Introduction
John Clarke, former major organizer for the defunct Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), went to Kingston and gave a mini-course of his course “Fighting to Win”:
January 2, 2026:
Last month, I facilitated a one-day workshop for the Kingston and District Labour Council that was based on my twelve-week Fighting to Win course for union and community activists.
It would be interesting to see if he is more explicit about his criticisms of the limitations of current unions. I did try to register for such the full course at one point, but it was claimed that it was full (by a member of the Socialist Project, which supports the course). However, not too long afterwards, I attended a viewing sponsored by Socialist Project of Robert Bresson’s movie Money. Curiously, after the movie, a member of Socialist Project announced Clarke’s course, implying that there were still spots for those who wanted to attend.
Since I have found Clarke’s references to exploitation of workers to be vague (see for example Limitations of a Radical’s Views on Class Exploitation: The Blog of the Toronto Radical John Clarke, Part One ), I wondered to what extent his course provides a critique of union rhetoric. Since I am not permitted to attend his course, I used a substitute–an inquiry about whether the Kingston and District Labour Council expresses union cliches, such as “fair wages,” “fair contract,” “fair collective agreement,” “fair deal,” “good jobs,” “decent work,” “dignity” and similar expressions that other Councils or organizations of unions use.
Evidence that the Council Expresses Union Cliches
The Council is not a large local and so does not have much explicit information about its ideological position on its website (see https://kingstonlabour.ca/); much of its information comes from larger unions or union-affiliated organizations (such as the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). I could use the rhetoric contained in such announcements.
For example, Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), stated the following three cliches in a short written space ( https://kingstonlabour.ca/clc-news/?id=20352 ):
November 3, 2025:
Canadian Labour Congress available for comment on Budget 2025
“For workers, the test of this budget is simple: will the richest corporations finally pay their fair share so we can invest in people, good jobs, and communities? …
“What matters in Budget 2025 is whether it delivers real job-creating investments in housing, public infrastructure, and a net-zero future while ensuring workers can move into secure, union jobs with fair wages and benefits.” – Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress [emphases are mine]
If workers who work for an employer are necessarily exploited and oppressed (see for example The Rate of Exploitation of General Motors Workers), then all references to corporations “paying their fair share” is nonsense–corporations obtain profits by exploiting workers, and there is no such thing as “paying their fair share” in such a situation. To call such jobs “good” is also nonsense–how is being exploited and oppressed good? And what are “fair wages” in the context of exploitation and oppression? Do workers who work for more than necessary to produce or obtain their wages or salary and benefits receiving a “fair wage.” Would they have to work for the amount of time that they now do if they were not exploited?
I did, however, try to find posts that more directly indicated the Council’s use of union cliches. Here is what I found (bold expressions are often my emphases).
They do have a Facebook page.
- From December 23, 2025 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581115977041):
We’re pleased to see CUPW reach a tentative agreement with Canada Post. It’s a strong step forward for postal workers, and we’re hopeful it reflects the fairness and respect they deserve!
2. From December 3, 2025 (https://kingstonlabour.ca/kdlc-statement-on-international-day-of-persons-with-disabilities/):
KDLC Statement on International Day of Persons with Disabilities
The Kingston District Labour Council remains committed to supporting initiatives that advance equity, ensure workplace accessibility, and uphold the dignity, rights, and well-being of persons with disabilities.
If persons without disabilities at work cannot achieve dignity since they are oppressed and exploited, how persons with disabilities can achieve this remains a mystery.
In the context of the money circuit of capital (see The Money Circuit of Capital ), how is it possible to say that workers can be treated fairly and with respect if they are treated as means for purposes defined by employers?
3. From September 1, 2025 (https://kingstonlabour.ca/events/kingston-labour-day-parade-2025/):
Come celebrate the achievements of the Kingston & District labour movement in building our communities, supporting our fellow community members, delivering goods and services, defending our rights, and advocating for better working conditions and fairness for all!
Fairness for all? This position assumes that all Canadians can achieve fairness without exploiting and oppressing others. Since workers are necessarily means for purposes defined by others, the nature of this fairness is certainly advantageous for employers–and disadvantageous for workers (although it is also necessary to recognize that workers, within the employer-employee relation, do have an interest in maintaining the existence of their particular employer; otherwise, they would become unemployed).
This phrase “fairness for all” hides the exploitation and oppression of workers.
4. From January 1, 2025 (https://kdlc.ca/a-new-year-a-renewed-hope-for-labour-in-canada/):
Building a Better Society Together
To create a better society, we need to work together—not just within our unions, but with our communities. Solidarity is our greatest strength, and when workers, families, and allies unite, we can make big changes.
This year, let’s focus on:
Improving Worker Protections: Push for stronger labour laws to protect against unfair dismissals, ensure fair wages, and guarantee safe workplaces for everyone.
5. August 11, 2023 (https://kingstonlabour.ca/labour-day-2023/):
Kingston Labour Day 2023
“Come celebrate the achievements of our labour movement in building our communities, delivering the goods and services, defending our rights, and redistributing the wealth created by our labour. Kingston doesn’t work without workers!”
Social reformers often shift the issue to distribution rather than control over production. This focus on “redistributing the wealth created by our labour” expresses acceptance of the oppression and exploitation of workers–provided wealth is redistributed.
6. From August 10, 2023 ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/407194632665747/search/?q=Local%20Algonquin%20Lakeshore%20OECTA%20dropped%20off%20some ):
From Steve Garrison of OECTA (and KDLC Vice-President):
“Local Algonquin Lakeshore OECTA dropped off some sandwiches to UNIFOR 8300 members from Extendicare Kingston to show solidarity with these workers who have been getting ripped off by their employer’s flawed new pay system (similar to Phoenix!). These workers, who care for our most vulnerable citizens, deserve to be compensated fairly and on time.
They certainly deserve to be paid on time. They, however, will never be fairly compensated–being treated as costs and as means for purposes defined by others can never be fair. Or, alternatively, being treated as costs and as means for purposes defined by other, according to the KDLC, can be compensated by received a “fair wage.”
7. From KDLC News, August 4 2023 (https://kingstonlabour.ca/kdlc-news-august-4-2023/#:~:text=Unions%20and%20employees%20at%20Queen’s,for%20the%20university’s%203%2C300%20employees. ):
News Briefs
Queen’s University employees demand fair compensation
Unions and employees at Queen’s University continue to demand the Board of Trustees and senior leadership to deliver fair wage increases for the university’s 3,300 employees. The Unity Council, which brings together unions at the university, has set up an email campaign to keep up the pressure. Click here to send a message for fair compensation for our friends, family and neighbours employed at Queen’s University.
8. From September 15, 2018 (https://www.quintenews.com/2018/09/15/locals-rally-to-support-15-minimum-wage-increase/):
Locals rally to support $15 minimum wage increase
About 30 people gathered for a rally in support of the “Fight for $15 and Fairness Campaign” in front of MPP Todd Smith’s office in Rossmore, organized by the Quinte Labour Council and the Kingston & District Labour Council. …
The group’s intention with the rally was to give people the right to fair and equal wages for work across the board to keep up with the higher cost of modern living.
Of course, efforts to increase the minimum wage should be supported, but there is no such thing as a “fair wage” in a social system dominated by a class of employers and the associated economic, political and social relations. Exploitation and oppression form an essential part of such relations (see for example Employers as Dictators, Part One).
Conclusion
The Kingston District & Labour Council has its share of union cliches–cliches that its reps and its members should question and criticize. There is little evidence that they do so, though. Should they not do so? Does Clarke’s course provide means for doing so? Does it explicitly engage with such union rhetoric and cliches?
Unless Clarke’s course does, it is unlikely to be very effective; union cliches and rhetoric must be constantly challenged so that workers begin to question the legitimacy of the class power of employers and the associated political, economic and social conditions.
The Abolitionary 