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Vast knowledge shared with conference participants on second day of Canadian Foundation for Labour Rights conference.
Toronto (28 March 2013) – On the second day of an international labour rights conference, participants heard from a number of experts who spoke about the links between labour rights, democracy, equality and social justice.
Panel #1 Income inequality, unions and the retrenchment of labour law
Income Inequality in Canada – History and trends
Armine Yalnizyn, Senior Associate, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA)
“Income inequality in Canada is much higher today than it was a generation ago. Canada is also experiencing greater inter-generational inequality. And there is more inter-regional income inequality in Canada. These trends can be reversed with strong labour rights, progressive taxation and quality public services.”
The impact of unions and union density on income inequality
Lars Osberg, Professor of Economics, Dalhousie University
“Higher unionization rates are associated with greater income inequality. Unions help raise wages and benefits for all workers. They fight for better minimum wages, unemployment insurance benefits, full employment and quality public services – all of which reduce income inequality.”
Labour law and the new inequality
Michael Lynk, Professor of Law, University of Western Ontario
“The strength of labour laws influences union density rates. Since 1982, more than 200 labour laws have been passed which restricted, suspended or eliminated labour rights. As labour rights have been attacked, income inequality has increased.”
Panel #2 The role of unions in promoting democracy, economic equality and social rights
Keeping democracy strong
Nathalie Des Rosiers, General Counsel, Canadian Civil Liberties Association
“Unions make an important contribution to democracy …as actors of democracy …by promoting the moral values and ideals of democracy … and by using techniques of democracy such as social protest. These contributions are part of the union heritage and going forward unions need to build a bigger tent, build more alliances, in order to continue improving the quality of our democracy.’
Advancing human rights in the workplace and social rights for all
Paul Champ, Senior Partner, Champ and Associates
“Labour rights are human rights. Unions fought for strong labour rights. They used these labour rights to fight for human rights in workplaces (like equality and protection from discrimination) through collective bargaining and grievances. Then they fought to win these human rights in legislation for all workers. When labour rights are weakened, then unions have less ability to fight for human rights for all workers”
Assisting Vulnerable Workers 
Naveen Mehta, General Counsel, UFCW Canada
“Unions have played a critical role in assisting and protecting vulnerable workers both in their workplaces and in broader society. This has made the labour movement stronger, more diverse and inclusive. Unions need to continue protecting vulnerable workers and increasing social and economic equality for all workers.”
Panel 3 Constitutional protection of labour rights as they relate to the Charter’s Freedom of Association and Equality Rights sections
The right to organize and collective bargaining
Paul Cavalluzzo, Senior Partner, Cavalluzzo Shilton McIntyre Cornish LLB
"Freedom of association is the most important of all freedoms. It is about equalizing power so that workers can engage in our democracy at an even level with employers and corporations.”
The right to strike
Steve Barrett, Managing Partner, Sack Goldblatt Mitchell LLP
“If the Supreme Court of Canada is serious in adopting the principle that freedom of association protects the capacity of workers to come together to advance their common interests through a process of meaningful collective bargaining, then it must follow that the right to strike receive constitutional protection.”
Equality rights
Fay Faraday, Founder of Faraday Law and inaugural McMurtry Visiting Fellow at Osgoode Hall Law School
“No worker is inherently vulnerable. Workers are made vulnerable by laws that facilitate relationships of inequality and laws that fail to address exploitation. We need to name both how that inequality is constructed and who benefits from it.”
Guest Speaker: Freedom of Association: An International context
John Hendy, QC, President, International Centre for Trade Union Rights
“The right to strike is necessary to support collective bargaining. Without the right to strike, collective bargaining is no more than collective begging.”
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