Reject corporate gaslighting and deliver help for people in Budget 2024
March 25, 2024
By Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress as published in iPolitics We hear a familiar call coming from wealthy interests – joining forces once again with Conservatives – banging the drum for more corporate tax giveaways and deeper cuts to government spending in the upcoming Budget. Bay Street analysts and bank lobbyists loudly lament Canada’s “tumbling productivity”, sneeringly spreading blame…
Canada’s unions are celebrating the passage of Bill C-22, the Canada Disability Benefit Act, after it received royal assent on June 22. “We have stood in solidarity with disability activists and organizations who have lobbied for this benefit for years. Today is a historic moment to celebrate these efforts and reaffirm labour’s support to lift the floor on disability poverty…
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.…
Governments must help families facing economic precipice
July 28, 2022
Bruske: Mounting evidence of low-income families at grave risk from inflation crisis must be wake-up call to all levels of government OTTAWA––Canada’s unions are calling on Canada’s governments to take immediate action to increase supports for low-income people as evidence mounts of a growing number of families unable to afford skyrocketing housing, energy and food costs. “So many are struggling…
Canada’s unions call for fast-tracking of Canada Disability Benefit
May 28, 2022
Canada’s unions are marking National AccessAbility Week (NAAW) by calling on the federal government to address systemic inequities and help end disability poverty by immediately tabling the long-promised Canada Disability Benefit. “It is past time that the Canada Disability Benefit be re-introduced in Parliament and fast-tracked into legislation,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “With COVID-19 still…
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…
Canada’s unions encourage donations to local food banks to mark Thanksgiving
October 6, 2020
Like so many other occasions, Thanksgiving won’t be the same this year due to COVID-19. Rates of COVID-19 are rising again, and many people in Canada will mark the holiday with fewer people around the table. What is not on the table will also be a source of anxiety and trepidation as growing numbers of individuals and families struggle with…
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…
Canada’s unions call for targeted support for persons with disabilities
June 1, 2020
The Canadian Labour Congress is calling on the federal government to increase financial supports and targeted employment strategies for persons with disabilities as a key aspect of Canada’s economic recovery plan. Persons with disabilities – especially those living at the intersections of multiple marginalized identities – face high unemployment rates and high levels of poverty and need additional support during…