Today, on the Global Day of Action for the Amazon, Canadian labour calls on the Government of Canada to safeguard protections for the Amazon rainforest in its trade agreement with Brazil and the Mercosur countries. In its ongoing negotiations on the Mercosur trade deal with Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, Canada must ensure the agreement contains enforceable provisions that uphold…

Canada’s unions say the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) represents some points of progress, but are raising concern over protections for some Canadian workers. “Workers across the country will be happy to learn that NAFTA’s Chapter 11 has finally been eliminated from this trade agreement,” said Canadian Labour Congress President, Hassan Yussuff. “Decades of unfairness have cost Canada over $300…

Upcoming meeting in Montreal provides an opportunity to address growing concerns On the first anniversary of CETA’s implementation, trade unions on both sides of the Atlantic are warning that the trade deal is not a ‘model’ agreement and say it is time for an immediate review. The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) are calling…

Trade unions in the EU and Canada are united in our call for progressive trade deals that promote decent jobs, protect and enhance labour rights, protect public services and lead to fair distribution of wealth. We worked together throughout negotiations on CETA to call for the deal to respect these objectives. CETA has been provisionally applied since September 2017. Both…

Canada’s unions are uniting in protest over today’s announcement that the Canadian government is signing onto a new Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, saying the move directly contradicts the government’s claim that it is standing up for Canadian workers. “The way this new deal was suddenly announced, without any consultation or transparency, is undemocratic and flies in the face of the…

June 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of the Six-Day War and the beginning of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories. As part of its ongoing monitoring and assessment of developments in the enduring conflict in the Middle East, the Canadian Labour Congress reaffirms its support of a peace-building process between Israel and Palestine through the establishment of two sovereign nations.…

Canada’s unions applauded today’s announcement that the federal government will reverse its position by fully supporting the listing chrysotile asbestos among hazardous substances regulated under the Rotterdam Convention, “Unions campaigned long and hard for a ban on asbestos to make workplaces and public spaces safer for all Canadians, but also people around the world who were being exposed to asbestos,”…

For years, Colombian unions have been sounding the alarm about workers’ and human rights abuses in their country. Now, a new report vindicates long-standing grievances about the violation of Colombian unions’ rights to organize and bargain collectively. The report was released by the National Administrative Office (NAO), in response to a joint submission from the Canadian Labour Congress and five…

Canada’s unions are glad to hear that Canada is ready to walk away from NAFTA, saying that renegotiating the deal offers the opportunity take a new approach to trade that puts the interests of working people and the environment first. In a statement sent to Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland today, the Canadian Labour Congress points out that over the…