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 ???). Such cliches need to be persistently criticized by socialists.
This post continues by providing evidence that, like CUPW, the so-called progressive and leftist Canadian Council of Canadians uses the cliche “fair wages” without justifying such a cliche or even specifying what it means by the cliche.
What is the Council of Canadians? From its website:
Our mission is to…
Bring people together through collective action and grassroots organizing to challenge corporate power and advocate for people, the planet and our democracy.
What are fair wages?
I have already provided a number of collective agreements with management rights clauses in them (see for example Management Rights (Managerial Responsibility) and the Lack of Criticism of Such Rights Among the Social Democratic Left, Part Twenty: Nunavut, Public Sector) (and even if they do not, it is implied and arbitrators will read into the collective agreement management rights).
Most management clauses include such management rights as hiring, disciplining, suspending, discharging and evaluating the peformance of employees–subject to the limits of the collective agreement and relevant legislation. 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.
References to “fair wages” or “fair pay” in bold are my emphases.
The Rhetoric of the Council of Canadians: Fair Wages
- From September 10, 2024 (https://canadians.org/analysis/fed-up-with-the-cost-of-living-blame-bosses-and-billionaires-not-migrants/?utm_source=chatgpt.com):
Fed up with the cost of living? Blame bosses and billionaires, not migrants!
by Council of Canadians
Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker program is under fire.
The real problem is our governments prioritizing the bottom line of businesses instead of fair pay and workers’ rights. Instead of pointing fingers, provincial and federal governments should be raising minimum wages for all and providing foreign workers with safe working conditions and a path to permanent residency.
- From May 4, 2023 (https://canadians.org/analysis/spring-2023-chapter-update-ontario-quebec-nunavut-region/):
Spring 2023 Chapter Update: Ontario-Quebec-Nunavut Region
by Vi Bui
Chapters and the Council of Canadians joined the province-wide efforts to educate the public about the threat privatization poses to our health care system, and the solutions we already have. Chapters attended rallies in Ottawa, Toronto, Waterloo, and Windsor, and joined the Ontario Nurses Association on their picket lines calling for fair wages for health care workers.
- From May 4, 2022: (https://canadians.org/analysis/council-canadians-chapters-celebrate-may-day-2022/):
Council of Canadians chapters celebrate May Day 2022 in Ontario
by Vi Bui
On May 1, Council of Canadians chapters across Ontario joined our labour allies and community groups to celebrate International Workers’ Day. As the province heads into an election, workers and communities rallied for a better Ontario and called for fair wages and better working conditions, paid sick days, affordable housing, stronger public services, and a just transition.
- From May 23, 2019 (https://canadians.org/analysis/maude-barlow-delivers-keynote-speech-tommy-douglas-institute/):
Maude Barlow delivers keynote speech to Tommy Douglas Institute
Here in Ontario, the fight for economic justice is central to all our struggles. The Fight for $15 and Fairness is a powerful network and platform for us all to come behind with its demand for fair wages, paid leave, rules that protect everyone, protections for migrant workers, job security and respect at work, and the right to organize and unionize. Here is a clear vision of economic justice.
- From March 11, 2019 (https://canadians.org/analysis/uniteagainstracism-all-out-migrant-justice/):
#UniteAgainstRacism: All out for migrant justice!
by Bronwen Tucker
The Council of Canadians urges all to take part in these events, sign up to hold their own, and build the struggle for migrant justice into their everyday practices. …
We have the people, and we have the solutions. Here is what event organizers will be calling for on March 21st:…
FAIR WAGES: $15 minimum wage! Full labour rights! No closed permits.
- From March 8, 2017 (https://canadians.org/analysis/london-chapter-maude-barlow-celebrate-international-womens-day/):
London chapter & Maude Barlow celebrate International Women’s Day
by Brent Patterson
The chapter and Barlow sang the song “Bread and Roses” together in the kitchen of chapter activists Roberta and Rory Cory while holding an International Women’s Day banner made by chapter activist Julie Picken-Cooper.
One of the verses of that song is as follows:
“As we go marching, marching, we’re standing proud and tall.
The rising of the women means the rising of us all.
No more the drudge and idler, ten that toil where one reposes,
But a sharing of life’s glories, bread and roses, bread and roses.”The song originated from a speech by American feminist, socialist and labour union leader Rose Schneiderman during a strike in 1912 in Massachusetts in which she made the appeal for both fair wages and dignified conditions.
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From January 8, 2017 (https://canadians.org/analysis/nafta-indigenous-rights-and-migration/):
The Council of Canadians calls for:
6- a North American Auto Pact to ensure that each country receives a proportional share of employment and investment, and that workers have good jobs and fair wages.
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From January 3, 2017 (https://canadians.org/analysis/north-american-auto-pact-would-benefit-all-workers/):
A North American Auto Pact would benefit all workers
by Brent Patterson
We believe a North American Auto Pact should be explored to ensure that each country receives a proportional share of employment and investment, that workers have good jobs and fair wages, and that human rights and collective bargaining rights are respected in all countries.
- From May 22, 2015 (https://canadians.org/analysis/london-chapter-says-no-austerity-yes-raising-rates/):
London chapter says no to austerity, yes to raising the rates
by Brent Patterson
The London chapter protested outside the constituency office of London North Centre MPP Deb Matthews. She is an important MPP for the campaign to reach in that she is the President of the Treasury Board and Minister Responsible for the Poverty Reduction Strategy. In a Facebook post, chapter activist Robert Cory notes, “London CoC joined with London Common Front to tell Deb Matthews that austerity measures are not acceptable and that everyone deserves a fair wage!”
- From December 8, 2010 (https://canadians.org/analysis/shannon-brown-transfair-canada-concerned-about-ceta-impact-farmers-buy-local-initiatives/):
Shannon Brown of TransFair Canada concerned about CETA impact on farmers, ‘buy local’ initiatives
by Stuart Trew
In a blog post today, Shannon Brown with TransFair writes that overwhelmingly Canadians believe fair wages and environmental damage during production should be considered when people spend money or companies do business with poorer countries
Conclusion
Like unions, the Council of Canadians uses the cliche “fair wages” or its equivalent. Nowhere does it specify how fair wages can be fair in the context of the domination of the class power of employers. It does a disservice to the working class by using such cliches.
The Abolitionary 