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"Our members are more engaged than ever to tackle the challenges ahead. They recognize that by working together, we can overcome anything. We are proud of the work of our Component 325 members and will be supporting them every step of the way." — James Clancy, NUPGE National President.
Orillia (29 May 2014) — Brewery workers say, "Only Fair is Fair, All Together Now!" This was the resounding cry on May 28 when members of the Canadian Union of Brewery and General Workers (CUBGW/NUPGE) met up with the Fairness Express in Orillia.
Canadian Union of Brewery and General Workers, NUPGE Component 325, joins ATN Fairness Express
As part of the All Together Now! (ATN) campaign's national tour, the Fairness Express made a stop at Orillia's waterfront park to talk with local residents about the problem of rising income inequality in Canada.
The visit coincided with a week-long training session being held in Orillia with the CUBGW executive members and stewards. The brewery workers have been organizing around many of the issues facing the 400 members at the Molson brewery in Toronto, especially around the issue of the changing face of the beer industry in Canada. The workers were joined for two days by representatives from the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), their national union, who focused on bargaining, pensions and the campaign for greater income equality in Canada.
Members see the clear connection: conditions that create inequality have direct impact on issues at bargaining table
"Our brewery members are facing the same struggles as Canadians in communities across the country," said James Clancy, NUPGE National President. "Our work on income inequality shows that everything happening at the bargaining table is directly linked to the conditions that give rise to the growing inequality: lack of tax fairness, the absence of a modern industrial strategy to produce good jobs, lack of investment in quality public services, and the attack on workers' rights. And we need to meet those challenges head on."
"We are dealing not only with domestic decisions that are hurting workers in Canada, but we are taking on corporations that want a race to the bottom in terms of wages, benefits and overall working conditions," Clancy continued.
Organizing and strong solidarity to withstand challenges
"Our members are more engaged than ever to tackle the challenges ahead. They recognize that by working together, we can overcome anything," said Clancy. "We are proud of the work of our Component 325 members and will be supporting them every step of the way."
The Fairness Express will be making another stop to meet more members of the CUBGW/NUPGE, when it hits the brewery on June 3 in Toronto.
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE