Canada’s unions calling for greater protections and supports for migrant workers
December 17, 2021
Canada’s unions are marking International Migrants Day by calling for improved conditions for migrant workers in this country, particularly in the face of the ongoing climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. The recent state of emergency in British Columbia (BC) is the latest example of the clear and increasingly disastrous impacts of our global climate crisis. Communities across the province…
Canada’s unions welcome progress for seniors, students and First Nations children in fall economic update
December 14, 2021
Bruske: Canada’s unions happy to see support but disappointed unemployed workers and their families left behind OTTAWA – Canada’s unions welcomed today’s commitments to help low-income seniors and students hurting from their pandemic benefits being clawed back and support long-overdue compensation for children who suffered under Canada’s First Nations child welfare system. But the Canadian Labour Congress added unions were…
Canada’s unions: Use fiscal update to reverse seniors’ clawbacks and emergency help for workers
December 9, 2021
Bruske: Parliament must act swiftly to help low-income seniors, the 1.2 million unemployed and the 630K working Canadians who want full-time work but can’t find it With low-income seniors and unemployed workers being left behind, Canada’s unions are demanding the upcoming Economic and Fiscal Update be more than an accounting exercise but instead include a course correction on key issues. “The most vital thing about a country’s…
MPs must listen to workers and take action on a fair recovery that makes life more affordable
November 29, 2021
Canada’s unions are making sure Members of Parliament hear from workers, as they get down to work this week. The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) is launching Action Week, where workers from across Canada will be directly engaging with MPs about their priorities. “Workers are raising their voices to make sure our elected representatives hear, loud and clear, about the need…
New worker lockdown benefit fails to benefit workers
November 25, 2021
Liberals miss the mark with new legislation, more needed to help Canadians Canada’s unions are disappointed in the federal government’s proposed legislation, tabled in parliament Wednesday, saying it will only entrench greater inequities and leave vulnerable and marginalized workers behind. “This bill has been conceived so narrowly, it’s not a pivot, it pulls the rug right out from under struggling…
President Bea Bruske available to speak about Canada’s unions’ priorities for new Parliament
November 19, 2021
With Parliament set to return – amidst rising inflation, stretching family budgets and an uneven economic recovery – Canada’s unions are focused on making sure MPs are ready to get to work on policies that put workers and their families at the heart of Canada’s recovery plans. Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, is available to speak to…
New cabinet must get to work on building an inclusive and equitable recovery
October 26, 2021
OTTAWA—Bea Bruske released the following statement about the new federal cabinet: “With women so disproportionately impacted by the economic crisis that accompanied the pandemic, it is not enough that Mr. Trudeau appoints a cabinet based on gender parity. The new cabinet must take concrete action to address the significant setbacks to women’s labour force participation over the last 18 months.…
Canadian Labour Congress’ President Bea Bruske available to speak about emergency benefits
October 21, 2021
OTTAWA – President Bea Bruske is available to speak to media today on the urgent need for extending emergency supports to workers affected by the pandemic. EI applications have risen while the Delta variant continues to affect hotspots across the country and supply chains continue to be disrupted. This means it is crucial for the government to immediately extend emergency…
Bruske meets Deputy Prime Minister Freeland to discuss help for workers
October 18, 2021
OTTAWA—Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, held a constructive meeting today about the challenges working people are still facing as Canada starts on the long road to an economic recovery. “I want to thank Minister Freeland for a positive discussion. Her government has extended vital support throughout the pandemic…
As clock ticks down, Canada’s unions demand government chooses help for people
October 13, 2021
OTTAWA—Canada’s unions are urging the federal government to extend emergency benefits to help workers and their families still struggling through the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Canada’s recent Labour Force Survey showed that nearly one and a half million people are still looking for work and total hours worked still lag well below pre-pandemic levels. “Behind the headlines, the…