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"The CLC 2021 Convention will set the course for the labour movement over the next several years internally and externally. NUPGE members will be front and centre in that work." — Larry Brown, NUPGE President
Ottawa (16 June 2021) — Members of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), from coast to coast to coast, are coming together in a very historic moment. With the constraints of the pandmeic, the CLC was forced to postpone its convention scheduled for 2020. Now, from June 16 to June 18, delegates are convening online, for the first time in the CLC's history, to discuss and debate resolutions addressing key issues facing workers and unions in Canada.
Pandemic exposed cracks
The pandemic hit workers hard. Job loss, lack of supports, and home-schooling caused enormous stress for those who were displaced and for those who were deemed essential workers and who carried on through the most difficult and dangerous health crisis Canada has faced in decades. The pandemic exposed many of the cracks in our systems that are supposed to assist us during difficult times. The issues of health care, retirement security, employment assistance and long-term care are critical to the well-being of workers, our families and society in general.
"As members of the largest labour organization in Canada, representing more than 3 million workers across the country, we have the ability to influence decisions that are being made about our lives and the kind of country we live in," said Larry Brown, President of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE). "The CLC 2021 Convention will set the course for the labour movement over the next several years internally and externally. NUPGE members will be front and centre in that work."
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) delegates have put forward strong resolutions on pharmacare, trade, fair taxation, long-term care and more. Updates will be posted daily on the action of these issues.
Pharmacare and health care
CLC members strongly endorsed a resolution on pharmacare and health care. Delegates overwhelmingly spoke in favour of this resolution, with many talking about how critical pharmacare was for patients. Some of the speakers were NUPGE health care professionals who were able to speak from direct experience about the need for implementing pharmacare and a range of progressive health care reforms. The CLC has already been actively campaigning for pharmacare, so this resolution affirmed the continuation of this campaign. The resolution also outlines some key steps needed to address the health human resources crisis, a crisis which has been exacerbated by the pandemic.
Anti-scab legislation
Thousands of delegates voted overwhelmingly in favour of a resolution on anti-scab legislation. Delegates who spoke at the microphones emphasized how scab labour undermines worker power. With the passage of this resolution, delegates have mandated the CLC to pressure all governments to enact strong laws that prevent employers from bringing in scabs to do the jobs of striking or locked-out workers in both the private and public sector.
Child care
The resolution on Women's Economic Justice was resoundingly passed. The resolution calls on the CLC to work with affiliates, federations of labour, district labour councils and other allies to lobby the federal government for laws, policies and programs that support women’s economic equality. These measures include closing the gender gap, implementing proactive pay equity legislation, increasing the minimum wage, respecting trade union rights, improving maternity and parental benefits and introducing affordable universal child care. Delegates speaking in support of the resolution noted that these measures have long been needed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the start of the pandemic these measures have become imperative, as women have been bearing the brunt of caring responsibilities, child care responsibilities and job insecurity. In fact, there has been an alarming increase in women leaving the work force since the start of the pandemic because of these issues. The National Union has been calling for the need for women’s voices to be part of the economic recovery and is pleased that this resolution has been passed.
Emergency resolutions focus on human rights
Often at a convention, delegates discuss emergency resolutions that focus on recent events. At this convention, strong support was given to several emergency resolutions: Honouring the 215 Kamloops Residential School Victims and the Implementation of the 94 TRC Calls to Action, Stop Anti-Asian Hate and Violence, and Stop Islamophobic Hate and Violence.