Obfuscated Thoughtlessness Inversed

Today, at 17:30 EST will be a critical vote for the federal Liberal caucus. Anti-Scab legislation that has existed with much success in British Columbia and Quebec is coming up for a vote. Bill C-257 has passed first and second reading but in a move designed to destroy the Liberal Party's left-wing credibility Dion has ordered his caucus to kill this legislation.

Dion appeared to be extremely happy that the government was going to fall, this bill would die on the order papers and that he would be able to avoid voting on this key motion. Instead, the Bloc has kept the sitting alive and Dion's Liberal caucus can't hide behind another unlikely to be fulfilled future promise to introduce a $10 minimum wage.

I hope you can take a few minutes in the next two hours to send a message to your MP and to Dion to encourage them to rethink this and support the legislation. Anti-Scab legislation saves lives, improves working conditions and is international law.

Take this action now:

Bill C-257 is now back in the House of Commons for debate on the Committee Report and a final vote at Third Reading.

A strong majority of MPs supported the bill last October because they agreed that ending the practice of using replacement workers during labour disputes would provide the balance required to bring better labour relations. They also supported it because so many of their constituents asked them to.

I'm asking you to support C-257 at Third Reading.

The Standing Committee on Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA) heard from many witnesses during its study of C-257 – 13 representing unions, 32 representing employers, and various technical experts. What stood out from those hearings was the many ridiculous things big business put forward to confuse and scare MPs.

A good deal of the big business fear mongering about C-257 focussed on the continuation of “essential services” during labour disputes. No doubt your Ottawa office has received some letters or phone calls about this in recent weeks.

Essential services are already protected by both the Canada Labour Code and other statutes that deal specifically with federal public services. Passing C-257 does nothing to diminish those protections.

While it is unfortunate that the Committee's attempts to make direct reference to those protections (contained in section 87.4 of the Canada Labour Code) were ruled out of order by the Speaker, rest assured that ruling should not be taken to mean these protections are gone. Quite the contrary.

In fact, the one amendment the Speaker did allow (because it has always been part of the legislation) anchors C-257 to the strict safeguards that are already in place to guarantee the essential services upon which Canadians depend are not interrupted by a labour dispute.

The bottom line is that C-257 provides a much-needed balance to labour relations that take place under the Canada Labour Code. A balance that goes much further towards the protection of essential services by eliminating the threat of tactical lockouts by employers or strikes that happen because a few rogue employers refuse to bargain with their workers.

Bring balance to labour relations and reduce the risk of labour disputes that put essential services at risk in the first place. Support C-257 at Third Reading.

Labels: alternatives, cons, democracy, leftist content creation, link, ndp, online campaign, opinion, union

"Conscription: involuntary labor, especially military service, demanded by some established authority."

A new low in decency has been achieved by our Prime Minister. Unlike the rest of the blogosphere, I'm not talking about the mildly annoying linking in the house of the terrorist Air India bombing (Canada's own per-capita equivalent of the World Trade Centre attack) and the federal Liberals. In this rant, I am complaining about something that will likely see Stephane Dion and 100% of his caucus vote below the belt with Harper.

What am I talking about? Conscription.

I understand that we are at war, but, like the goalie who mooned the refs in this hockey game, "I['ve] had my fill." The war must end, but, it isn't like the conscription I'm complaining about only happens at wartime in this country.

The conscription that has me mooning mad, is the ubiquitously named back-to-work legislation proposed by the federal government to conscript striking UTU workers back to work at CN Rail.

Shame on you Harper and Dion. If you want workers to work, pay them and negotiate in good faith. Clearly, no company will negotiate in good faith if they know they can have a contract imposed. Don't overrule the labour board that sees no basis to force workers back.

The one upside to this story is it appears that Canada's border guards are using their powers positively, by preventing scabs from illegally crossing the border.

Labels: alternatives, anti-war, canada, cons, conscription, democracy, leftist content creation, union, yay immigration

With a speech from the throne and the crack of an enabling act, the BC Legislature is back. It only took three seasons, made up of the normal two month hiatus for winter, a four month "cancellation" because democracy makes the Liberals look bad often called autumn, and the regularly scheduled four months off for summer before that. Finally, we have a democratic legislature in session once again.

And, fancy that, it looks like Gordon Campbell has gone from being a drunk driver to a hybrid driver. No idling limousine outside for Campbell, I guess no one told the Lieutenant Governor about the contents of the speech she was about to read. She still idled her limo outside the legislature while she read it.

My favourite quote in response to the throne speech has to be:

"I'm pleased that the speech mentions climate change, but one has to wonder why the premier is suddenly embracing his Inner Eco-Warrior when his government has paid virtually no attention to this area," says CUPE BC president Barry O'Neill.

That comes from this press release. Here's another gem from the CUPE BC release and O'Neill:

"Once again, like last year, there are platitudes about 'unacceptable' homelessness, but no recognition that it's the government's own policies and cutbacks that have led to the crisis in Vancouver and other cities. They talk about 'sunshine legislation' for school district companies' business practices. Maybe they should consider 'sunshine legislation' for their own public-private partnership agenda, which is notorious for its secrecy."

Meanwhile, talk of the future of BC was the hot criticism of Campbell's hot air filled throne speech. After cutting $50 million from Child-Care the question had to be asked, why is Gordon Campbell seriously jeopardizing the future of BC by putting the lives of BC's youngest last on the priority list. Items like this from today's headlines really bring the point home: For today's family, time's not on their side [as] hectic schedules, longer work weeks contribute to less togetherness than in 80s and Canada mediocre about child welfare.

This BCGEU press release hammers the point home so many times you could have built it into a house:

"Gordon Campbell has done nothing to restore the cuts to child care let alone provide funds to improve the system," said George Heyman, BCGEU president. While the government talks about communities being caring places for children, the government says nothing about improving our child care system. They have the money to improve and expand child care. The premier’s own Progress Board, parents, and others have all said that the improvements are necessary."

Now, I don't want to hear any whining about how it was the federal Liberal government that didn't get re-elected that resulted in the $50 million not being available either. Dion had 10 years and his Liberal buddies had 3 more to deliver on the child-care promise they made in 1993. The money never arrived. period. end of story. You lost the election and you never delivered on the child-care promise. Let's refresh, in 1993 that promise was:

"Quality, accessible child care is an economic advantage for Canada...The objective of the Liberal policy on child care is to create genuine choices for parents. A Liberal government, working with the provinces, will implement a realistic and fiscally responsible program to increase the number of child care spaces in Canada." - from The Red Book, 1993 via Voices for child care Canada

And, when those same Red Book Liberals presided over the largest cuts to social programs in Canadian history the BC NDP government protected those same social programs by cutting elsewhere. The Campbell Liberals instead are running a surplus and cutting the $50 million.

So this leaves it up to the NDP to hold the government accountable and get results. It looks like they are up to the challenge:

“It’s clear that Gordon Campbell read the climate change plan put forward by B.C.’s New Democrats,” said James. “The question now for British Columbians is can they trust Gordon Campbell to deliver. Every year, Gordon Campbell picks a new priority for his Throne Speech and every year he fails to deliver. Last year, Gordon Campbell’s priority was health care, but 12 months later all B.C. saw was more cuts, longer ER waits, and hallway medicine.

Stay tuned to your local parliamentary channel, for the full response to the throne speech, by the NDP official opposition, later, today.

Labels: alternatives, bc ndp, bcmedia, democracy, environment, green isn't just a colour it's an imperative, health, leftist content creation, ndp, opinion, union

"Women's pay has dropped significantly under the new [Industrial Relations] laws with real average earnings for women in the private sector falling by 2.0% and a majority of award workers suffering a real wage cut averaging almost 1% under the new minimum wage setting process." - from a a summary of Brave New Workchoices - What is the story so far

The new Labour laws aren't even a year old yet, but they have caused a major transition in the Australian workplace. The changes are broad and characterized by a few of the headlines from Austrlian unions this week.

Some examples from this week's union press releases and labour news in Australia:

• As the old ways of working out workplace conflicts are falling apart the Melbourne-area Paramedics are forced to threaten to withdraw services over the lack of due process in the firing of a colleague: Melbourne ambulance paramedics to take historic stop-work action.
• Dick Cheney is coming to Australia for a visit and meanwhile his old company Halliburton's construction subsidiary uses the new workplace laws to justify preventing free speech and the display of a union flag on a construction site.
  
• The minimum wage officially went up on December 1 for Australia's lowest paid meanwhile real wages fell.
  
• Workers' paradise yields to new reality as union owned vacation spot for workers with a capacity for 2,000 per night is sold to fund the campaign against the new laws.
  
• Australian federal treasurer Peter Costello says the new laws have resulted in a lower unemployment rate of 4.5%. The Australian Council of Trade Unions rightly points out that the 30 year low in unemployment is a result of a fall in the participation rate and that there has been a net loss in actual jobs.
  
• Unions have virtually ruled out taking strike action over the proposed Qantas sale because they fear being penalized under the tough federal industrial laws.

You can always find the latest Labour headlines at Labourstart where trade unionists start their day. The latest news is even sortable by country as in Australia and Canada.

Labels: alternatives, human rights abuse, leftist content creation, link, opinion, union

It probably isn't their fault.. that they are so stupid. But it is their fault they aren't unionized with Local 40 anymore.

Kicking a dozen regular clients of the former establishment out for something the staff told us to do. Come on. What da hell?

It went down like this: It was a close friend and former co-workers last day. She had just gotten out after serving the hard part of her life sentence. 12 and a bit years. Parole was looking nice and we went out to celebrate and have a few drinks. Being slow and her getting off work at 9 pm we only made it to the bar at 11.

We arrived hungry so we had a simple request. Some food. But the kitchen was closed. At the suggestion of our server (who admittedly offered to make toast) we simply wandered over to Ali Baba's and achieved for ourselves some pizza pie. We came right back.

We happily ate our pizza pie and kept drinking, in the bar. So far so good.

Then something went terribly wrong.

Having been spurned on by our munching of the good stuff, more of our group went to get some pie. When they returned they were told that "the liquor law" prohibited us from eating it within the Bar. Further, a ridiculously moronic staff member (pictured on the left) emphatically stated that the reason the law prohibited such activities was because the bar would be liable for the food poisoning us.

We responded defiantly with a simple request. The staff person who told us this was asked to produce "the law" that said this. We stated clearly that we would follow any liquor laws that he could produce. We suggested several websites he could find the law on and offered to provide the phone numbers of lawyers we knew would be available for exactly this kind of a ridiculous inquiry.

Instead of simply saying, ok ok, just do it descretely, or saying alright I was steppin' it isn't the law but you just can't eat that in here, he threatened us by saying "if you eat that in here you will have to leave."

The threat was too good to be ignored.

We held a brief discussion and then chowed down. We all had a bite. I guess we figured that if the bar had already accepted any liability we mayaswell enjoy ourselves in the manner most likely to cause ourselves harm.

Straight over returns this fine example of a future union-busting manager. He immediately demands we leave.

We knew this was coming and had provoked it so we amicably agreed. Offering to leave immediately without paying our bill or allowing that he might want to invite us to stick around long enough for the dozen or so of us to settle up.. Long enough for us to finish eating our pizza. Idiot.

He realized he was beat, so we ate and paid. Then left and vowed never to return. As we were leaving he admitted it was just bar policy. Why he hadn't just started by saying, "Hi, I'm the power-tripping moron who doesn't want you dozen customers in the bar, please leave." Instead of making a total fool of himself and forcing a boycott. I just don't know.

The Old Bailey was the pub of choice for most of the 12 years of hell that my friend had survived at that old job (she wasn't really in jail). At one point her partner even worked at the Old Bailey. We spent literally thousands of dollars in a unionized, safe, convenient and welcoming environment. We experienced the highs and the lows... We got booted out for good reasons (like it was time to go home or being inebriated), we got invited in for better ones, like a safe warm environment where we could drink amongst friends.

We never were as angry as we were the other night.

The boycott is on and not just because the staff booted us out at a time when we carefully selected the location for maximum enjoyment.

This place exists as a deunionized, decertified, shell of its former self.

We won't be back and neither should you.

Labels: hospitality, includes photo, personal story, union

First, my sisters and brothers of the SEIU were attacked and now peaceful protesters outside the State Parliament in Melbourne.

Check out this total bullshit: http://melbourne.indymedia.org/uploads/g20parliament.mov

My one line critique of the G20: G20 leaders should be criticizing not only North Korea for nuclear tests, but also the other nuclear powers of the world for still having them.

Labels: alternatives, democracy, leftist content creation, online campaign, opinion, union

Racist, violent police on horseback attacked a group of peacefully protesting janitors yesterday.

Don't like how I called these cops racist and violent have a look for yourself: Download the podcast or watch it on YouTube.

Today, a thousand janitors held another protest at the same site.

“Houston has to make a decision whether they are going to use their power to grind workers deeper into poverty or use their power to lift workers out of poverty,” said Tom Balanoff, President of SEIU Local 1. “We hope the aggressive tactic employed against the janitors last night was a regrettable mistake on the part of the police and it won’t be repeated.”

Of course this story isn't about police aggression on one day in one city. This story is about the aggressive attack capitalism takes on the lowest paid workers doing the dirtiest crappiest jobs every day. Today, you just get to see how threatened the state becomes when a small number of these workers stand up for their rights.

In the words of NWA:

"To the police I'm sayin fuck you punk
Readin my rights and shit, it's all junk
Pullin out a silly club, so you stand
With a fake assed badge and a gun in your hand
But take off the gun so you can see what's up"

This isn't just the police either, this is also the property owners who had them called out.

Please take a moment to stand with these workers and send a note to the boss's boss.

Take a page from NWA's lyric book and let them know what you really think.

Labels: alternatives, copwatch, democracy, human rights abuse, online campaign, union

The Mactas (that's the McMaster University Teaching Assistants of Hamilton, Ontario for those who haven't been preparing the barricades for the latest academic strike) have voted 61.5% to accept the university's "Best Offer." Meanwhile binding arbitration has resulted in a 21.5% increase for Uranium miners just up the road at the McArthur River and Key Lake uranium mining operations.

I'm reporting this here because I think the contrast is interesting.

Check out a Canadian government report on anti-discrimination in big operations in the northern prairie provinces. One win, that can carried forward in contracts around the world is to ensure that the language freeing workers from discrimination on the basis of: "transsexual transition status, gender expression, and gender identity" is added in to contracts. Given the economic base nature of discrimination though, I'd take a 21.5% increase over that language any day. Especially since most existing anti-discrimination language should be argued to ensure no discrimination on the basis of gender, gender identity or expression.

Generally though let's just say Uranium miners have a much better deal than TA's and it is getting 21.5% better over four years.

Now, if we just stop mining uranium through a just transition to well paying teaching assistant jobs...

Labels: online campaign, opinion, union

A tip of the hat for those who serve Down Under is an article about how Jim doesn't tip in Australia.

Like me, until last week, he was being a Canadian leftist in Melbourne. I hope he is enjoying himself and the not tipping. I'd still recommend a little something here and there, but don't try your usual 20% from home.

Last week I finished up 7 months working for the union that represents Hospitality workers (LHMU) and I can tell you that when Jim says "if Australia's current right-wing government has its way, their restaurants will soon look more like Canada's" it is a dramatic understatement. John Howard's attack on the industrial system is far-reaching and evil. Have a look at the award (like a collective agreement for the whole industry) that covers the Hospitality industry. This is the wage rates section, divide amounts by 38 hours to get the hourly rate (these all go up about $27 on December 1). We're not talking incredible wages. But they are living wages. Now look at the section on penalty rates and imagine losing these from your wage rates.

More about the Australian Labor[sic] movement and its enemies later.

Labels: leftist content creation, opinion, personal story, union

On November 1, 2006 working people all over the world received a new voice of democratic representation and organizing. Check it out: ITUC-CSI-IGB - International Trade Union Confederation


"The Confederation is inspired by the profound conviction that organisation in democratic and independent trade unions and collective bargaining are crucial to achieving the well-being of working people and their families and to security, social progress and sustainable development for all."


Already the ITUC-CSI-IGB "represents 168 million workers in 154 countries and territories and has 306 national affiliates."

Yay!

Labels: anti-war, link, online campaign, union

My friend's grandfather passed recently.. here's a obit on his blog from the Cowichan Newsleader.

Check the history on this union: http://www.steelworkers1-80.ca/

Labels: historical, in memory of, union