Canada’s unions mark World Day for Decent Work with a call for a robust economic recovery plan
October 7, 2020
COVID-19 has exposed flaws in social protections in Canada and around the world. The effects of this pandemic on health, employment, income, gender and racial equity are all the more catastrophic because of pre-existing gaps in our social safety net. Before the pandemic, ever-increasing globalization meant many workers were employed in precarious, low-wage work with few, if any, benefits. Now…
Supreme Court ruling on Uber underscores workers’ rights
June 26, 2020
OTTAWA – By ruling today that Uber drivers have a right to reasonable dispute resolution, the Supreme Court of Canada has defended the workers’ rights. “This decision underscores the message that a worker is a worker,” said Canadian Labour Congress President, Hassan Yussuff. “This ruling sends a clear message to employers that they can’t skirt around workers’ rights by using…
Canada’s unions call for recognition of the importance of domestic workers
June 16, 2020
Canada’s unions are marking International Domestic Workers Day by calling on the federal government to work with the provinces and territories to ratify ILO Convention 189 and ensure labour legislation recognizes and protects domestic workers. “It is important that we recognize the significant economic contribution of domestic work – work performed in or for a household or households – as…
It’s time for publicly funded health care to include seniors’ care
June 4, 2020
By Hassan Yussuff as published in National Newswatch The images, the stories, the experiences of our seniors during this pandemic are enough to bring a grown man to tears. In fact, it has. Even Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford has, at times, become emotional while talking about the conditions in the province’s long-term care facilities. It’s a dire situation right across…
Canada’s unions mark Injured Workers Day by calling on governments to improve working conditions and supports
June 1, 2020
On this Injured Workers Day, in the midst of COVID-19, Canada’s unions are calling on all levels of government to do more to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths, and to strengthen the workers’ compensation system. The current pandemic presents a monumental challenge in the fight to prevent workplace injury, illness and death. As Canadian jurisdictions begin to open up…
By Hassan Yussuff as published in National Newswatch. We are in the midst of a global pandemic. The federal government is introducing new programs almost daily to support millions of Canadians who have been affected by this crisis. Public service employees are doing amazing work getting that support to the people who need it. Meanwhile, the calls for austerity are…
OTTAWA – The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) welcomes today’s announcement by the Prime Minister granting workers across the country 10 days paid sick leave. “Today’s announcement means that frontline workers will no longer be forced to choose between their job and their health,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “Right now, it is incredibly important that any worker who has been…
Health and Safety Conditions for Re-Opening Sectors of the Economy
May 8, 2020
As Canadian jurisdictions begin to open sectors of their economy it is important that working people have the protections they need to be able to do their jobs safely and get home to their loved ones at the end of every day without being injured, made ill or killed as a result of their work. This is a monumental challenge…
Canada’s unions call for urgent focus on human rights during pandemic
May 7, 2020
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 mark National Day of Mourning in solidarity with frontline workers
April 28, 2020
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,…