It is Saturday afternoon and the Christmas market in Hénin-Beaumont is deserted. A light rain is falling on the town, adding a layer of sadness to the place. In front of the town hall, on Place Jean-Jaurès, the PCF (French Communist Party) office has closed its shutters. A small notice pasted to the door urges… More Trade unions take on the extreme right in northern France
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Parchment in the Fire: Union membership figures plunge. And the future looks worse | Greg Jericho | Comment is free | The Guardian
Penetration of union membership is now down to 13.8% and is even lower among young workers. The unions have a big job on their hands to stay relevant Source: Union membership figures plunge. And the future looks worse | Greg Jericho | Comment is free | The Guardian Filed under:
Continue readingParchment in the Fire: Unions incensed after ‘surreal’ meeting – English – ANSA.it
Unions incensed after ‘surreal’ meeting – English – ANSA.it. (ANSA) – Rome, October 27 – The leaders of Italy’s four main labor union federations were incensed Monday after a meeting with government ministers, ostensibly to discuss the government’s proposed 2015 budget, turned out to be what they said was a
Continue readingParchment in the Fire: CGIL rally: 1 million, plus 1,000 police, and PD MPs – English – ANSA.it
CGIL rally: 1 million, plus 1,000 police, and PD MPs – English – ANSA.it. (ANSA) – Rome, October 24 – As many as one million people, one thousand police officers, and a small number of dissident members of the governing Democratic Party (PD) are expected at a major rally called
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Loretta Saunders: Unifor calls for justice for all missing and murdered aboriginal women
by: UNIFOR | Press Release HALIFAX, Feb. 27, 2014 – Unifor members across the country were devastated to hear the news late yesterday afternoon that police had discovered the remains of Loretta Saunders near the Trans-Canada highway inNew Brunswick. “This is a terrible loss, and our thoughts are with her family, friends, and
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Who gets muzzled next by unconstitutional Redford Government laws? Environmentalists?
Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk, in motorcycle sidecar, gives the order to go after a pesky trade unionist’s blog. But look out! Alison Redford’s Alberta Thought Police may already have their eyes on you! Actual Redford cabinet ministers may not appear exactly as illustrated. Then again, new uniforms for cabinet and
Continue readingParchment in the Fire: How the Defeat of Trade Unionism Gave Rise to Low-Wage Jobs
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=11136 Fast food workers are preparing to strike across the country Thursday, demanding an increase of pay to $15 an hour. Thursday’s major day of action–organizers say 100 cities will take part–comes just six days after more than 100 people were arrested nationwide at Black Friday protests against major retail
Continue readingRedBedHead: Three Reasons Why Ford Should Stay
Everyone’s clamouring for Ford to resign: he lied, he smoked crack, he was wasted on the job, the city needs a competent administration. Balls, I say. I’ve seen competent administrations and I can say for certain in the present climate that a “competent administration” will focus its attention on further austerity and attacking those who resist austerity. Need I remind that the entire left wing
Continue readingRedBedHead: Three Reasons Why Ford Should Stay
Everyone’s clamouring for Ford to resign: he lied, he smoked crack, he was wasted on the job, the city needs a competent administration. Balls, I say. I’ve seen competent administrations and I can say for certain in the present climate that a “competent administration” will focus its attention on further
Continue readingRedBedHead: Three Reasons Why Ford Should Stay
Everyone’s clamouring for Ford to resign: he lied, he smoked crack, he was wasted on the job, the city needs a competent administration. Balls, I say. I’ve seen competent administrations and I can say for certain in the present climate that a “competent administration” will focus its attention on further
Continue readingParchment in the Fire: Belgium: Class Trade Unionism Seeks Political Expression | The Bullet No. 893
Belgium: Class Trade Unionism Seeks Political Expression | The Bullet No. 893. In the social and political history of Belgium, May 1, 2012, could mark a milestone. On that day the leaders of the Charleroi regional branch of the socialist trade union General Federation of Belgian Labour (Fédération Générale du
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Saskatchewan: A beachhead of labour law reform?
By: Andrew Stevens | First published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives on May 3, 2013: Sweeping changes to Saskatchewan’s labour relations and employment standards legislation are on the verge of being passed. Bill 85, the Saskatchewan Employment Act, will dramatically transform the laws governing trade unions and industrial relations in the province. The
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Saskatchewan: A beachhead of labour law reform?
By: Andrew Stevens | First published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives on May 3, 2013: Sweeping changes to Saskatchewan’s labour relations and employment standards legislation are on the verge of being passed. Bill 85, the Saskatchewan Employment Act, will dramatically transform the laws governing trade unions and industrial relations in the province. The
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: CAW concerned about worsening conditions for school bus drivers
By: Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive: The Canadian Auto Workers Union (CAW) says it’s concerned about school bus provider Stock Transportation’s plan to push down wages and other working conditions. In a press release issued last week, CAW said the plan would result in worsening conditions for Toronto elementary and secondary school bus drivers. “There is
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Six ways Stephen Harper is killing Canadian democracy
Published on Monday January 7, 2013 by UFCW Canada Political Action Blog For many Canadians, the phrase “Canada: The True North Strong and Free” means that we are free to live in a democratic society where we have the right to freedom of expression and association, but under Government Boss
Continue readingRedBedHead: Caterpillar Won Because Nobody Fought Hard Enough
It doesn’t have to be this way. We built this country, this economy and this world. We don’t have to mourn the loss of more jobs, this time sent to a union-busting “right to work” state, Indiana, for half the wages. It isn’t inevitable that our wages, pensions, benefits –
Continue readingRedBedHead: Americans Hate Congress Want Jobs
This New York Times poll is interesting. It shows that despite the media onslaught and the lies pumped out by the Republicans, nearly two-thirds of Americans believe that creating jobs ought to be a higher priority than making cuts. If we broke it down…
Continue readingRedBedHead: Ontario Austerity, the Days of Action and How Unions Became So Pathetic
There was a time when unions in Canada fought for jobs, pensions and wages like they meant it. And it wasn’t so very long ago. Well, it was a while – back in the 1970s, to be exact. Back then Canada had the highest rate of unofficial strikes in the adv…
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