CLC President Hassan Yussuff on killing of unarmed Palestinians
May 15, 2018
On behalf of the 3.3 million members of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), I want to condemn in the strongest possible terms the killings of dozens of unarmed Palestinians at mass demonstrations near the Gaza Strip’s eastern border yesterday. More than two thousand were also injured and we can no longer stand idly by. Today also marks the 70th commemoration…
CLC President Hassan Yussuff: Our hearts are with the people of Toronto
April 24, 2018
On behalf of the over three million members of the Canadian Labour Congress, I extend my deepest condolences to the victims, friends, coworkers and families of those who were targeted in yesterday’s terrifying van attack in my hometown of Toronto. While it may take some time to uncover the motivation behind this heinous act of violence, we can take comfort…
Canada’s unions call for better protections against workplace violence and harassment
April 23, 2018
This National Day of Mourning, Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to do more to address workplace violence and harassment. Every April 28, Canada’s unions join workers and their families to mourn those who have been injured or killed on the job. Workplace violence and harassment have also led to worker deaths, as well as significant mental and…
Quebec’s working class unites with union members in a “common front” for fairness.
April 11, 2018
On April 11, 1972, over 200,000 public workers walked off the job in a province-wide general strike to demand an 8% raise to match inflation, a $100-per-week minimum wage, better job security and working conditions, and equal pay for equal work regardless of region, sector or gender. Unions exist to help working people get organized and stand together to win…
Paid domestic violence leave gets boost in 2018 federal budget
March 9, 2018
Canada’s unions are celebrating the federal government’s recent announcement that it plans to amend the Canada Labour Code to include five days of paid domestic violence leave for workers in federally-regulated workplaces. This news expands on last year’s promise of ten days of unpaid leave for workers experiencing domestic violence. “Canada’s unions have been advocating for paid domestic violence leave…
On midnight February 14, 1949, workers at four Quebec asbestos mines walked off the job and with that action started a major political and cultural shift not only in that province but the history of Canada. It was, as Pierre Trudeau later wrote, “a violent announcement that a new era had begun.” “What I found [at Asbestos]… was a Quebec…
Striking pulp mill workers gunned down by local farmers in northern ontario
February 10, 2018
On February 10, 1963, one of the bloodiest labour conflicts in Canadian history took place when armed local farmers clashed with striking workers in the small community of Reesor Siding – a tragic case of working people being turned upon each other, spurred on by corporate greed. A month earlier, on January 14, the 1,500 members of Local 2995 of…
It’s with a heavy heart that I think back to the tragic attack on the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec last January 29. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to be in that sacred space and have that serenity destroyed by a lone gunman, bent on killing as many people as he could. My thoughts and prayers…
November 25 is the International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women, and the beginning of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. The campaign is an opportunity to reflect on the impact of gender-based violence on our lives, work and communities, and to take action to eliminate it. In Canada, unions and many other organizations hold events and actions on…
Unions celebrate Ontario government’s support for paid domestic leave
November 10, 2017
The Canadian Labour Congress is celebrating news that Ontario labour legislation is being amended to provide victims of domestic and sexual violence five paid days off work. “Unions have been advocating for this for years because we know that designated, paid domestic violence leave means it is easier for survivors to keep their jobs and escape violent and abusive relationships.…