Fair Contracts or Collective Agreements: The Ideological Rhetoric of Canadian Unions, Part Six: The Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL)

Introduction Since in this blog I have often referred to particular union reps referring to collective agreements as fair in some way, I thought it would be useful to provide further examples of this rhetoric to substantiate the view that unions function as ideologues for the continued existence of employers--even if the unions are independent … Continue reading Fair Contracts or Collective Agreements: The Ideological Rhetoric of Canadian Unions, Part Six: The Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL) →

Limitations of a Radical’s Views on Class Exploitation: The Toronto Radical John Clarke’s Blog, Part Three

Introduction In my first post in this series Limitations of a Radical’s Views on Class Exploitation: The Blog of the Toronto Radical John Clarke, Part One , I started with an hypothesis: many activists in practice assume that it is unnecessary to engage in theory in any rigorous manner (even if they claim the contrary) since … Continue reading Limitations of a Radical’s Views on Class Exploitation: The Toronto Radical John Clarke’s Blog, Part Three →

Should Not the Radical Left Take into Account the Attitude of Workers Towards Their Own Jobs? Part Twelve, The Case of AB (Anheuser-Busch) InBev NV Brewery Workers

Introduction One of the few things that I agree with the academic leftist Jeff Noonan, professor of philosophy at the University of Windsor, Ontario, is that leftists must start where workers are at: Political engagement begins from trying to understand where people are coming from. But where people are coming from can be interpreted in … Continue reading Should Not the Radical Left Take into Account the Attitude of Workers Towards Their Own Jobs? Part Twelve, The Case of AB (Anheuser-Busch) InBev NV Brewery Workers →

Marx, Capital, Volume 1, Chapter 1, Section 2: The Double Character of the Labour Represented in the Commodity: Flashcards on Quizlet and in this Post

I have created a set of flashcards for the second section of chapter one of Marx's Capital (see https://quizlet.com/ca/990207164/marx-capital-volume-1-chapter-1-section-2-the-double-character-of-the-labour-represented-in-the-commoity-flash-cards/?i=5wlz50&x=1qqt). There are also previous flashcards for the earlier section of chapter 1 on that site (as well as on this blog). Here is a copy of the flashcards: 1 A commodity has the double or dual … Continue reading Marx, Capital, Volume 1, Chapter 1, Section 2: The Double Character of the Labour Represented in the Commodity: Flashcards on Quizlet and in this Post →

Fair Wages: Another Example of the Ideological Rhetoric of Canadian Unions, Part Six: The Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour (NLFL)

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 … Continue reading Fair Wages: Another Example of the Ideological Rhetoric of Canadian Unions, Part Six: The Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour (NLFL) →

Limitations of a Radical’s Views on Class Exploitation: The Toronto Radical John Clarke’s Blog, Part Two

Introduction In my first post in this series (Limitations of a Radical’s Views on Class Exploitation: The Blog of the Toronto Radical John Clarke, Part One, I started with an hypothesis: many activists in practice assume that it is unnecessary to engage in theory in any rigorous manner (even if they claim the contrary) since … Continue reading Limitations of a Radical’s Views on Class Exploitation: The Toronto Radical John Clarke’s Blog, Part Two →

Management Rights and the Lack of Criticism of Such Rights Among the Social Democratic Left, Part Nineteen: Private Sector, New Brunswick

Introduction A local leader of a leftist workers' organization here in Toronto stated that I kept repeating the same thing. Yes, I did--the issue is the same throughout. How can the so-called left refer to a fair wage or a decent job even in unionized settings when workers are used as things by employers for … Continue reading Management Rights and the Lack of Criticism of Such Rights Among the Social Democratic Left, Part Nineteen: Private Sector, New Brunswick →

Limitations of a Radical’s Views on Class Exploitation: The Blog of the Toronto Radical John Clarke, Part One

Introduction I want to start with an hypothesis: many activists in practice assume that it is unnecessary to engage in theory in any rigorous manner (even if they claim the contrary) since they engage in practice—they are activists. John Clarke, a former major organizer of the defunct organization Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, illustrates this hypothesis … Continue reading Limitations of a Radical’s Views on Class Exploitation: The Blog of the Toronto Radical John Clarke, Part One →

The Real World of the Rule of Law, Part 9: The So-Called Right to Remain Silent

Introduction As some of the left fall all over themseves referring to the genocide in Gaza and the West Bank as a breach of international law without gaining any criticial distancing from the limitations of "the law," , the actual nature of law and its procedural acrobatics lies hidden. It is better to remind workers, … Continue reading The Real World of the Rule of Law, Part 9: The So-Called Right to Remain Silent →

Another Abstract Slogan or Cliche of Social-Democratic or Social-Reformist Organizations: Employers or Corporations Paying Their Fair Share of Taxes, Part Four: The New Democratic Party (NDP)

Introduction I have pointed out that the major Canadian unions use cliches like "fair contracts." (see for example the posts on the two largest Canadian unions Fair Contracts (or Fair Collective Agreements): The Ideological Rhetoric of Canadian Unions, Part One: The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and Fair Contracts or Collective Agreements: The Ideological Rhetoric of … Continue reading Another Abstract Slogan or Cliche of Social-Democratic or Social-Reformist Organizations: Employers or Corporations Paying Their Fair Share of Taxes, Part Four: The New Democratic Party (NDP) →