Introduction Kiri Vadivelu, a member of Socialist Action, posted the following on his Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/reel/2156080044871135): For long time, Liberals and their counterparts betrayed Canadian workers coast to coast under the disguise of democracy. Mark Hancock, National President of CUPE showed everyone how to confront political and legal thuggery in the true Canadian way. Enough … Continue reading Mark Hancock, President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE): A Consistent Social Democrat or Social Reformer as Witnessed by His Stance During the Air Canada Flight Attendants’ Strike
Tag: fairness
Corporations Paying Their Fair Share of Taxes: The Ideological Rhetoric of Canadian Unions: Part One, the National Union of Public and General Employees Union (NUPGE)
Introduction I have pointed out that the major Canadian unions use cliches like "fair contracts." In particular, I have pointed out in another post (Fair Contracts or Collective Agreements: The Ideological Rhetoric of Canadian Unions, Part Four: The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) (The Second Largest Union in Canada)) that the National … Continue reading Corporations Paying Their Fair Share of Taxes: The Ideological Rhetoric of Canadian Unions: Part One, the National Union of Public and General Employees Union (NUPGE)
Fair Wages as a Socialist Goal? The Limitations of the Organization Socialist Action
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 as a Socialist Goal? The Limitations of the Organization Socialist Action
Another Example of Union Ideology Concerning a “Fair Contract”: the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3903
I came across the following, which provides further evidence of how unions use the concept of "fair contract" to paint over the oppression and exploitation of workers ( https://3903.cupe.ca/2024/02/05/clock-ticking-toward-strike-deadline-at-york-university/ ): Clock ticking toward strike deadline at York University Posted on February 5, 2024 by Comms Officer TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–After six months of negotiations with York University without significant progress, the … Continue reading Another Example of Union Ideology Concerning a “Fair Contract”: the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3903
Fair Contracts or Collective Agreements: The Ideological Rhetoric of Canadian Unions, Part Five: The Ontario Public Services Employees Union (OPSEU)
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 Five: The Ontario Public Services Employees Union (OPSEU)
Social Democrats or Social Reformers Fail to Recognize Their Own Limitations: The Bullshit Asymmetry Principle Once Again
Tracy MacMaster commented on John Clarke's post This exactly. Thanks John Clarke . To what was MacMaster referring? To Clarke's post concerning the "bullshit asymmetry principle." I quote from John Clarke: A FB friend put up a post that deals with the 'bullshit asymmetry principle.' This holds that 'the amount of energy needed to refute … Continue reading Social Democrats or Social Reformers Fail to Recognize Their Own Limitations: The Bullshit Asymmetry Principle Once Again
The Bullshit Asymmetry Principle of Social Democrats or Social Reformers
John Clarke, former major organizer for the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), recently posted this on Facebook: John Clarke A FB friend put up a post that deals with the 'bullshit asymmetry principle.' This holds that 'the amount of energy needed to refute bullshit is an order of magnitude larger than to produce it.' … Continue reading The Bullshit Asymmetry Principle of Social Democrats or Social Reformers
Review of Thier’s Book “A People’s Guide to Capitalism,” Part Three
I recently participated in a group called No One Is Illegal here in Toronto. The group decided to provide a zoom reading meeting every week to discuss the book A People's Guide to Capitalism, by Hadas Thier, with many participants not belonging to the group but interested in understanding more about capitalism. We read the … Continue reading Review of Thier’s Book “A People’s Guide to Capitalism,” Part Three
Fair Contracts, Decent Work and Other Social-democratic or Social-reformist Clichés: The Case of the Amazon Labour Union
Introduction The relatively recent organizing of Amazon workers into the Amazon Labour Union (ALU) is presented by the social-democratic or reformist left as an astounding success. Certainly, the organization of Amazon workers into a formal union is noteworthy because of, on the one hand, the increasing importance of such "gig" workers in a society dominated … Continue reading Fair Contracts, Decent Work and Other Social-democratic or Social-reformist Clichés: The Case of the Amazon Labour Union
May Day 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada: The Case of the President of the Ontario Public Services Employee Union (OPSEU), J.P. Hornick, Part One: A Fair Contract
Introduction I did not attend the May Day rally here in Toronto. I did however attend it in 2014 (I had moved to Toronto at the end of August 2013). At the time, in 2014, it looked mainly like a protest of the fringe left who were not supported by organized unions. There were a … Continue reading May Day 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada: The Case of the President of the Ontario Public Services Employee Union (OPSEU), J.P. Hornick, Part One: A Fair Contract
The Abolitionary 