The Confederation of Canadian Unions joins LabourStart and the international trade union movement in welcoming charges being dropped against FTUC President Daniel Urai (pictured above) and five of his fellow trade unionists in Fiji who were arrested during the Sheraton Hotel strike on December 31, 2013. The subsequent email campaign by LabourStart was supported by […]
By John Hanrahan The federal Conservatives under Prime Minister Stephen Harper are determined to support corporations in creating a low wage economy and reducing the standard of living of the middle class. Take Bill-525, for example. The Conservatives’ contempt for middle class Canadians has never been more evident than it is with piece of legislation. […]
The CCU demands that the Government of Cambodia release immediately all twenty-one workers being held in prison for their role in the strike and protests calling for a fair wage in the Cambodian garment sector. We further call on the government to respect freedom of association and assembly, and to cease in the use of […]
By John Hanrahan Ontarians have differing views on Wal-Mart’s business practices and its corporate agenda. And although some may find the store a nice place to visit, very few would choose to work there. The vast majority of Wal-Mart employees in Canada earn between 10 to 12 dollars an hour. Not much of a salary […]
Throughout this month, several hundred Turkish union members will face criminal hearings and possibly years in prison. What was their crime? Exercising their right to freedom of association to organize and participate in strikes and demonstrations opposing government policies. Even as it is embattled in a corruption scandal that has caused various senior politicians to […]
By John Hanrahan Canadian finance ministers met on December 15 and 16, 2013 at Meech Lake near Ottawa to discuss the possible enhancement of the Canada Pension plan (CPP). Most CPP enhancement proposals call for doubling the annual benefit of $12,150. Yet instead of stepping up to the plate and securing a future of retirement […]
Columbia is widely regarded as the most dangerous country in the world for labour unions and their members. According to the United Nations, over 3,000 trade unionists have been murdered in Columbia since 1986, and at least 11 have been killed in the first six months of 2013 alone. All reports indicate that state authorities […]
By John Hanrahan 1) The majority of Canadians are against the cuts According to the latest Angus Reid poll, 58% of Canadians are against the cuts. Need we say more? Does anyone remember when politicians and CEO’s used to at least pretend that this country was actually a democracy? 2) The cuts will force Canadians […]
The CCU joins the citizens of South Africa and the world as we bid farewell to Nelson Mandela. A determined and committed defender of equality and human rights, Mandela’s struggles against the oppression of the many by the few have inspired generations of citizens around the globe. We express our support and solidarity to our […]
Conservatives Outlaw Collective Bargaining for Alberta Provincial Government Workers In the wake of the federal Conservative Party’s passing of a resolution in November 2013 at its Calgary convention that continues legislative attacks on workers, the Alberta Conservatives under Alison Redford are passing a law that makes collective bargaining virtually illegal for provincial government workers in […]