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” and “Fair Wages”: The Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 831

I came across the following, which provides further evidence of how unions use the concept of "fair wages" to paint over the oppression and exploitation of workers (see https://springmag.ca/municipal-workers-in-brampton-are-striking-for-fair-wages): By Santiago Moran-Izquierdo On November 7, after nine months of negotiations and nine proposals rejected by their employer, City of Brampton workers started their strike. CUPE … Continue reading Another Example of Union Ideology Concerning a “Fair Contract” and “Fair Wages”: The Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 831 →

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 →

Another Example of the Exaggeration of the Radical Nature of the Canadian Labour Movement

John Clarke, former major organizer for the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, recently posted the following on Facebook: Encouraging indications of increasing working class resistance and some vital particular struggles are included in this but the flames of discontent still need to be vigorously fanned. From CBC. In 2023, employees across Canada walked off the job … Continue reading Another Example of the Exaggeration of the Radical Nature of the Canadian Labour Movement →

Exaggeration of the Militancy and Radical Nature of Quebec Union Struggles, or: The Ideology of Freedom and Equity (Equality)

Introduction I thought it useful to look at what I consider an exaggeration of the historical importance of the recent massive strikes in Quebec, and I why I consider it an exaggeration. I first look at John Clarke's article on of the alleged historical importance of the massive strikes, and then I consider the ideology … Continue reading Exaggeration of the Militancy and Radical Nature of Quebec Union Struggles, or: The Ideology of Freedom and Equity (Equality) →

The Ontario Federation of Labour’s Workers-First Agenda: A Critique: Part Two

Introduction The first part of this series focused on a critique of the phrase "good jobs and decent work" expressed in the Ontario Federation of Labour's campaign titled "Building the Fight for a Workers-First Agenda" (https://ofl.ca/event/activist-assembly-2022/). This post will focus on a critique of the phrases "high quality affordable housing" and "health care." I draw … Continue reading The Ontario Federation of Labour’s Workers-First Agenda: A Critique: Part Two →

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 →

A Lack of Crticial Analysis of the Failure of the Union Movement to Generate a General Strike Against a Conservative Government

John Clarke, a radical here in Toronto, provides a general negative characterization of the union movement that opposed the reactionary effort by the Ontario Conservative government of not only legislating workers back to work even before they went on strike but also trying to use the nonwithstanding clause of the Canadian Charter of Rights and … Continue reading A Lack of Crticial Analysis of the Failure of the Union Movement to Generate a General Strike Against a Conservative Government →

The CUPE Education Workers Strike: A Lesson on the Nature of the Public Sector

Introduction Premier Doug Ford's use of the notwithstanding clause to prevent a union legal challgenge to legislation forcing education workers back to work despite the workers not even going out on strike yet should give the left pause for thought. Is not Ford's government part of the public sector? And yet the social-democratic or social … Continue reading The CUPE Education Workers Strike: A Lesson on the Nature of the Public Sector →

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 →