The recent passing of legislation to force Ontario education workers to abandon a strike that they had not even yet started deserves to be opposed energetically. Ford, the Ontario premier, furthermore, justified the law practically by invoking the "notwithstanding" clause of the Canadian Charter of Rights. This clause involves the following: The notwithstanding clause — … Continue reading Solidarity with Union Members–and an Occasion for Discussing the Limitations of Collective Bargaining: The Ontario Ford Government’s Legislation to Force CUPE Education Workers to Abandon Their Strike
Tag: Collective Agreements
The Ontario Federation of Labour’s Workers-First Agenda: A Critique: Part One
Introduction The so-called radical left here in Toronto rarely engages in any detailed criticism of unions or groups of unions. Quite to the contrary. They either make vague assertions about "the trade-union elite" or the "trade-union bureaucracy" (union bureaucrats or business unions), or they remain silent when faced with the persistent rhetoric that unions. It … Continue reading The Ontario Federation of Labour’s Workers-First Agenda: A Critique: Part One
Management Rights Clause in a Collective Agreement in France: Progressive Discipline Is Better Than Arbitrary Discipline–But It Is Still Oppressive
Introduction Discipline permeates our world--family. school and work. In an earlier post, in the context of schools, I have already explored, briefly, the difference between intrinsic or internal discipline and external discipline (see Critical Education Articles Placed in the Teacher Staff Lounge While I Was a Teacher, Part Ten: Intrinsic or Internal Discipline Versus Extrinsic … Continue reading Management Rights Clause in a Collective Agreement in France: Progressive Discipline Is Better Than Arbitrary Discipline–But It Is Still Oppressive
Law (the Legal System) and the Coercive Power of Employers as a Class
Introduction It is interesting how little discussion arises over the nature of the legal system and how it contributes to the exploitation, oppression and economic coercion of billions of workers throughout the world. Unions rarely if ever discuss such issues--it is considered to be utopian at best--whereas unions dealing with the "real" problems that workers … Continue reading Law (the Legal System) and the Coercive Power of Employers as a Class
Academic Narrow-mindedness: A Reason for Starting a Blog, Part Three
This is a continuation of a previous post. Before I started this blog, I had sent an article critical of the implied concept of "free collective bargaining." The article was rejected for publication. Given that the reasons for rejecting the article seemed absurd, I decided to skip the academic process and post directly my views. … Continue reading Academic Narrow-mindedness: A Reason for Starting a Blog, Part Three
The Poverty of Academic Leftism, Part Nine: The Nature of Capitalism
Introduction It is interesting that social democrats express themselves in different ways. Thus, Professor Noonan, a professor at the University of Windsor (Ontario, Canada), who teaches Marxism, among other courses, presents what he considers one of the major issues at stake in the struggle of the left against the right in his "post (really a … Continue reading The Poverty of Academic Leftism, Part Nine: The Nature of Capitalism
The Radical Left Needs to Call into Question Existing Social Institutions at Every Opportunity, Part Six
The following issue deserves a separate post. As I have tried to stress throughout these posts, unions in Canada (and undoubtedly elsewhere) are inadequate organizations for representing the interests of the working class The issue illustrates how union reps limit the development of a critical approach to a society dominated by a class of employers. … Continue reading The Radical Left Needs to Call into Question Existing Social Institutions at Every Opportunity, Part Six
The Radical Left Needs to Call into Question Existing Social Institutions at Every Opportunity, Part Five
Introduction Before I obtained a so-called permanent teaching position (I will explain in a much later post why I use the word "so-called"), I worked for a number of years as a substitute teacher (with short periods of term teaching positions). I became an executive member of the Winnipeg Teachers' Association (WTA) (in the province … Continue reading The Radical Left Needs to Call into Question Existing Social Institutions at Every Opportunity, Part Five
Management Rights, Part Nine: Is A Collective Agreement that Involves Management Rights and the Exploitation and Oppression of Workers a Fair Contract?
In the previous post, I calculated the rate of exploitation of workers who work for Rogers Communication (see The Rate of Exploitation of the Workers of Rogers Communications Inc., One of the Largest Private Employers in Toronto). Below you will find the management rights clause of a collective agreement between Rogers Communications and Metro Cable TV … Continue reading Management Rights, Part Nine: Is A Collective Agreement that Involves Management Rights and the Exploitation and Oppression of Workers a Fair Contract?
Socialism and Central Planning: Mr. Gindin’s Analysis of The Political Situation of Workers in General, Part Two
The following is the second of a two-part series on Bill Resnick's interview with Sam Gindin, in accordance with the two-part presentation of the interview. I put my summary of Mr. Gindin's talk in italics; my comments are in regular print. I also use italics when quoting others. According to Bill Resnick, part two is … Continue reading Socialism and Central Planning: Mr. Gindin’s Analysis of The Political Situation of Workers in General, Part Two
The Abolitionary 