The latest winners in our Why Unions Matter contest remind us that solidarity can be a powerful tool against discrimination and injustice.

Ottawa (08 Mar. 2016) — March 8 is International Women's Day, and the theme for this year is "pledge for parity." The sad truth is that women have not yet achieved parity in the workplace or in politics, but by participaiting in their unions, women from around the world are managing to bridge the gap.

“If we are going to improve the quality of women’s lives and stop the growing income inequality that exists in this country, we have to ensure that women earn equal pay for equal work.” — James Clancy, NUPGE National President

Survey results point to what the BCGEU/NUPGE has been saying: there is a poisonous work environment, chronically low staff morale and other significant problems that must be addressed. 

"If we were to privatize this important public asset, hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for public services like health care, education, and programs for families would be lost." — Michelle Gawronsky, MGEU President

"Make no mistake: this isn’t about vulnerable children’s welfare. This is about cutting costs." — Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU President

“Our members who work at BC Liquor Stores across the province take social responsibility very seriously — they understand the importance of keeping alcohol out of the hands of minors, and are trained to check photo identification and not over serve." — BCGEU President Stephanie Smith

"The Pension Basics webinars are a part of NUPGE’s ongoing efforts to increase the knowledge base and skill level of our activists in the important area of pensions." — Larry Brown, NUPGE National Secretary-Treasurer

Ratification vote will be held in March.

"This is not simply about inmates in a correctional facility or the people that work there — it is about the type of province we want to live in, the type of province we want to leave to our children.” — Jerry Earle, NAPE President

The ink is barely dry on last week’s Ontario budget and already Premier Kathleen Wynne is conceding the possibility that her government didn’t “get it right” on the sensitive issue of prescription drugs for seniors.

She’s correct: making most seniors pay more for their prescriptions is a wrong-headed approach and the sooner the government backs away from it, the better.

It’s the biggest flaw in what was generally a well-crafted budget, considering Ontario’s difficult financial situation.

New four-year agreement provides improvements to working conditions.

"What the Liberals do with Bill 167 will test how serious they really are about transparency and accountability." — Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU President

True collaboration doesn't exclude perspectives and ideas from those working in the field, in fact, true collaboration welcomes these.

Visitor Information Centres will remain open and run by the province.

 “All that infrastructure will be built using public-private partnerships, which are essentially cash machines for construction companies, corporate lawyers, and Bay Street financiers.” — Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU President