Publications

To union feminists, this International Women’s Day, I salute you

My friends, You have led the charge, for decades, to improve women’s rights and gender equality at work. Years of tireless advocacy, over generations, has tipped the scales through every lobby, campaign, conversation and rally to get that much closer to achieving the feminist and equitable world those who stood before us dreamed of. Now, don’t get me wrong, because…

Beware of Premiers bearing promises of a quick health care fix

By Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, and Patty Coates, President of the Ontario Federation of Labour, as published in National Newswatch. Winston Churchill famously said, ‘Never let a good crisis go to waste,’ and clearly Premiers Doug Ford in Ontario and Danielle Smith in Alberta, took note. Both are seizing this crisis in our health care system…

Bea Bruske: Bank of Canada should pause rate hikes now to avert a manufactured recession

By Bea Bruske, as published in the Financial Post. Bank risks substantially weakening our economy, potentially throwing hundreds of thousands of Canadians out of work Facing a one-two punch of sky-high prices on daily essentials combined with rising credit card, mortgage and other bills, the last thing Canadians need right now is a recession, which could mean massive job losses…

It’s time to end gender-based violence at work

A call centre worker receives a torrent of verbal abuse while helping a customer. A nurse returns from work with bruises and torn scrubs after being attacked by an agitated patient. A barista is stalked by a regular customer. These stories are a daily reality for many workers across Canada–and unfortunately, current worker protections fall short. For the past three…

A path to the middle class for millions of workers

By Bea Bruske, as published in The Province If you appreciate having weekends, a forty-hour work week, pensions, compensation for workplace injuries, maternity leave or even collective bargaining at all, thank a union organizer. The reality is, without the contributions of the labour movement, Canadian workers wouldn’t have these or so many other protections. But these gains were not accomplished…

Canada at an Economic Crossroads: A Better Normal or Settling for Worse?

By Bea Bruske, as published in National Newswatch With the federal budget just a day away, Bay St. CEOs and senior bankers are stumbling over themselves, rushing to declare mission accomplished and claim the economic crisis is over. They are determined to fill up Canada’s opinion pages with arguments urging the government that it’s time to go back to normal.…

Resilience, Determination and Ambition in 2022

By Bea Bruske I think almost everyone can agree 2021 was a rough year. The pandemic we hoped was ending now rolls on with new variants and new disruptions. But in 2021 we also saw some hopeful signs of what’s possible when people work together in common cause. Workers with newfound confidence demanding better. People seeking out jobs that offered…

Canada should crack down on tax evasion and put that revenue to good use

By Hassan Yussuff Buried in the government’s 724-page federal budget is an important commitment that has yet to receive its fair share of praise: the promise to increase corporate transparency and crack down on tax evasion and money laundering. Taken on its own, the budget’s promise to create a “public beneficial ownership registry” does not mean much to the average…

Canada’s workers engage MPs during first-ever Virtual Action Week

By Hassan Yussuff, as published in National Newswatch On any given day of a normal year, Parliament Hill is buzzing with people lobbying elected representatives. According to the federal government’s lobbying commissioner, there were 18,728 monthly communications reports submitted in 2019 20. Those communications reports were generated in large part by paid, registered lobbyists working with large corporations. This year,…

Canada’s unions stand united against all forms of racism and against police violence

As communities across Canada, and around the world, grapple with COVID-19, racialized communities have not only been disproportionately impacted by the health fall-out, but are also dealing with the violent legacy of colonialism, police brutality, and systemic racism. Canada’s unions are committed to standing in solidarity with racialized and Indigenous communities in upholding principles of equity, justice, and human rights.…