Machinists’ News

Global Harmonization and WHMIS

A report from the workers health & safety centerThis report is in response to an information request about the Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) and its impact on our current Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS).   What is GHS?GHS is an international initiative to standardize chemical hazard classification and communication globally.  WHMIS is our national hazard communication system.  According to the Office of WHMIS,

G-20 Trade union leaders urge labour ministers to push for job-intensive recovery strategies

Brussels, 20 April 2010: A delegation of trade union leaders from the G20 countries told G20 labour and employment ministers during a meeting in Washington yesterday afternoon that the current fragile economic recovery will be a jobless recovery, or even revert to a renewed decline in output, if governments do not put a stronger emphasis on decent employment creation. Sharan Burrow, President of the Australian Congress of Trade Unions and

505 Order of Canada Recipients Call for Nuclear Weapons Treaty

 Media Release For Immediate Release 19 April 2010   (Ottawa) – In an unprecedented development, more than 500 recipients of the prestigious Order of Canada have come together to call on governments around the world, including Canada, to bring about the elimination of nuclear weapons. “This is the first time that so many recipients of the Order of Canada have signed a common declaration,” said Murray Thomson, an executive member

Green Economy Network

A GREEN ECONOMY NETWORKWORKING TOGETHER FOR SUSTAINABILITY, JOBS AND FAIRNESS The world is facing unprecedented environmental challenges.  Our continuing production  of greenhouse gases is leading to climate change that threatens to disrupt human life as we know it.   We are heavily dependent on fossil fuels that are increasingly expensive and environmentally-damaging.  At the same time, we face challenges to our economic sustainability.  In Canada, the current downturn is only the

La sécurité des retraites pour tous

Les régimes de pensions et l’épargne-retraite ont été durement frappés par la crise économique, et la sécurité de nombreux Canadiens et Canadiennes est en péril. Certains employeurs veulent même éliminer les régimes à prestations déterminées auxquels leurs employés et employées ont cotisé pendant toute leur vie active. Les personnes qui ont des REER et d’autres pensions privées et qui ont investi considérablement dans le capital-actions et les marchés financiers ont

Retirement security for everyone

Pension plans and retirement savings have been hit hard by the economic crisis and the security of many Canadians is at risk. Some companies even want to cut defined benefit plans that employees paid into throughout their working lives. People with RRSPs and other private pensions that invested heavily in stock and financial markets have seen their investments lose much of their value.   We must expand public pensions and

Jour de deuil national du 28 avril 2010

Chaque année, le syndicat des Machinistes se joint au mouvement syndical et aux organismes de santé et sécurité d’accréditation syndicale partout au pays dans le cadre d’un effort visant à rendre hommage à la mémoire des travailleurs tués ou mutilés tragiquement dans leur milieu de travail et, surtout, à continuer de dénoncer le carnage et la perte personnelle découlant des accidents de travail et des maladies professionnelles. Ces efforts jouent

LL 2413 Celebrates 40 years with Machinists!

  This week marked the 40th anniversary of IAMAW Local Lodge 2413. It began life with 55 members on March 10, 1970 and now boasts in excess of 700 dues-paying members in the aviation and transportation sectors. In honour of the 40th anniversary, several of the charter members were invited back to the lodge to receive certificates of appreciation. The founding fathers of IAMAW Local Lodge 2413 (L) John McQuhae

The 2010 Federal Budget: Canadian Labour Congress Analysis

The 2010 Federal Budget: Canadian Labour Congress Analysis< 1. Summary The Budget contains no big surprises but is still a big disappointment. Despite the fact that unemployment is and will remain very high, economic stimulus measures effectively end after this year. A few very small new investments in jobs and skills will be made, but they do not amount to even the beginnings of a strategy to build a new

IAMAW – IWD Statement 2010

Women around the globe would do well to mark Monday, March 8, 2010, International Women’s Day as a day not just for reflection but of Action. Women have worked hard to be recognized and to have their voices heard. There are those that say we have equality and Women’s issues no longer exist. Its true women make up 50% of the workforce in Canada. Along with this new statistic comes