Never again: Canada’s unions mark 10 years since the Rana Plaza factory collapse
April 24, 2023
On April 24, workers in Bangladesh and across the globe will gather to mark the anniversary of the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse and mourn the loss of the more than 1,100 workers who were killed. Over 2,500 workers and their families continue to live with the aftermath of serious injuries sustained in one of the world’s worst industrial disasters.…
Earth Day 2023: Canada’s unions call on governments to put workers and communities first
April 21, 2023
This year’s Earth Day theme, Invest in Our Planet, is a timely reminder of the need for our elected leaders to take ambitious and necessary action to tackle the climate emergency. Canada’s unions are calling on the government to move towards a net-zero carbon economy with workers and communities at its core. As communities across the country and around the…
Like Biden, Trudeau should put good union jobs on the agenda
March 22, 2023
By Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress as published in The Hill Times Behind the smiles and handshakes when a U.S. president visits Canada are long hours of painstaking negotiations. Officials plan the trip to the minute and fight it out over every item on the agenda. An agenda that will no doubt include U.S. protectionism and ‘Buy…
Bea Bruske: Bank of Canada should pause rate hikes now to avert a manufactured recession
December 6, 2022
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…
Unions pave path to the middle class for millions of Canadians
September 5, 2022
Bruske: Growing momentum for workers to demand better OTTAWA–Canada’s unions are marking Labour Day by celebrating the hard-fought gains of the labour movement and bringing workers, their families and allies together in solidarity, united in their commitment to the important work ahead. “The collective power of workers and our long fight for fairness has delivered the forty-hour work week, pensions,…
Labour Day: Worker power is key to a stronger middle class
August 31, 2022
(TORONTO) Canada’s unions are encouraging workers to reclaim their power and stand up to employers and governments, as the country struggles to recover from the economic turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “The pandemic and its devastating effects aren’t behind us yet, but workers in Canada have an opportunity to help shape the future we want,” said Bea Bruske, President…
Canada’s unions celebrate B.C. card check law to empower workers
June 2, 2022
Bruske: It’s about fairness. Premier Horgan’s government enacts critical law to support working people VICTORIA, B.C. – Canada’s unions celebrate an important milestone today as a new law in British Columbia, to return automatic certification to the province, received royal assent. Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, was in the B.C. legislature to witness the legislation becoming law.…
Bruske to German Chancellor and the G7: Turn from ambition to action on climate and just transition
May 11, 2022
Bruske: We must not trade good jobs for low-quality, precarious work as we accelerate progress on tackling the climate crisis BERLIN – Today in Germany, Bea Bruske delivered a strong message from international labour leaders to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, President of the G7. “When it comes to building a plan to decarbonize every sector of our economies, it is…
Building a low-wage economy with stomach-churning greed
April 26, 2022
Bruske: Minimum wage employees being replaced by offshore workers making $3.75 an hour will hurt workers everywhere OTTAWA –– Replacing frontline workers with exploited offshore workers, as the restaurant chain Freshii is now doing, moves us towards a low-wage economy that weakens our communities and exploits workers, according to Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “This is about replacing…
BC government move to card check certification a win for workers
April 6, 2022
Canada’s unions welcome today’s move by the BC government to return to automatic certification in the province. “The switch from automatic certification to mandatory voting has coincided with the decline in unionization rates. This is no accident,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “We need to see more government action to empower workers. Having a union and…