The Confederation of Canadian Unions holds regular labour schools every three months throughout the country. Experts in various fields speak on topics that matter to Canadian workers, including health and safety, labour law, social services, gender equity, media and communications, political economy, collective bargaining, and organizing.
In October 2022, the Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU) held its Labour School in Vancouver, British Columbia. Katrina Miller from Canadians for Tax Fairness spoke about how a more progressive taxation system in Canada could help properly fund important social programs like health care and education, pay down government debt, […]
In June 2022, the Confederation of Canadian Unions held its Labour School in Montreal, Quebec on the issues of mental health and well-being. Speakers included: 1. Steve Lurie recently retired as the Executive Director of the Canadian Mental Health Association Toronto Branch, a post he held since 1979. Steve has […]
The CCU is held its online Labour School on Friday, June 18. Our special guest speaker was Derek Blackadder, Canadian co-ordinator for LabourStart and a union activist for over 40 years, who presented on Global Labour Issues and Struggles: The pandemic’s impact on worker and trade union rights and what […]
In February 2021, the Confederation of Canadian Unions held a special online Labour School. Dr. Stephanie Ross from the School of Labour Studies at McMaster University spoke about some of the key challenges labour unions face today. Ross said that these challenges cannot be met with the traditional model of […]
Ben Parfitt, the Resource Policy Analyst with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, participated in a very special online version of the CCU Labour School in October 2020, where he provided two excellent and informative presentations. The first was on the state of the forestry industry in British Columbia and […]
In October 2019, the Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU) held its 50th Anniversary Convention in Ottawa. Michelle Branigan from Electricity Human Resources Canada (EHRC) spoke about the future of the electricity industry in Canada, the future of the job market, and how the industry is becoming more diverse in the […]
In October 2019, the Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU) held its 50th Anniversary Convention in Ottawa. Réal Lavergne is the President of Fair Vote Canada, and he spoke to the CCU about efforts to reform Canada’s electoral system to one that is proportional and democratic, unlike the “First Past the […]
In October 2019, the Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU) held its 50th Anniversary Convention in Ottawa. Michael Etherington, Indigenous relations consultant, spoke about the similarities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada, and how they can overcome historical obstacles and work together for the common good of all. Michael grew […]
In October 2019, the Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU) held its 50th Anniversary Convention in Ottawa. Katrina Miller of the Broadbent Institute spoke to the CCU about the work of the Institute, fighting corporate propaganda, and the well-funded social media tactics of the Alt Right. She also answered questions about […]
In October 2019, the Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU) held its 50th Anniversary Convention in Ottawa. Ontario NDP Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Joel Harden spoke to the CCU about voter organizing and democratic participation, and how unions can fight anti-labour propaganda in the corporate media. Joel also answered questions […]
In October 2019, the Confederation of Canadian Unions held its 50th Anniversary Convention in Ottawa. Tim McSorley of the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group discussed human rights and civil liberties in Canada, how legislation by recent federal governments is affecting them, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and how so […]
In February 2019, the Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU) held its Labour School in Vancouver, British Columbia. Mark Leier of Simon Fraser University discussed labour history in Canada. Professor Leier spoke about the radicalism of the early labour movement, the struggle for the eight-hour workday, the early days of the […]
In February 2019, the Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU) held its Labour School in Vancouver, British Columbia. Alejandra Bravo and Maria Dobrinskaya of the Broadbent Institute held an all-day workshop on union leadership and capacity building. Included was discussion and debate on membership engagement, activism and growth, organizing, media and […]
In February 2019, the Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU) held its Labour School in Vancouver, British Columbia. NDP member of parliament Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East) discussed workers’ rights and federal politics. The CCU commended MP Kwan for her efforts in creating a public, universal pharmacare system and fighting for the […]
In February 2019, the Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU) held its Labour School in Vancouver, British Columbia. Sheryl Lightfoot from the University of British Columbia discussed UNDRIP (United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples). UNDRIP delineates and defines the individual and collective rights of Indigenous peoples, including their […]
Nancy Elliott is a business agent with NSUPE and a labour lawyer. The timestamp for the issues covered is below: 0:20 – Introduction by CCU President Kelly Johnson 1:30 – Think about someone you know with mental illness 2:15 – There are many different forms of mental illness 3:15 – […]
In October 2018, the Confederation of Canadian Unions held its Labour School in Charlottetown, PEI. Scott Sinclair of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives spoke on the issues of corporate free trade agreements, NAFTA II, and their effects on the Canadian economy, jobs and the environment. Scott Sinclair is a […]
Leo Broderick of the Council of Canadians addressed the Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU) at their labour school at Charlottetown, PEI in October 2018. Broderick is a community and peace activist, retired teacher, past President of the PEI Teachers’ Federation, and former Vice-President of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation. He discussed […]
A highlight of the CCU Executive Board meeting from June 23 to 24, 2018 in Castlegar, British Columbia was keynote speaker Len Embree. Brother Len is a founding member of the Pulp, Paper and Woodworkers of Canada (currently the Public and Private Workers of Canada), a former member of the […]
Joanie Cameron Pritchett is manager of the sexual violence response office at York University. At the March 2018 CCU Labour School in Toronto, Pritchett discusses intersectionality and how it applies to sexual violence in the workplace. She covers legislative changes for addressing workplace violence in Ontario, as well as the […]