Vancouver, BC – Until John Horgan attended a recent meeting of the membership of IAM District Lodge 250, Machinist support for the NDP in the upcoming provincial election on May 9th was less than Luke warm. As far as the rank and file were concerned, there were too many unknowns about exactly where the NDP stood on issues like pipeline construction, environmental regulations, jobs, hydro-electric dam projects, and more. “We
March is federal budget season in Ottawa and this year the national budget will be presented by the Finance Minister Bill Morneau on March 22. With the new Trump administration in Washington also bringing forward its first budget, Ottawa seems to be very pragmatic to wait and see what will be brought forward south of the border. Two major areas seem to be the main focus in this year’s Canadian
The next few months will make a big difference to Ontario workers. Ontario is reviewing its labour and employment laws, with recommendations expected soon. If we want MPPs to support decent work in Ontario we need to tell them what workers need, and we need to tell them now. MPPs need to know that it must be easier for workers to join and keep a union, and how to set
Ottawa, ON – Meetings here between union lobbyists and MP’s last week concerning saving the pension plan of workers at the Atomic Energy of Canada facilities in Chalk River, Ontario and Pinawa, Manitoba, had a common yet disturbing thread. “While the overall response to our concerns was positive, most of the MP’s we talked to didn’t know this was an issue affecting employees until we told them,” explained IAM Grand
Vancouver, BC – There doesn’t appear to be too much excitement about the May 9th BC Provincial election to date but as February winds down and we head into the starting gates for the campaign over the next two months, things will heat up. We are not here to tell our members who to vote for but we do encourage them to exercise their democratic right and vote. If you
Ottawa, ON – Eight members from IAM Local Lodge 1522 will be part of a multi-union contingent lobbying MP’s this week on Parliament Hill to save jobs and the pension plan of workers at the Atomic Energy of Canada facility at Chalk River. In 2014, the federal government announced the Chalk River facility would be managed by a Government-Owned, Contractor –Operated or GoCo model. It created Canadian Nuclear Laboratories as
Toronto, ON – Ontario’s labour laws are set for review this year and there is a lot on the line. It has been 20 years since labour laws were re-opened in Ontario and that was under a Mike Harris government, when many of the gains made during the province’s first-ever NDP government were rolled back. This year, the Ontario government appointed two Special Advisors to head up a “Changing Workplaces
“2015 will be the last federal election conducted under the first-past-the-post voting system.” That statement was made during the last Federal election campaign by then-candidate Justin Trudeau. It inspired a lot of people to vote for the Liberal Party of Canada because they wanted change. That fundamental promise was reiterated after the Liberals formed government. A Special House of Commons committee, the Special Committee on Electoral Reform – with all
Canada’s unions celebrate federal asbestos ban Wednesday, December 14, 2016 The Canadian Labour Congress is celebrating today’s announcement that the federal government is banning the manufacture, import, export and use of asbestos. “We can all breathe easier,” said CLC president Hassan Yussuff. “This is good public health policy that will, without question, save lives for generations to come.” “Canada’s unions, along with survivors and health
