Management Rights and the Lack of Criticism of Such Rights Among the Social Democratic Left, Part Seventeen: Public Sector, Alberta

Introduction Collective agreements limit the power of the employer (aka management) to do what it wants. They are better, generally, than not having a collective agreement. However, the limitation of managerial power is itself very limited. Management still can use the collective group of workers for purposes not defined at all by those workers. Is … Continue reading Management Rights and the Lack of Criticism of Such Rights Among the Social Democratic Left, Part Seventeen: Public Sector, Alberta →

Greek Dockworkers Refuse to Handle Shipment Destined to Israel

The following was posted by Middle East Eye on July 8, 2025 (https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/greek-dock-workers-will-refuse-unload-ship-carrying-military-grade-steel-israel): Greek dock workers will refuse to unload Israel's 'murderous cargo' The military-grade steel cargo on board the Ever Golden was set to be transferred to a ship owned by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund before being taken to Israel The Ever Golden … Continue reading Greek Dockworkers Refuse to Handle Shipment Destined to Israel →

The Real World of the Rule of Law, Part 8: So-Called Voluntary Statements Made by a Charged Person Include Many Actions that a Normal Person Would Not Define as Voluntary

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 8: So-Called Voluntary Statements Made by a Charged Person Include Many Actions that a Normal Person Would Not Define as Voluntary →

Another Abstract Slogan or Cliche of Unions: Employers or Corporations Paying Their Fair Share of Taxes, Part Two: The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)

I have pointed out that the major Canadian unions use cliches like "fair contracts" and "fair wages." Another cliche that they (and social democrats or social reformers) use is corporations paying their "fair share of taxes." Let us look at this phrase for a moment. For corporations to pay their "fair share of taxes," it … Continue reading Another Abstract Slogan or Cliche of Unions: Employers or Corporations Paying Their Fair Share of Taxes, Part Two: The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) →

Another Canadian Act of Oppression for Criticizing Israel’s Genocidal Actions

Many Canadians--including many social democrats or social reformers--like to think that Canada is much different from the United States. However, in addition to systematic exploitation and oppression of workers on a daily basis (see for example  The Rate of Exploitation of Canada Life Workers), there has been systematic oppression of Canadian citizens who have protested … Continue reading Another Canadian Act of Oppression for Criticizing Israel’s Genocidal Actions →

A Union Calling On a Government to End the Genocide in Gaza and the West Bank Is Much Easier than Organizing Workers to Prevent the Shipment of Material to Israel

Unifor, the largest private-sector union in Canada, has recently called on the Canadian government to demand the end of the genocide in Palestine and to permit aid to civilians in those areas. From the Unifor website (https://www.unifor.org/news/all-news/unifor-letter-prime-minister-carney-re-urgent-canadian-intervention-end-genocide):  Unifor letter to Prime Minister Carney Re: Urgent Canadian intervention to end the genocide in Palestine June 25, … Continue reading A Union Calling On a Government to End the Genocide in Gaza and the West Bank Is Much Easier than Organizing Workers to Prevent the Shipment of Material to Israel →

The Rate of Exploitation of Canada Life Workers

Introduction In another post, I presented twenty-one large employers in Winnipeg (see A List of the Largest Employers in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada). I have posted similar statistics for other cities and have calculated the degree to which workers are exploited by some of those employers--to what extent workers work for free for the employer by … Continue reading The Rate of Exploitation of Canada Life Workers →

European Dockworkers Refuse to Load Weapons Aimed at Palestine

The following was posted on the LaborNotes website (https://labornotes.org/2025/06/european-dockworkers-refuse-load-weapons-aimed-palestine): European Dockworkers Refuse to Load Weapons Aimed at Palestine June 12, 2025 / Rafeef Ziadah and Katy Fox-Hodess French dockworkers hold a banner to support a Swedish dockworker who was fired in retaliation for a six-day boycott of military cargo to Israel. Photo: WIP On June 4, … Continue reading European Dockworkers Refuse to Load Weapons Aimed at Palestine →

Referring to the Law without Qualification When Criticizing the Ruling Class Is Social-Reformist or Social-Democratic, not Socialist

Here in Toronto, Canada, and elsewhere, social democrats (such as David Bush) criticize actions (such as those of Trump) on the basis of breeches of the law. Although such breeches should be pointed out and criticized in order to expose the hypocrisy of the ruling class, socialists should always point out simultaneously the limitations of … Continue reading Referring to the Law without Qualification When Criticizing the Ruling Class Is Social-Reformist or Social-Democratic, not Socialist →