mHerman Rosenfeld, self-defined Marxist here in Toronto, recently wrote an article in the social-democratic journal Canadian Dimension (see https://canadiandimension.com/articles/view/canadian-labour-palestine-and-gaza ) titled "How is the Canadian labour movement responding to Israel’s attacks on Gaza? Unions have largely lined up in support of Palestinians." The article has some good points, such as pointing out that the Canadian Union of … Continue reading Inadequate Characterization of Union Resistance to the Genocide Occurring in the West Bank and Gaza
Tag: Unions
List of Major Employers in the Quebec City Census Metropolitan Area (CMA)
Introduction When belonging to a leftist organization called the Toronto Labour Committee (Ontario, Canada), I worked on, in a minor position, on some statistics related to financial campaign contributions for the Toronto elections. Not being satisfied with this, I proposed that we start trying to develop a class analysis of Toronto. I indicated, though, that … Continue reading List of Major Employers in the Quebec City Census Metropolitan Area (CMA)
In the Context of a Strike, a Focus on the Extreme Pay of Executives is Legitimate
John Clarke, former major organizer for the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, recently posted the following on Facebook: John Clarke Someone should make a movie about this. I have pointed out that leftists should not focus on individuals who are rich in the struggle against the power of the class of employers since it is not … Continue reading In the Context of a Strike, a Focus on the Extreme Pay of Executives is Legitimate
Unions that Uncritically Support Pro-Employer Representatives
John Clarke, former major organizer for the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, recently posted the following on Facebook: John Clarke · Never has a sow's ear looked less like a silk purse. https://www.commondreams.org/news/unions-endorse-biden-2024?fbclid=IwAR3AOlDUvdSg5tuU-IAiIFQdg9TNn0KZvRvtsZK-MPjn0Uehkr1kntuYYgs I wonder what the attitude of the so-called radical left is concerning the support of Biden for president.
Should Cops Belong to Unions?
John Clarke, former major organizer of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), posted this recently on Facebook: "Cops, of any type, are not workers. No cops should be anywhere near unions or the labour movement." https://springmag.ca/cops-out-of-cupe-cops-out-of-labour-the-cupe-5089-endorsement-of-mark-saunders-for-toronto-mayor?fbclid=IwAR3fQZSVMKWBCTMJ_z8688cZ13GGKrasBb9MXriF6N4YnMVgckIJk6D97y0
Management Rights in a Spanish Collective Agreement: An Expression of “Free Collective Bargaining” or the Dicatorship of Employers?
There are undoubtedly variations in the rights of workers from country to country, but the fundamental principle of the power of employers as a class is constant. This power is often implicit but also often is expressed more explicitly--even in collective agreements between employers and unions. For example, the following is taken from the collective … Continue reading Management Rights in a Spanish Collective Agreement: An Expression of “Free Collective Bargaining” or the Dicatorship of Employers?
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
Once Again on the General Strike that Almost Was in Ontario, Canada, Part Two: Sam Gindin’s Analysis
Introduction For some of the context of the strike, see a couple of earlier posts (The Case of the Possible General Strike of Ontario Unionized Workers: Critique of Conservative Radicalism or Radical Conservatism and The CUPE Education Workers Strike: A Lesson on the Nature of the Public Sector). A few more leftists have made commentary on … Continue reading Once Again on the General Strike that Almost Was in Ontario, Canada, Part Two: Sam Gindin’s Analysis
Once Again on the General Strike that Almost Was in Ontario, Canada, Part One: The Debate Between Adam King and Abdul Malik
Introduction For some of the context of the strike, see a couple of earlier posts (The Case of the Possible General Strike of Ontario Unionized Workers: Critique of Conservative Radicalism or Radical Conservatism and The CUPE Education Workers Strike: A Lesson on the Nature of the Public Sector). A few more leftists have made commentary on … Continue reading Once Again on the General Strike that Almost Was in Ontario, Canada, Part One: The Debate Between Adam King and Abdul Malik
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 Abolitionary 