–It isn’t that new of a mindset. Demand better, join a union.

–University of Guelph Graduate Students’ Association air their dirty laundry about tuition fees. This action is part of the Canada’s student movement’s Drop Fees campaign and the broader International Day for Accessible Education.

–CLC backs the call by the CEP to boycott Petro Canada while they are locking-out their workers at a Montreal refinery. More here from CLC. and here from CUPE.

–The CLC has issued a statement on the current economic crisis.

–The International Labour Organization is saying that there will be a loss of 20 million jobs worldwide because of the financial crisis. Worse they say, “the number of working poor living on less than a dollar a day could rise by some 40 million – and those at 2 dollars a day by more than 100 million.” Click to see the interview with the Director-General and read the report.

–It is only going to get worse for working class, especially those without unions to fight for wage increases that try to match these increases in inflation. If you need a raise but your boss won’t give you one, then now is the time to start a union drive.

–The Winnipeg Free Press is still on strike two weeks after it was called. Here is the workers’ website.

–I cannot say that I disagree with this move. Wow.

–Paying a fair price for cotton is still an issue around the world that has gotten little attention. This must change if we are going to be serious about promoting fair trade rules.

–CUPE is going on the offensive to protect the public’s access to government services.

Buzz Hargrove, the outspoken former national president of the Canadian Auto Workers, will speak at a public lecture in Fredericton on Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at the Wu Conference Centre, University of New Brunswick at 4 p.m..

In “Looking Back, Looking Ahead”, the New Brunswick-born Hargrove will talk about his life as a trade unionist and why Canadian democracy needs a strong labour movement to survive. Mr. Hargrove’s speech is sponsored by the New Brunswick Labour History Project at the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton. A public reception hosted by the Office of the Vice-President of Research Services, UNB, will follow. Everyone is most welcome to attend.

For further information contact Carol Ferguson, Project Officer, New Brunswick Labour History Project at 506-453-4599 or cferguso@unb.ca.

Buzz Hargrove prononcera une conférence publique à la UNB

Buzz Hargrove, ce syndicaliste au franc-parler et ancien président national des Travailleurs canadiens de l’automobile, prononcera une conférence publique au Wu Conference Centre de la University of New Brunswick à Fredericton, le mercredi 22 octobre 2008 à 16 h.

Dans sa présentation intitulée « Lookink Back, Looking Ahead», Hargrove, un natif du Nouveau-Brunswick, parlera de sa vie de syndicaliste et démontrera que la démocratie canadienne a besoin d’un mouvement ouvrier fort pour survivre.

La conférence de Monsieur Hargrove est parrainée par le Projet d’histoire du travail au Nouveau-Brunswick (Fredericton). Une réception, offerte par le Bureau du vice-recteur à la recherche de la UNB, suivra. Bienvenue à toutes et à tous.

Pour plus de renseignements, veuillez contacter la chargée de projet Carol Ferguson, Projet d’histoire du travail au Nouveau-Brunswick, au 506-453-4599 ou par courriel : cferguso@unb.ca .

“Job security, the high cost of living and workplace equity are issues that could lead to a strike at York University at the end of October… You can help CUPE 3903 by sending a message to York’s negotiators.”

–We must demand more than “input”. The problem is that Labour must fight back, must engage in grassroots mobilization and struggle for workers and their families, students, and senior citizens. We cannot ask for change, we must make it.

–The progressive movement is constantly trying to make a better world in-spite of those that squander resources and operate in a system that leads to crises. We are told by the Bosses that in the “real world” only the elite, greedy, immoral marketeers can rule effectively. Well, we have seen once again where that has gotten us. We must put the control of the world’s economy into the hands of those with the biggest stake, and I don’t mean the stockholders.

–Panitch (of Socialist Register fame, among other things) tells us that the bailout was obvious, necessary, the only thing that a state could do, and the wrong direction. We should not be shocked by the bailout, but we should understand that it is the citizens’ responsibility to elect a government and demand a socialist alternative to capitalism if we want to stop these kinds of crises and bailouts.

–CUPE highlights cuts to public funding and services in Canada under the Conservative minority government.

–Workers mourn the loss of jobs because of “free” trade.

–More insight into the Conservative government’s anti-public health care stance.
More here from CUPE on the spread of private clinics.

–An interesting initiative to get youth involved with the labour movement. Using the Internet to reach out to the youth — it is a start.

–We must put pressure on our local governments to address the root causes for the current food crisis. The “Green Revolutions” that have caused the current crisis and this model cannot be applied to find the solution. Only through management and local investment for local consumption will we be able to develop agriculture that can sustain all people living on the planet.

–If working people are going to protect themselves from the current financial mess we are going to have to start organizing unions and grassroots political organizations. The government is giving money to those that do not need it by taking it from people who do not have it to give. It is a classic redistribution of wealth from the poor to the rich. The ITUC has put forward that the time for change in the global market system has come, in fact, it is clear that it came a long time ago. Fundamental change and clear alternatives are available, we just need to develop the democratic mechanisms to implement them.

–The murderers must be brought to justice quickly if more bloodshed is going to be avoided. The cycle of violence started by opposition student leaders must be halted as too many have been killed and injured. Violence cannot be allowed to be used as a political weapon especially by students. The international student movement stands for solidarity, peace, and social and political justice. We must denounce violent acts and those who use murder as a political tool to incite other acts of violence.