI) has risen by 14%.
• Grocery prices have surged by 21%.
• Pasta prices have climbed by 54%.
• Bread and flour prices have climbed by 23%.
• Vegetable prices have increased by 22%.

These numbers show how inflation keeps making things more expensive, stressing the importance of carefully thinking about the limits of monetary policy and the need for the federal government to do more.

The annual inflation rate dropped to 2.7% in April 2024. Inflation is just 1.1% when we exclude shelter, which is made more expensive by high interest rates. The Bank is actually making the problem worse… 

“Governor Macklem knows that interest rates were never the right policy for inflation caused by supply disruptions and corporate price gouging, and he needs to lower interest rates,” emphasized Bruske. “Unemployment is rising, which will make it even harder for families already grappling with exorbitant costs for rent, mortgages, and essential groceries.”

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“We remember the 26 miners who died 32 years ago because of what a judge called ‘a complex mosaic of actions, omissions, mistakes, incompetence, apathy, cynicism, stupidity, and neglect’” says Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “We mourn them and honour their memory by fighting for work to be safe.”  

In 2004, after a fight led by the United Steelworkers that lasted over a decade, the Westray Law was passed, allowing for negligent employers to be prosecuted under Canada’s Criminal Code.    

Each year, roughly 1000 workers are killed and since the Westray Law took effect, over 18,000 workers have died because of their work.   

“The Law is an important tool and would save lives if it was enforced as it was intended. While not every death is the result of criminal negligence, robust and transparent enforcement of the Westray Law is needed to make work safer now,” continues Bruske. “20 years is too long for workers to wait for justice” 

The Canadian Labour Congress demands: 

• The appointment of dedicated investigators and prosecutors for workplace deaths and injuries, along with mandatory, standardized training for such positions; 
• Ensuring Crown attorneys are educated, trained and directed to apply the Westray amendments to the Criminal Code; 
• Mandatory training for police and health and safety regulators, supported by the necessary resources, on the proper application of the Westray amendments; and  
• Mandatory procedures, protocols and co-ordination in every jurisdiction for police, Crown prosecutors and health and safety regulators. 

“Workers have been advocating for meaningful enforcement of the Westray Law for 20 years,” said Bruske. “It is well past time for those employers who demonstrate a negligent disregard for the lives of those who work for them to feel the full weight of this law.” 

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With a diverse membership base, the NSTU is home to over 10,000 active members, consisting of educators from Primary to Grade 12 in public schools, as well as teachers from the Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority.

As an organization deeply rooted in its commitment to educational excellence and professional development, the NSTU advocates for the rights and welfare of teachers while striving to create an environment conducive to effective teaching and learning.

“The NSTU’s affiliation with the broader labour movement is another example of the growth and solidarity of Canada’s unions. Workers across Canada stand united in their fight for the rights and dignity of all workers, including teachers. We’re proud to welcome them onboard,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen provincial governments attempt to undermine teachers, erode public education systems by reducing funding, weaken teachers’ unions and public boards, and trample queer and trans children’s rights to privacy and safety in schools.

“Recognizing the critical role educators play in shaping our society and supporting children throughout Nova Scotia, it’s important that we value their contributions, recognize their professionalism and promote the recruitment and retention of qualified teachers,” added Bruske.

“The NSTU has been grateful for the support and solidarity it has received from other unions across the province as we work to address the growing challenges facing our public school system,” says NSTU President Ryan Lutes. “Strengthening the bonds with other unions through the CLC is crucial to our efforts in advocating for safe and healthy learning environments for students and their teachers.”

Canada’s unions lead the charge in making transformative change for workers and families through advocacy and organizing.

NSTU joins a united labour movement of over 50 national and international unions under the CLC umbrella, collectively advocating for over three million workers.

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The unemployment rate jumped to 6.1% in March, a cumulative increase of a full percentage point over the past year. Meanwhile, GDP numbers released this week came in well under expectations.

“High interest rates just slam the brakes on the economy. Starting to cut rates in June isn’t like suddenly hitting the gas. It just means easing off the brakes just a little bit to provide some relief to families struggling to pay their rent or mortgages,” declared Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “How many more workers have to lose their jobs or default on their mortgages before the Bank of Canada does the right thing and cuts interest rates?”

Bruske added that some are getting hit harder by this economic slowdown. According to Statistics Canada, racialized Canadians are seeing higher job losses. The unemployment rate for Black Canadians rose 3.9 points over the past year to 10.8%. Meanwhile younger 15- to 24-year-old workers saw the steepest losses with 28,000 net jobs lost just in March while the youth unemployment rate rose to 12.6%.

“The longer the Bank of Canada delays cutting interest rates, those with the least will suffer the most,” warned Bruske. “The Bank of Canada must not sacrifice those who have the least power on the altar of high interest rates. It’s past time the Bank of Canada cuts interest rates and starts loosening the reins so Canada’s job market and economy can start to grow again.”

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“As the next federal election draws closer, workers are demanding all parties agree to respect and enhance workers’ rights,” declared Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Political parties must make concrete platform commitments to remove obstacles to organizing and crack down on union-busting companies that engage in workplace threats and intimidation. Any party that fails to back their words with action will face serious consequences at the ballot box when the next election comes.” 

Bruske shared findings from a new poll commissioned by the Canadian Labour Congress. The national survey was conducted by GQR Canada from 1-8 April 2024 and surveyed 1,549 eligible voters. Full details of the poll are available on the CLC’s website. 

The poll found:  

• A majority of Canadians, 62%, believe belonging to a union is a good thing. Support is highest amongst women and in the electoral battleground regions of Ontario and the Maritimes.  
• An overwhelming 80% of young workers (18-29), think there are obstacles to joining a union, such as workplace intimidation, employers spreading misinformation, and too many bureaucratic steps that impede organizing.  
• 70% of Canadians want governments to remove barriers to forming or joining a union. Only 9% strongly disagree. 

“So many struggle with higher prices, worsening work-life balance, and deteriorating working conditions. The reality is employers always start out with the upper hand. It’s no wonder so many Canadians see the value of having a union to protect them,” explained Bruske. “But as part of a union, workers can negotiate better. A union card in your back pocket is your ticket to fairer wages, decent benefits, respect in your workplace, and financial security when you retire. That’s why the labour movement is seeing so much momentum and growth across the country.”  

The Canadian Labour Congress is the largest labour organization in Canada, bringing together dozens of national and international unions, provincial and territorial federations of labour and community-based labour councils to represent more than 3 million workers across the country.

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