Organizing within Unions to Fight Against the Genocide in Palestine

James Hutt recently published an article in Midnight Sun on unions and resistance to the genocide in Palestine (https://www.midnightsunmag.ca/moving-unions-to-fight-for-a-free-palestine/): 1. 29. 2024 Moving Unions to Fight for a Free Palestine James Hutt On December 12, Canada voted in favour of a United Nations resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. Despite … Continue reading Organizing within Unions to Fight Against the Genocide in Palestine

Critical Education Articles Placed in the Teacher Staff Lounge While I Was a Teacher, Part Twenty-Four: Are Teachers Part of the Working Class?

This is a continuation of a series of posts on summaries of articles, mainly on education. When I was a French teacher at Ashern Central School, in Ashern, Manitoba, Canada, I started to place critiques, mainly (although not entirely) of the current school system. At first, I merely printed off the articles, but then I … Continue reading Critical Education Articles Placed in the Teacher Staff Lounge While I Was a Teacher, Part Twenty-Four: Are Teachers Part of the Working Class?

Critical Education Articles Placed in the Teacher Staff Lounge While I Was a Teacher, Part Twenty-Two: The Need for the Working Class to Defy the Law When Necessary

This is a continuation of a series of posts on summaries of articles, mainly on education. When I was a French teacher at Ashern Central School, in Ashern, Manitoba, Canada, I started to place critiques, mainly (although not entirely) of the current school system. At first, I merely printed off the articles, but then I … Continue reading Critical Education Articles Placed in the Teacher Staff Lounge While I Was a Teacher, Part Twenty-Two: The Need for the Working Class to Defy the Law When Necessary

Solidarity Among Political Activists and So-Called Criminals

John Clarke posted this yesterday on Facebook: When a wave of arrests took place following the major confrontation at the Ontario Legislature, in June of 2000, that became known as the Queen's Park Riot, those of us who were sent to the provincial jails experienced no end of solidarity and support from the other prisoners. … Continue reading Solidarity Among Political Activists and So-Called Criminals

The Case of the Possible General Strike of Ontario Unionized Workers: Critique of Conservative Radicalism or Radical Conservatism

Introduction  The recent wildcat strike by 55,000 Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) members, represented by the Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU, who work in schools in Ontario, Canada, was stimulated by the Conservative Ford government's Bill 28, which not only legislated workers back to work, but also used the notwithstanding clause of … Continue reading The Case of the Possible General Strike of Ontario Unionized Workers: Critique of Conservative Radicalism or Radical Conservatism

Unions and the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Critique of a Social-Democratic View, Part One

Professor Tuft (geography professor, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada), in an article published on the Socialist Project's website (Covid-19 and 'Actually Existing' Unions), argues that unions will be in crisis as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Unions exist financially because of union dues, and with the increased level of unemployment among unionized workers, unions … Continue reading Unions and the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Critique of a Social-Democratic View, Part One

The Contradictions of Social Democracy: Mr. Gindin’s Musings on the Closure of GM’s Oshawa Plant

The following is a critique of an article written by Sam Gindin before the coronavirus pandemic emerged. It is relevant to the current situation because of the current call for public ownership as a solution to the problems that we face. Mr. Gindin published an article on February 3, 2020, titled Realizing 'Just Transitions': The … Continue reading The Contradictions of Social Democracy: Mr. Gindin’s Musings on the Closure of GM’s Oshawa Plant

Defense of Arrested Picketers is Vital–But Not the Idealization of Collective Bargaining, Collective Agreements and Strikes

On January 20, 2020, Jerry Dias, president of a large private-sector union in Canada, and others--were arrested in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Despite my criticism of Mr. Dias on this blog, in this instance he and others deserve support--as do the workers who are on the picket line in that city. I am copying the details … Continue reading Defense of Arrested Picketers is Vital–But Not the Idealization of Collective Bargaining, Collective Agreements and Strikes

Worker Resistance Against Management, Part Two

This is a continuation of a series of posts on worker resistance. The following was written by Herman Rosenfeld. Since it formed part of a course that he, Jordan House and I presented for workers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport, I am including the preliminary instructions and the subsequent questions so that others can … Continue reading Worker Resistance Against Management, Part Two