Publications

Canada’s unions call for urgent focus on human rights during pandemic

Canada’s unions are calling on all levels of government to ensure human rights are integrated into the COVID-19 response. The impacts of the coronavirus are being felt differently across communities, hitting certain groups particularly hard. For instance, people working in precarious jobs are often racialized and many are women. As essential workers, they are at greater risk of contracting the…

Canada’s unions call for mental health support for workers

Canada’s unions are marking Mental Health Week with a recognition of the considerable impacts of COVID-19 on the mental health of workers and a call for governments and workplaces to provide access to support and take steps to prevent mental injuries at work. The impact of COVID-19 on workplaces, communities and families across Canada is unprecedented. Many workers have lost…

Canada’s unions mark May Day by launching campaign to advocate for frontline heroes

Canada’s unions are marking International Workers’ Day this year by launching a new campaign to bring attention to the vital contributions of essential workers and to advocate for better treatment. “There are 4.9 million workers across the country who have been deemed essential, and many of them have been struggling to make a decent living for years,” said CLC President…

Canada’s unions renew call for National Action Plan on Violence Against Women and Girls

As the country mourns the loss of twenty-two lives in last week’s horrific mass shooting in Nova Scotia, Canada’s unions are once again calling for a National Action Plan on Violence Against Women and Girls. Although there is still much we do not know about this tragedy, now the deadliest massacre in Canadian history, it has come to light that…

Canada’s unions mark National Day of Mourning in solidarity with frontline workers

Canada’s unions are asking Canadians to observe this year’s National Day of Mourning in remembrance of workers who have lost their lives as a result of incidents in the workplace. This year, that includes a number of frontline workers who have lost their lives due to COVID-19. “As communities mourn workers we’ve lost this year, including many in recent weeks,…

Protect the women who make our clothes: Canada’s unions and civil society organizations call for action

Seven years after the tragic Rana Plaza building collapse, Bangladesh garment sector workers now confront even more risk and vulnerability in the fight against COVID-19. Canada’s unions and civil society organizations are calling for immediate relief for workers and protection of rights in global supply chains. The coalition says that concerns for workers cannot stop at Canada’s borders and the…

Earth Day 2020

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Like most things, Earth Day will look very different this year, as events move online as people around the world avoid gathering in groups in an effort to stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this unprecedented health and economic crisis brought on by the pandemic, nature has the power…

Every worker deserves paid sick leave

April 28 is the National Day of Mourning. It is a day to remember those who lost their lives or who have been hurt on the job. In the midst of a global pandemic, essential workers are now facing heightened risk. The very least we can ask is that every worker has access to paid sick leave. No one should…

Canada’s unions applaud expansion of income supports

OTTAWA – Canada’s unions welcome today’s federal announcement of an expansion of the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) to include those who are still making moderate incomes. “The expansion of the CERB to include those continuing to work in low-income, precarious jobs is an important step,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “This move will be a…

Canada’s unions welcome quick passage of wage subsidy bill

OTTAWA – Canada’s unions welcome today’s quick passage of the federal government’s bill to legislate wage subsidies. With unanimous consent of all parties, Bill C-14: A second Act respecting certain measures in response to COVID-19 passed during a special sitting at the House of Commons. The bill will now pass the Senate and receive Royal Assent by the end of…