Bruske: “Ed made this a better country for its working people. We’ll honour his memory by continuing to build a country where we take better care of each other.” Canada’s unions mourn the passing of longtime NDP leader and labour champion, Ed Broadbent. “Ed Broadbent was a giant among us, a man with incomparable heart and integrity. Ed championed workers’…
Statement from Bea Bruske: Poilievre’s Conservatives blocking priority bills for workers
December 14, 2023
OTTAWA––Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, released the following statement: “Canada’s unions are outraged by the political games on display in Parliament this week as opposition leader Pierre Poilievre and his Conservative Party use procedural tactics to delay, derail, and ultimately block critical pieces of legislation designed to benefit workers across Canada. The Sustainable Jobs Act (Bill C-50)…
National, provincial and territorial labour leaders voice strong opposition to back-to-work legislation in ILWU job action against the BC Maritime Employers Association (BCME)
July 11, 2023
In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, labour leaders from across the country reiterated their strong opposition to any attempt by the federal government to introduce back-to-work legislation against International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) workers currently on strike. “Back-to-work legislation would be a misstep that would only aggravate the situation. If the right to strike is weakened by…
The 2022 Labour 7 summit “Shaping the Global Common Good” will take place in Berlin from May 11 to 13. In advance of the summit, trade union leaders from G7 countries have issued the joint Labour 7 statement to the G7 Leaders’ Summit 2022: Shaping the Global Common Good Peace and Democracy, Climate Action, Health, Fair Digitalisation. You can read the…
Canada’s unions stand in solidarity with citizens of Hong Kong
June 3, 2020
The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) stands in solidarity with labour unions, workers and citizens in Hong Kong as they battle for their democratic freedom. The latest escalation in this long-fought struggle is the recent introduction of national security legislation by the Chinese government which will allow Chinese state security forces to operate in Hong Kong. “Our Brothers and Sisters are…
Canada’s Unions call on the Canadian government to fight to stop the annexation of Palestinian lands
June 2, 2020
The Canadian Labour Congress condemns the recent unilateral move by Israel to annex parts of Palestinian territory. This move dismantles decades of work towards a just and negotiated settlement between Israel and Palestine. Israel’s new coalition government has announced it will move forward with the process of annexing West Bank settlements and the Jordan Valley as early as July. The…
Canada’s unions applaud expansion of income supports
April 15, 2020
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 are calling on Canada’s banks and credit card companies to step up and take action to support families through the COVID-19 crisis by reducing sky-high credit card interest rates. “The Bank of Canada has reduced its lending rate to historically low levels and that means it’s cheaper for financial institutions to borrow money,” said Canadian Labour Congress President,…
Canada’s unions stand with locked out steelworkers in Quebec
June 20, 2019
The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) fully supports the United Steelworkers (USW) complaint against the Government of Quebec for violating international labour laws and severely impeding the rights of workers. One thousand members of USW have been locked out of their workplace at an aluminum smelter in Bécancour, Quebec for the past 17 months. Over the spring of 2019, Quebec’s Premier François…