Introduction

I was surprised to read an article from Kiri Vadivelu (December 31, 2024, “No to Legislative Strikebreaking! Victory to Postal Workers!”) in The Red Review, a “Socialist Action journal.” [Socialist Action is an allegedly socialist organization]. Vadivelu was a candidate for mayor in the last municipal elections in Toronto–and I voted for him since he seemed to express some of the views that I share.

Idealization of the Social-Democratic or Social-Reformist Slogan “Fair Wages”

For this reason, I was surprised to read his article on the recent postal workers strike in Canada by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) and the federal government’s forcing the workers back to work. I certainly agree that such a move by the federal government should be criticized, but this hardly justifies Vadivelu’s implicit idealization of  his use of the social-democratic slogan “fair wages”:

By weakening CUPW, Ettinger [CEO of Canada Post] is attacking the very bench  mark CUPW sets for fair wages in the entire delivery sector. This is nothing short of class warfare….

Postal workers set the benchmark for fair wages and rights in this industry. Attacking our union isn’t just an attack on CUPW—it’s an attack on every logistics worker in Canada.

Historically, CUPW was a militant union. As a consequence of Vadivelu’s use of this trade-union cliche, I decided to see whether CUPW used this social-reformist or social-democratic cliche as well (or its equivalent, such as “fair compensation”). Indeed, it does (see Fair Wages: Another Example of the Ideological Rhetoric of Canadian Unions, Part One: The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW)). Such cliches need to be persistently criticized by socialists.

This post continues by providing evidence that, like CUPW, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) -uses the cliche “fair wages” without justifying such a cliche or even specifying what it means by the cliche.

What are fair wages?

In the collective agreement between OPSEU Local 2100 and Peel District School Board, we read on pages 46-47: 

ARTICLE 5 – MANAGEMENT RIGHTS

5.01 Save and except to the extent modified or curtailed by any provisions of this Agreement, the right to manage and conduct the business of the Board is vested exclusively and without limitation with the Board and its Administration.

5.02 Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, subject only to the specific provisions of this Agreement and the right of an Employee to lodge a grievance under the grievance procedures herein provided for, the Employees and the Union recognize and accept that it is the right of the Board to:

a) hire, transfer, promote, demote, classify, direct, assign, or lay-off;

b) suspend with or without pay, discharge or otherwise discipline for just cause an Employee, however, the release of a probationary Employee shall be at the sole discretion of the Board;

c) determine the location of operations and services, their expansion or their curtailment;

d) contracting out;

e) determine the schedules of operations, services to be provided and work schedules;

f) determine the methods, procedures and equipment to be employed;

g) job content;

h) the standards of performance for all Employees;

i) the establishment of work or job assignments, or job classifications;

j) determine the qualifications of an Employee to perform any particular job or service;

k) decide on the number of Employees needed by the Board at any time;

l) the number of hours to be worked;

m) start and end times; and

n) to make, enforce, and alter from time to time, reasonable rules, regulations and policies governing bargaining unit Employees which do not conflict with any provisions of this Agreement.

5.03 The Board agrees that it will not exercise its functions in a manner inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, and the express provisions of this Agreement constitute the only limitations on the Board’s rights.

5.04 Consultation

Should the Board contemplate any major changes in the staffing or delivery of programs, it will consult with the Union in respect of such changes. The Board shall provide notice to the Union as soon as reasonably possible and the Union shall be permitted to make submissions.

5.05 Indemnification

Peel District School Board Policy 63 – Indemnification of Board Employees and Members of the Board (Board Policies and OPs – Policy 63.pdf – All Documents (sharepoint.com) as approved August 27, 1996 shall apply to all members of the bargaining unit. Policy 63 shall not be amended during the term of this agreement without the consent of the Union. An individual affected by the application or non-application of Policy 63 shall have the right to grieve any alleged violation of the policy pursuant to the grievance procedure.

5.06 The Board agrees to communicate to the Union any proposed new policy or changes in policy of the Board which will directly affect Employees. The Board agrees to consider any submissions made by the Union regarding the proposed new policy or changes in policy before the policy is implemented by the Board.

That clause includes such management rights as hiring, firing, disciplining and directing the work of school support workers–subject to the limits of the collective agreement and relevant legislation. It also includes the right to determine performance standards–another powerful right of management.  Such rights hardly are “fair” since they permit management to control workers’ lives in various ways and, ultimately, to treat them as means for purposes undefined by the workers themselves (see The Money Circuit of Capital and Employers as Dictators, Part One). How can wages in any way compensate for the loss of freedom of public-sector workers (and workers who work for employers in general)? Perhaps some “leftist” can explain it. More likely, though, the so-called left will remain silent about the issue.

My argument from another post also applies to the issue of “fair wages”:

As shown in the last post, unions persistently claim that, through collective bargaining and a collective agreement, there can arise somehow (by magic?) “a fair and equitable collective agreement.” There can be no such thing as long as there exists a market for workers, where human beings are treated as things and as means for purposes over which they have little control. To claim otherwise is to bullshit workers–and workers deserve much better than this.

The Rhetoric of OPSEU: Fair Wages

1. From September 23, 2024 (https://opseu.org/news/anishnawbe-health-toronto-fair-wages/243021/): 

Take action for worker wellbeing at Anishnawbe Health Toronto

While the unique services provided at AHT are often lauded, the workers who provide those services are calling for fair pay, pension a pension to retire with dignity and improved worker wellbeing. …

Here’s the text of the email that will be sent on your behalf:

I am deeply concerned that, despite providing culturally beneficial healthcare and mental health services to the under-served Indigenous community in Toronto, the workers at Anishnawbe Health Toronto have yet to secure a first contract that includes fair pay, a pension to retire with dignity and improved worker well-being.

2. From April 26, 2024 (https://opseu.org/news/autumn-view-edition-2-2024/239103/): 

OPSEU/SEFPO members re-elect President JP Hornick, acclaim First Vice-President/Treasurer Laurie Nancekivell …

Following the presidential election on Friday morning, Hornick and Nancekivell joined hundreds of OPSEU/SEFPO members on a march to a nearby LCBO store, where they rallied for fair wages, good jobs, and quality public services in every corner of the province.

3. From February 2, 2024 (https://opseu.org/news/opseu-sefpo-in-the-news-myhealth-workers-and-jp-hornick-rally-for-pension-fair-wages/211849/): 

OPSEU/SEFPO in the news: MyHealth workers and JP Hornick rally for pension & fair wages

4. From January 29, 2024 (https://opseu.org/news/health-care-workers-at-myhealth-centre-to-rally-for-pension-benefits-and-fair-wages/211151/): 

Health care workers at MyHealth Centre to rally for pension benefits and fair wages

5. From September 14, 2023 (https://opseu.org/news/rally-for-fair-wages/199713/): 

Rally for Fair Wages!

6. From April 29, 2023 (https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/lcbo-workers-rally-inside-flagship-lcbo-store-to-call-for-fair-wages-and-an-end-to-ford-s-reckless-privatization-agenda-886268537.html): 

LCBO workers rally inside flagship LCBO store to call for fair wages and an end to Ford’s reckless privatization agenda

Members of OPSEU/SEFPO’s Liquor Board Employees Division (LBED) rallied inside an LCBO store in downtown Toronto today to draw attention to their demands for fair wages, more full-time jobs, and an end to the Ford government’s privatization of alcohol sales. …

The fight for fair wages and responsible liquor distribution continues as OPSEU/SEFPO’s LBED leadership plans to launch an anti-privatization campaign this summer.

7. No date, but probably in 2023 (before July 11) (https://opseu354.ca/caat-s-ft-wage-reopener-update/): 

Furthermore, I believe that investing in our employees is an investment in the college itself. Our unionized workforce is a critical part of the college’s success, and I am proud of the work that I do each day. By offering fair wages and benefits, the college can ensure that its employees are able to stay focused on their work and continue to deliver the high-quality services that our students and community members rely on. I also believe it will enable the college to recruit new talent to our institution.

8. From March 24, 2023 (https://opseu.org/news/strike-alert-solidarity-with-l-273-one-fertility-burlington-healthcare-workers/188463/): 

Strike alert: Solidarity with L. 273 ONE Fertility healthcare workers

On Wednesday, March 29, OPSEU/SEFPO L. 273 fertility healthcare workers at ONE Fertility Burlington will potentially be on strike. These seventeen members – a predominantly female workforce – are fighting for fair wages that reflect their value.

9. From June 15, 2019 (https://opseu.org/news/frontline-workers-at-community-living-cambridge-to-march-for-fair-wages-accountability/18705/): 

Frontline workers at Community Living Cambridge to march for fair wages, accountability

10. From June 13, 2018 (https://opseu.org/news/fighting-for-fair-wages-100-educational-workers-in-kenora-area-join-opseu/17611/): 

Fighting for fair wages, 100 educational workers in Kenora area join OPSEU

Conclusion

OPSEU uses the cliche “fair wages” or its equivalent, likely to “sell” certain collective-bargaining proposals to union members as well as to criticize the employer’s intransigence if it refuses to meet the bargaining team’s target wage. Nowhere does OPSEU specify what it means by “fair wages” or how fair wages can be fair in the context of the domination of the class power of employers.