Sept 1, 2024 | Barry Weisleder
The two-year trend continues. Labour across the Canadian state is seeking improvements and resisting concessions. It began with the defiance of Premier Doug Ford’s edict by CUPE Ontario and OPSEU in November 2022. The Public Service Alliance strike in the Spring of 2023, then the BC port workers in July 2023, followed by thousands of grocery store workers at Toronto-area Metro outlets, and the Quebec public sector strikes that began on November 6 — all shook things up. The 13-hour strike by Unifor autoworkers at General Motors in October 2023 achieved a nearly 20 percent increase over the term of the deal in Canada, reflecting results at Ford, Stellantis and GM by the UAW in the United States. Two days of job action by West Jet mechanics in July 2024 won a sizable wage boost by proving their value to the air travel bosses. Art Gallery of Ontario, then Ontario Liquor Board employees hit the bricks, winning gains in job security and wages. As in other cases, the potential power of school board and Toronto transit workers was rhetorically prepared, but was not fully deployed. The latest example of unrealized potential is that of railroad workers. 9,300 of them are represented by the Teamsters’ Union at Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Inc. Alongside wages, the prime issues in dispute are shift length, scheduling, and rest periods. Do you know that CN has a plan to move some employees to far flung locations, for several months at a time, to fill labour gaps. The safety of workers and communities is constantly at risk. Recall that the systematic under-staffing of trains, which often transport highly volatile fuels, was responsible for the horrendous crash at Lac-Megantic, Quebec that killed 47 people in July 2013.
CN and CPKC make profits in the multi-billions of dollars. But the greedy rail bosses want more. They stalled at the bargaining table for nine months, counting on the federal government to impose binding arbitration. Teamsters Canada Rail Conference president Paul Boucher summed up the situation well: “It signals to corporate Canada that large companies need only stop their operations for a few hours, inflict short-term economic pain and the federal government will step in to break a union.” NDP leader Jagmeet Singh was certainly right to oppose arbitration. The imposed back-to-work order may take weeks to clear the shipping backlog. Meanwhile, the unsafe status quo remains in place while the federal Labour Board deliberates. The union says it will go to court to uphold its right to strike. That is the course it chooses, rather than defy the unjust intervention of the Trudeau government. However, stay tuned for surprise picket lines.
The labour movement is also the target of anti-Palestinian hate. Many unions call for an immediate ceasefire by Israel in Gaza, for a halt to arms sales, and for a boycott of institutions linked to the Zionist state. Advocacy of Palestinian rights and an end to the bombardment that has cost well over 40,000 lives is equated with anti-Semitism by the corporate media and Zionist campaigners. Such forces pushed the CUPE national executive to demand the resignation of national V.P. Fred Hahn (who is also the President of CUPE Ontario) for sharing on Facebook a dubious video that depicts an Israeli athlete as a bomb. Hahn, a renowned gay rights and internationalist leader, withdrew the video and apologized. But the pro-Zionists want his head. We stand with Fred Hahn who vows not to resign. He pledges to uphold union democracy which recently re-elected him to top positions, and to continue the struggle. Over 182,000 people have sent e-messages and letters to union and public officials to say: Hands Off Fred Hahn!
The Justin Trudeau Liberal government remains low in the polls, trailing the Pierre Poilievre Conservatives by 20 percent, according to Abacus. Eighty-four percent of the country is looking for “change.” Moreover, Liberal ranks are roiled by growing calls for Trudeau to step aside. Ontario Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie is the latest to urge a federal leadership review. Meanwhile, wild fires caused by climate change are burning across the west. There is growing social inequality, a festering housing crisis, and an increasingly strained public healthcare system. Consumer debt rose to $2.5 trillion in the second quarter, with credit card debt hitting $122 billion, its highest level in 17 years, according to Equifax. More of the money that used to go toward paying down credit card balances is now paying for a mortgage or rent.
Millions of despondent young people are mindful of Trudeau’s broken promises on electoral reform and environmental protection, and his persistent complicity with U.S. wars. Ottawa again echoes Washington in the bid for regime change in Venezuela. None of these issues seem likely to be remedied by a cabinet shuffle. And there’s more. 50,400 explosive mortar cartridges worth about $83 million, to be manufactured by Quebec-based General Dynamics Ordnance, are scheduled for delivery to Israel in 2026, via corporate partners in the USA. This is so despite the resolution backed by the Liberals and passed by Parliament, 204-117, on March 18, 2024 to ban arms sales to the Zionist state, which is deemed by the International Court of Justice to be potentially guilty of genocide. For good reason, the Canada Revenue Agency decided to revoke the charitable status of the Jewish National Fund. The JNF fuels expansion of violent, racist settlements in the illegally occupied West Bank.
The labour-based NDP is tarnished by propping up the minority Liberal regime. Consequently, much social discontent flows to the ultra-conservative Tories who parade as pro-worker populists, chanting “Axe the Tax”. Socialists reject that axiom. We demand: “Tax the polluting corporations, not consumers.” Clearly, it is high time that the NDP break with the Liberals and advance a Workers’ Agenda. To survive, the NDP must turn left.
A provincial election draws near in New Brunswick where two SA comrades are among the NDP candidates. Two federal by-elections will provide some hints of what’s to come on the federal level. The online Ontario NDP provincial council meeting on September 21 is important too. It will provide an opportunity to press leader Marit Stiles to reinstate censured pro-Palestinian MPP Sarah Jama to the NDP caucus at Queen’s Park. Jama is actively and effectively campaigning for re-election and enjoys the general support of unions and constituents in the Hamilton area.
As summer draws to a close, Socialist Action is preparing to participate in Labour Day activities. Will Labour Day 2024 Ignite Labour Action against the bosses’ agenda? It all comes down to a question of leadership.
SA union members will walk with their union contingents on September 2 in Toronto, while other comrades will set up and staff an SA canopy and literature display table near the terminus of the parade, on Dufferin Street south of King, where we ask all members and supporters to meet. Throughout the day, join us in distributing the leaflet titled “Strike” and in selling the SA journal The Red Review. The many transitional and democratic demands they offer constitute a clear and powerful Workers’ Agenda.
Socialist Action aims to build a class struggle leadership in unions, in the labour-based NDP, and in all the social justice movements. If you agree with our commitment to Eco-socialism, feminism, queer liberation and workers’ power, welcome! Join Socialist Action today.