Workers Issues in Canada
Confrontation between Lima police and striking Peruvian teachers
Workers Struggles: The Americas
3 July 2018
At least 5,000 teachers from the metropolitan Lima area have had their salaries withheld because of strike activity and authorities have begun replacing striking teachers with scabs.
Quebec construction unions shut down week-long wildcat strike by crane operators
By Laurent Lafrance, 30 June 2018
The Quebec Liberal government intervened aggressively against the strike, threatening to prosecute strikers and demanding the unions suppress it.
Chilean copper miners to strike against layoffs; Crane workers strike in Quebec
Workers Struggles: The Americas
26 June 2018
Some 1,700 copper miners at the Chuquicamata mine complex in Chile have announced a strike against layoffs while 2,000 crane operators in Quebec walked off the job in a wildcat strike.
Ontario’s Ford-led government initiates class-war assault
By Roger Jordan, 23 June 2018
As a down payment on its plans to slash public services, Ontario’s incoming Conservative government has imposed a public sector hiring freeze.
Lockout at Quebec aluminum smelter enters sixth month
By Laurent Lafrance, 12 June 2018
The workers are determined to resist ABI’s concessions demands. But the Steelworkers union is adamantly opposed to making their struggle a rallying point for opposition to the big business assault on jobs, wages and working conditions.
Protests against layoffs across Argentina, Quebec daycare workers strike
Workers Struggles: the Americas
12 June 2018
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Windsor casino strike ends, teachers protest in Mexico City
Workers Struggles: The Americas
5 June 2018
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Naomi Klein promotes pro-war, pro-austerity NDP as antidote to populist far-right
By Roger Jordan, 1 June 2018
Under conditions of a global resurgence of the class struggle, Klein has intervened in the Ontario election campaign to try to refurbish the NDP’s tattered “left” credentials and resuscitate illusions in the failed national-reformist perspective.
Teamsters scuttle Canadian Pacific Rail strike, laud Trudeau
By Keith Jones, 31 May 2018
The Teamsters have provided no details of the proposed four-year agreement, let alone given the striking train drivers and conductors the opportunity to study and vote on it prior to forcing them back to work.
Three thousand Canadian railway workers strike against long hours and speed-up
By Roger Jordan, 30 May 2018
The strike pits the CP Rail workers not just against a ruthless corporate giant, but also against Canada’s big business Liberal government, which stands poised to criminalize the strike.
Canadian Pacific Railway workers set to strike
Workers Struggles: The Americas
29 May 2018
Some 3,000 rail workers across Canada are set to strike Tuesday evening after rejecting management’s last offer, which failed to meet worker demands for improvements in working conditions and other issues.
Windsor casino workers continue strike following contract rejection
By Shannon Jones, 25 May 2018
Casino workers courageously defied the Unifor union, which has isolated the seven-week walkout and tried to starve the 2,300 workers into submission.
Windsor casino workers reject contract, Mexico City professors strike
Workers Struggles: The Americas
22 May 2018
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Colombian teachers hold nationwide two-day strike
Workers Struggles: The Americas
15 May 2018
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Quebec’s “Nurses on the Move” Facebook page bans WSWS reporters for criticizing unions
By Louis Girard, 12 May 2018
“Nurses on the Move” banned the WSWS reporters because it feared their exposure of the unions’ role in suppressing opposition to austerity would win wide support.
Open letter to the moderators of the Facebook page “Nurses on the Move”
By Louis Girard, 12 May 2018
Ontario Liberals attempt to legislate end to York University strike
By Roger Jordan, 9 May 2018
The Liberals’ anti-strike bill underscores that in their fight against poverty wages and precarious employment, York contract faculty and graduate assistants face a political struggle.
Three-day strike by Mexican teachers in Chiapas and Oaxaca
Workers Struggles: The Americas
8 May 2018
The action included mass protest marches and the occupation of government buildings to press educators demands including the rollback of pro business education reforms and the re-opening of negotiations.
Unifor shuts down strike by Lear auto parts workers in Ajax, Ontario using threat of plant closure
By Carl Bronski, 5 May 2018
The rejection of the original sellout that Unifor attempted to foist on Lear Ajax workers is a reflection of a growing movement of auto workers.
Mexican teachers denounce union sellout, refuse to end strike
Workers Struggles: The Americas
1 May 2018
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Unifor isolates workers as Windsor casino strike enters fourth week
By Shannon Jones, 30 April 2018
Workers voted down a sellout contract recommended by Unifor, in a rebellion against poverty wages and onerous working conditions.
Ontario Liberals give boost to Unifor union raiding strategy
By Carl Bronski, 28 April 2018
The new Labour Relations Board regulation is yet another illustration of the intimate ties between the big business Liberals and the country’s largest industrial union.
Mexican teachers strike, Georgia school bus drivers fired for protesting poverty pay
Workers Struggles: The Americas
24 April 2018
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Canadian Pacific Railway workers vote to strike
Workers Struggles: The Americas
17 April 2018
More than 3,000 conductors and engineers employed by Canadian Pacific Railway across the country could be on strike as early as April 21 if negotiations do not produce a deal.
Windsor, Ontario casino workers strike after voting down sellout deal
By Carl Bronski, 7 April 2018
The one-sided rejection of yet another contract recommended by Unifor is further indication of the growing rebellion by workers against the official trade unions.
Workers Struggles: The Americas
4 April 2018
The treatment of temporary workers is a major outstanding issue in a walkout by 1,300 Labrador City ironworkers against the Iron Ore Company of Canada.
York University conspires with Ontario government to break contract-faculty and assistants’ strike
By Roger Jordan, 30 March 2018
Although the Liberals are manifestly preparing to illegalize the strike, CUPE is doing nothing to mobilize the working class in support of the 3,000 striking contract-faculty and graduate assistants.
Quebec nurses rebel against forced overtime, budget cuts
By Louis Girard, 29 March 2018
Nurses and other health care workers have taken action to protest against draconian working conditions and a drastic decline in patient care due to years of austerity.
Ontario Liberal government preparing intervention to end York University strike
By Roger Jordan, 24 March 2018
The big business Liberal government, which has enjoyed the unions’ steadfast support since coming to power 15 years ago, has repeatedly outlawed education strikes.
Quebec: Aluminum giants demand steeper concessions from locked-out ABI workers
By Laurent Lafrance, 22 March 2018
Even as ABI amplifies its concession demands, the steelworkers union has agreed to reopen the contract at a second Quebec smelter owned by Rio Tinto-Alcan.
GM and Unifor collude to cut labour costs in Canada
By Carl Bronski, 22 March 2018
The moves to cut labour costs through outsourcing and early retirements at GM’s Ontario engine plant further expose the reactionary nature of the 2016 “framework agreements” rammed through by Unifor.
Unifor shuts down ZF-TRW auto parts strike in Windsor, Canada
By Carl Bronski, 12 March 2018
The brief walkout halted production Saturday at the giant Fiat Chrysler Canada Windsor Assembly Plant, but the union pushed through the same wage terms already rejected by a 62 percent margin.
“The issues we are facing are not just related to university teachers, but affect the entire working class”
An interview with a striking York University contract faculty member
By our reporter, 8 March 2018
Around 3,000 contract faculty and support staff are on their fourth day of strike action at Toronto’s York University over poverty wages and job security.
Canada: 3,000 contract teachers and graduate assistants strike York University
By Roger Jordan, 7 March 2018
CUPE is doing all it can to ensure the strike remains isolated and does not become the starting point for a broader mobilization.
Unifor scuttles Windsor auto parts strikes
By Carl Bronski, 6 March 2018
Union officials called off two strikes at critical parts supplier plants before the walkouts could have any impact on production at the giant Fiat Chrysler Windsor Assembly Plant.
420,000 Argentine teachers vote for limited strikes over wages and other demands
Workers Struggles: The Americas
6 March 2018
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Canadian auto parts workers strike in Windsor
By Carl Bronski, 5 March 2018
In previous strikes by parts workers, the Unifor union has intervened to engineer a return to work before production at major auto assembly plants was disrupted.
Nova Scotia Teachers Union abandons strike mandate, capitulates to Liberal attack on education
By Roger Jordan, 3 March 2018
In exchange for the NSTU’s suppression of teacher opposition to its right-wing education “reform,” Nova Scotia’s Liberal government has agreed to changes that will bolster the union apparatus.
British Columbia NDP retreats on election promises in first budget
By Janet Browning and Roger Jordan, 27 February 2018
“This could have just as easily been a budget under the previous government,” observed Business in Vancouver .
National strike in Argentina
Workers Struggles: The Americas
27 February 2018
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Canadian auto parts workers set to strike Windsor plants
By Carl Bronski, 26 February 2018
That a top Unifor official should begin negotiations with a public statement decrying worker wage demands as “unrealistic” should come as no surprise to auto workers.
Nova Scotia teachers vote massively in favour of “illegal” strike
By Roger Jordan, 23 February 2018
The province's Liberal government is seeking to ram through changes to the education system that will enhance its managerial power over teachers and facilitate further spending cuts.
Carillion Canada bankruptcy threatens 6,000 jobs
By Janet Browning and Roger Jordan, 17 February 2018
Carillion was one of the main beneficiaries of hundreds of P3 contracts implemented by all three major parties across Canada, including the trade union-backed NDP.
Workers Struggles: the Americas
13 February 2018
Union cancels walkout by St. Paul, Minnesota teachersThe United States
Quebec: Steelworkers union maneuvering to impose concessions on locked-out aluminum workers
By Laurent Lafrance, 10 February 2018
The USW has touted phony claims of support for the workers from various capitalist politicians, most notably Martine Ouellet, a former Parti Québécois cabinet minister.
British Columbia Safeway workers locked out
Workers Struggles: The Americas
6 February 2018
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Unifor disaffiliates from Canadian Labour Congress in spat over “raiding”
By Carl Bronski, 1 February 2018
None of the rival rightwing factions involved in the current inter-union squabble over union dues represents the interests of the working class.
Halifax shipyard workers stage wildcat walkout
Workers Struggles: The Americas
30 January 2018
Hundreds of Halifax shipbuilding workers walked off the job January 25 to protest irregularities in their paychecks, defying union officials who insisted they stay on the job during ongoing contract negotiations.
Lockout of Quebec aluminium workers at ABI plant enters third week
By Laurent Lafrance, 26 January 2018
The attack on pensions is part of a worldwide corporate assault on the social rights won by generations of workers.
Ontario unions hold bogus “day of action” over wage clawbacks at Tim Hortons
By Roger Jordan, 25 January 2018
The unions are working to exploit the anger over Tim Hortons’ clawbacks to boost their campaign to re-elect Ontario’s big business, pro-austerity Liberal government.
After Ontario minimum wage hike
Canadian businesses claw back wages from low-paid workers
By Carl Bronski, 17 January 2018
While there is widespread anger in the working class at the outrageous actions of big business, it finds no political expression in the bogus protests launched by the trade unions.
Aluminum giants lock out one thousand ABI workers in Quebec
By Laurent Lafrance, 13 January 2018
A joint venture of Alcoa and Rio Tinto Alcan, ABI has locked out 1,030 workers at its Bécancour smelter after they massively rejected the company’s final offer.
Canada: Ontario Liberals impose two-tier employment on autoworkers
By Carl Bronski, 10 January 2018
The unions’ hypocritical hand-wringing over the anti-worker legislation cannot disguise the fact that Unifor helped elect successive Liberal governments in Ontario.
Canada: Former CUPE chief steward caught in cash-for-jobs scandal
By Carl Bronski, 29 December 2017
The case is yet another example of the pro-corporate union bureaucracy’s descent into corruption and outright gangsterism.
Investigation reveals employer impunity in Canadian workplace deaths
By Lee Parsons, 15 December 2017
The conditions documented by the CBC are the result of decades of cost-cutting and deregulation.
Workers Struggles: the Americas
Halifax Shipyard workers vote 99 percent in favor of strike
5 December 2017
The union accuses management of seeking to impose a long list of concessions, including the decimation of safety rules.
Ontario Liberals to outlaw college teachers’ strike
By Dylan Lubao, 18 November 2017
The trade union-backed Liberals of Premier Kathleen Wynne have introduced strikebreaking legislation to end a five-week-long strike by 12,000 community college faculty.
Teamsters Canada sells out Swissport ground crew strike at Toronto’s Pearson Airport
By Dylan Lubao, 13 November 2017
After 11 weeks of union-imposed isolation, 700 Swissport workers reluctantly ratified a sell-out contract.
Ontario colleges issue ultimatum to striking faculty
By Dylan Lubao, 11 November 2017
Making use of Ontario’s reactionary labour laws, college administrators are forcing 12,000 striking faculty to vote on a “final offer” that addresses none of the workers’ demands.
“We have to know that we’re fighting the same fight”
Striking Ontario college faculty speak out
By our reporters, 9 November 2017
Now in its fourth week, the strike by 12,000 Ontario community college faculty is a struggle against precarious work contracts and for greater academic freedom.
Education is a social right!
Students must come to the defense of Ontario’s striking college teachers!
By International Youth and Students for Social Equality (Canada), 7 November 2017
The struggle must be broadened, mobilizing students as well as teachers and other workers across Canada in a political struggle to defend public education and win decent-paying, secure jobs for all.
Lessons of the CAMI autoworkers’ strike in Canada
By Carl Bronski, 28 October 2017
The strike did not fail to achieve its goals due to a lack of readiness among GM workers to fight, but because it was sabotaged by Unifor with its pro-corporate and nationalist agenda.
An educational Walmart
Ontario-wide community college teachers on strike
By Carl Bronski, 18 October 2017
12,000 teachers and librarians have walked out against precarious job security and the undermining of academic freedom.
Unifor imposes new round of concessions
CAMI strike in Canada ends
“We struck for a month and got nothing”
By Carl Bronski and Jerry White, 17 October 2017
Lacking any confidence that Unifor would oppose GM’s job threats, workers reluctantly accepted another concessionary contract.
12,000 professors and instructors strike Ontario colleges
Workers Struggles: The Americas
17 October 2017
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No to Unifor-GM blackmail!
Before any ratification vote, CAMI workers must see the full contract and have time to study it
Statement of the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter, 16 October 2017
CAMI workers have not stood out on the picket lines for a month to accept yet another concessionary contract from an auto giant that made $11 billion in profits last year.
Build rank-and-file committees! Unite Canadian, US and Mexican workers against job cuts!
GM threatens CAMI plant, demands Unifor end month-long strike
By Carl Bronski and Jerry White, 13 October 2017
Workers must break through the conspiracy of silence enforced by union and management and demand all details of the Unifor-GM secret negotiations.
Canadian Fiat Chrysler worker: “Stay strong, workers, and demand answers to your questions”
Talks resume in CAMI strike as Unifor continues to isolate embattled workers
By Shannon Jones, 12 October 2017
Canadian autoworkers expressed their solidarity with the striking CAMI workers and denounced last week’s physical assault on a WSWS reporter by a Unifor operative.
Canadian autoworkers warn CAMI strikers on role of Unifor, condemn attack on WSWS
By Shannon Jones, 10 October 2017
Ford and GM workers in Canada expressed their support for striking CAMI workers and denounced the treacherous role of Unifor.
Unifor operative assaults WSWS reporter at CAMI strike rally
By Jerry White, 9 October 2017
The physical attack is aimed not only at silencing the WSWS but at gagging and intimidating rank-and-file workers.
As CAMI strike ends third week, Unifor peddles Canadian nationalism at rally
By Jerry White, 7 October 2017
Unifor is using CAMI workers as pawns in their maneuvers with the Canadian and US governments over renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Unifor, the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter and the politics of the CAMI strike
By Jerry White, 4 October 2017
The struggle to defend jobs and living standards demands politics: not the politics of Unifor—a close ally of the federal and Ontario Liberal governments—but socialist politics.
CAMI workers challenge further de-industrialization of southwestern Ontario
By Carl Bronski, 3 October 2017
To win secure and decent-paying jobs, workers will have to mount a global struggle to end the subordination of all socioeconomic life to capitalist profit.
Unifor president at CAMI picket line: A declaration of bankruptcy
By Jerry White and Carl Bronski, 2 October 2017
Far from advancing any strategy to win the two-week strike, Unifor officials promoted economic nationalism and illusions in Trudeau and Trump.
Unifor leaders plot with GM to beat back resistance of CAMI strikers
By Jerry White, 29 September 2017
The top leadership of the Canadian auto union met with GM executives in Detroit even as the strike by 2,800 CAMI workers continued.
As Unifor plots to end CAMI strike, corporate press hails union head
By Keith Jones, 27 September 2017
The union is maneuvering to shut the strike down and subordinating the struggle to Unifor’s alliance with the Trudeau Liberal government and its efforts to renegotiate NAFTA.
CAMI autoworkers strike against GM Canada at the crossroads
By Carl Bronski, 26 September 2017
While CAMI workers remained determined, officials from the Unifor union have presented GM Canada with an “olive branch” proposal to shut down the strike.
Nova Scotia Liberals slash public sector workers’ wages
By Janet Browning, 26 September 2017
Nova Scotia’s government, a close ally of the federal Liberal regime, is imposing a substantial, real-wage cut on 75,000 provincial public sector workers.
US autoworkers express support for CAMI strikers in Canada
“We should be out on strike with them”
By Jerry White, 25 September 2017
Despite the sabotage by the auto unions on both sides of the border there is a widespread sentiment for a common struggle against the global carmakers.
Canadian union seeks to shut down CAMI strike by offering concessions to GM
By Roger Jordan, 23 September 2017
Unifor has focused on bolstering its partnership with the big-business Liberal government and promoting reactionary Canadian nationalism.
GM Canada strike in danger
Why is Unifor trying to gag CAMI strikers?
By Carl Bronski and Jerry White, 22 September 2017
Officials from the Unifor union said Wednesday that they have offered an “olive branch” to GM to end the strike.
“What these companies are doing is a new form of slavery”
CAMI strikers determined to resist GM Canada job and wage cuts
By Jerry White and Carl Bronski, 21 September 2017
CAMI workers are fighting to defend their jobs and living standards, while Unifor seeks to tie workers to the Liberal government and Trump's anti-Mexican trade war policies.
CAMI autoworkers locked in fight against GM Canada over jobs and wages
By Jerry White, 20 September 2017
Autoworkers at the General Motors CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ontario are locked in a critical battle that raises fundamental questions for autoworkers in Canada and around the world.
For an international strategy to win the CAMI workers strike
By the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter, 19 September 2017
To prevail in the struggle against GM, CAMI workers must fight to mobilize autoworkers across North America in a counter-offensive against all concessions and job cuts.
GM CAMI workers strike in Canada
By Carl Bronski, 18 September 2017
The walkout is part of a growing wave of struggles by autoworkers around the world, including in the US, Korea, Serbia and Slovakia.
Toronto Airport Authority imposes injunctions on striking ground crew
By Lee Parsons and Roger Jordan, 9 September 2017
Following a protest by the workers on Sunday that temporarily blocked traffic into Pearson Airport, the Greater Toronto Airport Authority has intensified its strike-breaking efforts.
“Whatever happens to us is going to happen to everybody else”
Toronto airport strikers speak out
By our reporters, 4 September 2017
700 employees of Swissport at Toronto’s Pearson Airport are resisting management’s attempt to slash their real wages and gut their working conditions.
GM CAMI workers authorize strike in Canada
By Carl Bronski, 30 August 2017
Workers voted by 99.8 percent to walk out if a new labour agreement is not reached by September 17.
German trade union, works council and Bombardier management unite to impose plant shutdown in stages
By Gustav Kemper, 13 July 2017
The works council at Bombardier’s long standing rail carriage manufacturing facility in Hennigsdorf was joined by officials of the IG Metall trade union, Social Democratic politicians and company management in supporting mass job cuts.
Settlement at AT&T; West, DirecTV, while Spectrum telecom strike continues
Workers Struggles: the Americas
6 June 2017
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Quebec introduces “emergency” bill outlawing construction strike
By Keith Jones, 30 May 2017
The Liberal government is giving itself sweeping powers to shape the arbitration process to ensure the construction bosses’ concession demands are imposed.
Quebec construction strike: Defeat strikebreaking laws and concessions! Defend public services!
By the Socialist Equality Party (Canada), 29 May 2017
Construction workers are the immediate target of the Liberals’ antistrike law, but it is the entire working class that is under attack.
Talks stall on third day of Quebec construction strike
By Roger Jordan, 27 May 2017
Quebec’s Liberal government has confirmed that it intends to outlaw a strike by 175,000 construction workers, with the House leader saying a strikebreaking bill will be tabled Monday.
Quebec premier amplifies threat to outlaw 175,000-strong construction strike
By Keith Jones, 26 May 2017
Among the largest workers’ actions in North America in recent years, the Quebec construction strike has angered and unnerved the Canadian ruling elite.
Quebec construction strike rattles Canada’s ruling elite
By Laurent Lafrance, 25 May 2017
Quebec’s 175,000 unionized construction workers launched an “unlimited general strike” Wednesday morning, shutting down building sites across the province.
Workers Struggles: The Americas
Strikes hit mines in Peru and Mexico as retired US coal miners face health care cutoff
18 April 2017
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“The union works against us”
With contract battle looming, Canadian autoworkers at GM CAMI plant speak out
By Carl Bronski, 23 March 2017
Unifor officials have expressed concern about growing support for the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter as CAMI workers look to recoup years of union-backed wage and benefit concessions.
Workers Struggles: The Americas
7 March 2017
The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.
Sordid inter-union dispute over Toronto transit union’s dues-stream
By Carl Bronski, 25 February 2017
Both factions in the dispute pitting the ATU against its Toronto local president and Unifor have a long record of imposing concession contracts.
Canada: Nova Scotia teachers on one-day strike against imposition of concessions contract
By Laurent Lafrance and Carl Bronski, 17 February 2017
The Liberal government's anti-teacher legislation comes in the wake of teachers rejecting for the third time a tentative contract endorsed by their union.
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