The world’s richest man is not amused. Elon Musk, CEO and biggest shareholder of automaker Tesla, is annoyed at a series of strikes against his company. He calls them “insane.” He has simply encountered a culture which takes workplace democracy seriously. When Tesla set up in Sweden, Musk attempted to
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Views from the Beltline: C-58, a victory for workplace democracy
People have fought for rights in their workplaces as long as there have been workplaces. The first labour strike in recorded history took place in Egypt in the reign of Ramesses III (1184-1153 BC) when tomb-builders at a site in Western Thebes, frustrated at delays in receiving their wages, laid
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Can unions restore a stable America?
A stable US is important to all of us. A very imperfect democracy but nonetheless by far the most important, it is the central pillar of global liberty. Recently that pillar has been looking shaky. The election of the neo-fascist Donald Trump in 2016 and the threat of his return
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Precariat jobs could be good jobs
What is a good job? In most people’s minds I assume that would be something that pays well and provides good benefits, steady employment and satisfying work. In the post-war period that described manufacturing jobs. They weren’t good because of the benevolence of the free market. Quite the contrary. They
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: Strike While the Fire’s Hot
Happy Labour Day! I’m sitting at a comfortable distance from Ontario school contract negotiations this time out, and I don’t know all the ins and outs of the various union positions, but even if I were in the building, I think I’d still lean towards turning down the arbitration option
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Pierre is no ladies’ man
Angus Reid recently reported a survey of Canadians’ attitude towards our federal political leaders, and it was not good news for the Conservatives new head honcho Mr. Poilievre. While he should have gotten a bump following his convincing victory in the lengthy and well-publicized leadership race, it seems his nemesis
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Happy Labour Day: the tide of workers who wish they had a union is growing
Happy Labour Day! Overall union membership may be shrinking, but the number of workers who wish they had a union and would vote to join one if they could appears to on the rise. United Nurses of Alberta members picket and help a supporter during their province-wide strike in 1980
Continue readingcmkl.ca: If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em
I don’t know how else to interpret today’s media event wherein UNIFOR National President Jerry Dias and OPSEU President Smokey Thomas appeared in Milton praising Doug Ford’s plan to increase the minimum wage. It seems like they’ve thrown in the towel. Compare and contrast their gosh golly “frustrating conversations” (Dias)
Continue readingcmkl.ca: If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em
I don’t know how else to interpret today’s media event wherein UNIFOR National President Jerry Dias and OPSEU President Smokey Thomas appeared in Milton praising Doug Ford’s plan to increase the minimum wage. It seems like they’ve thrown in the towel. Compare and contrast their gosh golly “frustrating conversations” (Dias)
Continue readingcmkl.ca: Ottawa’s municipal unions have blown a fuse on vaccine mandates
CBC is reporting that four of Ottawa’s unions — CUPE 503, CUPE 5550, ATU 279 and ATU 1760 — are grieving the city’s no jab, no job policy. And it is here that I part company with my siblings. These are (among others) bus drivers, child care workers, public health
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Are the new Conservatives the old Conservatives?
Erin O’Toole’s Conservatives showed a new face during the recent campaign. A surprisingly progressive one. The leader said the party has let Canadians down, citing climate policies and engaging with working Canadian and union leaders. Not only the electorate was surprised. Many Conservatives were as well. When did we start
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Billionaires 1, Unions 0
The richest man in the world wins again. Earlier this week, workers at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, voted overwhelmingly against joining the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. The rich person I refer to is of course Amazon’s founder and CEO Jeff Bezos. This is a big blow
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Joe Biden—union man
During Joe Biden’s election campaign, he promised he would be “the most pro-union president you’ve ever seen.” This may be the most important promise he made, at least on the economic front. Income inequality has steadily increased in the U.S. in the last 30 years and is considerably greater than
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Conservatives and the working class
During the 2019 provincial election UCP leader Jason Kenney rambled about Alberta in a big blue pickup truck for all the world like a toiler in the oil fields. The new premier likes to present himself as one of the boys. Whether he succeeds or not, it worked electorally. He
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Canada’s progressive politicians need to pay attention to Erin O’Toole’s pivot to unions
If Erin O’Toole was sincere when he surprised everyone last month by bemoaning the decline of unions, you’d think he’d publicly rebuke Premier Jason Kenney for his ongoing campaign to turn Alberta into a right-to-work state. So far, though, the new Conservative Party of Canada leader has had nothing to
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: On McQuaig’s Sport and Prey
Linda McQuaig’s newest book, The Sport and Prey of Capitalists: How the Rich are Stealing Canada’s Public Wealth, is a fast read full of local history and written as history should be written, as colourful stories about fascinating people! But, in order to try to remember any of it, I’ve whittled
Continue readingNorthern Currents: Workers deserve a 32 hour work week with no loss of pay
Share this: Since the industrialization of the world, workers organized in unions have fought for many key rights Canadians enjoy today. In the early days of Capitalism, it was not uncommon for a worker to spend 80 hours per week at their job in strenuous working conditions. Thanks to organized
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Alberta union leaders summoned to provocative weekend ‘consultation’ by Kenney Government
Alberta union leaders have been summoned to a “labour relations consultation” next weekend in Edmonton at which they will be informed how Premier Jason Kenney’s government plans to “protect workers from being forced to fund political parties and causes.” The announcement of the one-hour meetings came in an email from
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Ten things to know about the 2019-20 Alberta budget
I’ve just written a ‘top 10’ overview of the recent Alberta budget. Points raised in the post include the following: -The budget lays out a four-year strategy of spending cuts, letting population growth and inflation do much of the heavy lifting. -After one accounts for both population growth and inflation,
Continue readingAlberta Politics: ‘How can we help you bust your union?’ Alberta Government launches ‘employee support program’
The Government of Alberta launched its promised “Employee Labour Relations Support Program” yesterday. Apparently they’ll not only tell you how to certify a union, they’ll tell you how to decertify one too! Busting a union used to be easier back in the days of the old Progressive Conservatives, who weren’t
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