This letter was sent to the Prime Minister on September 15, 2022, calling for the Liberal government to maintain the improvements to EI that were made during the pandemic.
This paper analyzes the application of health and safety legislative frameworks to working from home arrangements. By surveying Canadian legislation, case law, government guidelines, and other examples of unique employment contexts, the paper seeks to help workers and their unions identify potential areas of concern for health and safety protection in working from home arrangements.
This paper is a survey of how non-Canadian jurisdictions have implemented protections, especially job-protected leaves, for victims of domestic violence in the workplace. By examining different international models, this paper seeks to illustrate potential policy options and best practices. In addition, it aims to provide critical commentary to help identify potential gaps or issues with the effectiveness of certain legislative schemes meant to help victims of DV at work.
There are fears that the federal government's Social Finance Fund will be used to subsidize privatization schemes like Social Impact Bonds. This letter from NUPGE President Larry Brown to Jean-Yves Duclos, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development asks the Minister to respond to comments that appear to originate with federal officials in recent media reports on the Social Finance Fund.
Canada is one of the few countries in the world that has yet to ratify all eight of the international standards recognized as being fundamental to the rights of human beings at work. These are the eight fundamental Conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and are recognized as being fundamental to the rights of human beings at work which have been ratified by the overwhelming majority of ILO member States. Unfortunately, Canada has yet to ratify those Conventions governing forced labour, the minimum age for working and the right to collective bargaining.
A case before the British Columbia Supreme Court, Cambie Surgeries Corporation. v. British Columbia (Attorney General), could lead to a 2-tier health care system in Canada. This report looks at the history of the case, the reasons the case is taking so long, and what the case means for Canadians. The report also looks at some of the problems with private for-profit health care.
NUPGE's submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance and the Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce on the problems with the proposed legislation to set up the Canada Infrastructure Bank in Division 18 of Bill C-44, the 2017 budget implementation bill.
Since privatization first reared its ugly head, there has been a constant push to find new ways for the private sector to make money from public services. This report provides details of what new forms of privatization and what we can do to fight them.
NUPGE's updated report on Social Impact Bonds explains how they work and how they will harm public services and increase costs. The report also provides information on research that found that, even if Social Impact Bonds work as claimed, the costs will exceed any possible savings. Updated October 2016.
This publication provides a summary of cases before the courts that challenge labour laws on the basis that they violate Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It provides summaries of some 27 Charter challenges and is divided into three sections: challenges heard by the Supreme Court of Canada and decisions are pending; current challenges before the Courts; and, challenges where a final decision has been rendered in the last two years, either by the Supreme Court of Canada, or a lower Court and the decision was not appealed.
This pamphlet summaries the NUPGE's webinar series on pensions. There will be 5 webinars:
Canada’s retirement system
Plan funding and the role of the actuary
Pension investment
Pension law
Capital Stewardship
This pamphlet looks at seven facts that affect women and their economic well-being. These facts include pay inequity, lack of child care and the economic effects of caregiving on women.
Volume 2 of Unions Matter:A Reader contains the next 25 very good reasons that unions matter. This volume contains quips, quotes and poems from people like Bono, Bruce Springsteen and Jay Leno.
This publication outlines problems contained in the federal Conservative government's new, and far reaching, anti-terrorism bill. Bill C-51 lacks oversight and review mechanisms while giving increased powers to Canada's security agencies. Find out why Bill C-51 is such a dangerous piece of legislation.
Conference Report outlines tricks of privatization industry and tactics to fight back.
"Fighting privatization will not be easy. But as we learned during the International Conference on the New Forms of Privatization, it's a fight that we can and will win," says NUPGE National President James Clancy.
Conference Report outlines tricks of privatization industry and tactics to fight back.
"Fighting privatization will not be easy. But as we learned during the International Conference on the New Forms of Privatization, it's a fight that we can and will win," says NUPGE National President James Clancy.
This small and easily distributed handbill uses the Fairness Express campaign's "Road to Fairness" concept to outline the All Together Now! campaign analysis of the major causes—and cures—of rising income inequality. Income inequality rises when a country travels a path towards unfair taxes, declining public services, eroded labour rights and no industrial strategy. Income inequality eases when we head instead for tax fairness, quality public services, labour rights and a modern industrial strategy.
This six-page pamphlet is for the people we meet during the Fairness Express campaign. In simple but detailed terms, it spells out why tax fairness, quality public services, labour rights, and a modern industrial strategy are all key to reducing income inequality.
For many people and for many reasons: unions matter!
Volume One of Unions Matter: A reader contains a collection of work from a variety of sources telling the story of the power of unions and their members. The writings come from authors, poets, activists and singer-songwriters sharing why unions matter to them. The reader also contains some of the work from the Why Unions Matter contest winners.
Why are Canadians charged some of the highest fees in the world which provide for some of the highest revenues while having some of the lowest rates of cell phone usage? Why is the government standing idly by refusing to play a role in regulating this industry?
Smart Money: Consumer self-defence for times like these
The final report of the East Coast portion of the Fairness Express campaign, Income Inequality in Atlantic Canada details some of the many consequences of rising income inequality as discovered by NUPGE activists as they visited more than 30 communities in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. Across the region, the activists people concerned about rising income inequality but unsure how it can be reduced, giving the activists a chance to engage in more than 3,000 one-to-one conversations about the ATN analysis.
In 2013 the National Union's Women's Training Session brought together activists from across the country to discuss two important initiatives: the Quality of Women's Lives project and the All Together Now! campaign's Women 4 Change. Throughout the day and half training session, activists heard speakers on life balance/work balance, on the use of social media as well as information on the two initiatives. During the training session, participants took part in two workshops. They enthusiastically talked, debated, shared and strategized.
This paper provides an historical overview the scope of protection of workers' rights provided by Canadian courts in their interpretation of section 2(d) – freedom of association of Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Social Impact Bonds are another way for governments to borrow money without it showing up on the books as debt. IN the process social services are privatized with investor profits and the new layers of bureaucracy Social Impact Bonds require pushing up costs. Because the intermediary organizations providing services must make a profit for investors, those most in need will have nowhere to go if it is too difficult or too expensive to help them.
Privatization is about corporations making a profit from public services. That doesn't change with new forms of privatization. This pamphlet looks at what behind new forms of privatization, what they look like and what we can do to fight them.
This is a pamphlet summarizing NUPGE's research paper and counters the corporate myths behind 'right to work' legislation. It concludes the 'right to work laws only create more income inequality, not more jobs.
This primer counters all the myths surrounding 'Right to Work'' laws. Contrary to what the name suggests, 'Right to Work' laws have nothing to do with the right to paid employment. Instead, what they really do is make it easier for corporations to drive down wages for all workers. That’s why those who’ve seen what they do call them “Right to Work for Less” laws.
Federal transfer payments to the provinces, through the Canada Health Transfer (CHT) and the Canada Social Transfer (CST), help fund public Medicare, post-secondary education and other important public services. These important blocks of funding will be re-negotiated in 2014 by Harper and the Premiers. We need to ensure these transfers are protected and strengthened. The three fact sheets look at the facts and importance of these transfers for Public Post-Secondary Education, Community-based Social Services and Medicare.
Federal transfer payments to the provinces, through the Canada Health Transfer (CHT) and the Canada Social Transfer (CST), help fund public Medicare, post-secondary education and other important public services. These important blocks of funding will be re-negotiated in 2014 by Harper and the Premiers. We need to ensure these transfers are protected and strengthened. The three fact sheets look at the facts and importance of these transfers for Public Post-Secondary Education, Community-based Social Services and Medicare.
Federal transfer payments to the provinces, through the Canada Health Transfer (CHT) and the Canada Social Transfer (CST), help fund public Medicare, post-secondary education and other important public services. These important blocks of funding will be re-negotiated in 2014 by Harper and the Premiers. We need to ensure these transfers are protected and strengthened. The three fact sheets look at the facts and importance of these transfers for Public Post-Secondary Education, Community-based Social Services and Medicare.
Governments across Canada and around the world are using Social Impact Bonds to privatize public services. This report looks at the problems, the costs, and the loss of accountability that come with Social Impact Bonds.
This pamphlet provides a summary of a March 2012 International Labour Organization report reviewing the extent of Canada’s compliance to the ILO’s most fundamental Convention – No. 87, Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize. The report cites over 20 instances where governments across Canada have refused to change labour laws the ILO has ruled in the past to be not in compliance with Convention No. 87.
Submission by the National Union to the Parliamentary Committee on the Review of the Progress in Implementing the 2004 Health Accord. National Union members who work in health care have a wealth of experience and knowledge and an important perspective on the implementation of the 2004 Health Accord. The document presents comments and recommendations in the spirit of helping to improve and expand upon Canada's crown jewel of public programs - Medicare.
The National Union has a proud history of working for and promoting women's rights and equality. Aiding the National Union in its work on issues affecting women within Canada and around the world, is its Advisory Committee on Women's Issues (ACWI). Established in 1976 as the National Union's Human Rights (Women's Rights) Committee, the ACWI has addressed many issues including pay equity, women's leadership, child care, women health, life/work balance and violence against women. Ever Forward provides an overview of the work done by the National Union and the A
For 77 years the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) ensured Canadian grain farmers got the best possible price for their crops. Even though a majority of farmers wanted to keep the CWB, the Conservative government dismantled it. Mowed Down explains why.
This educational leaflet is designed to promote and strengthen Women's Committees in unions. This leaflet explains that women's committees are an essential factor in reaching our goal of creating stronger unions by empowering individuals and building solidarity. At the same time, women's committees bring us closer to our shared principles of equality, justice and fairness for all. Find out why every union needs an active women's committee by reading this pamphlet.
Canadians cherish our universal, public health care system. It provides access to quality life-long health care services for all Canadians, regardless of wealth, social status or other barriers. For the most part, this is true. Sadly, though, there is a hole in Canada’s health care system. For tens of thousands of Canada’s seniors today – and many thousands more in the years ahead – the universality of our health care system ends at the doors of nursing home facilities. Some of these facilities are excellent, serving as a beacon for the care of seniors.
There are creative ideas and policies that can make the international financial system more secure AND pay for public services AND fight climate change-abroad and at home! The Robin Hood Tax is a proposal for a tiny tax (as low as 0.05%) on trades in stocks, bonds,
currencies, "derivatives" and other financial products. It would NOT affect ordinary consumers. It also could generate billions internationally to fight global poverty, and fund global public goods, such as health care, and to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
In 2014 the federal Health Accord regarding the funding of the Canada Health Transfer (CHT) and, by extension, the Canada Social Transfer (CST), came up for renegotiation. Unfortunately, many of our politicians and business leaders want to cut these transfers and cut those services. We have had decades of tax cuts, tax breaks, deregulation, privatization and it brought our economy and our nation to the brink.
This pamphlet, published under the auspices of the National Union's Action on Retirees' Concerns (NUARC) Committee, offers a realistic, affordable and effective plan to rebuild and reform Canada's pension system.
The first in the Smart Money: Consumer self-defense for times like these, The Real Cost of Communicating is a 12-page pamphlet detailing the struggles consumers are having with the telecommunications industry as well as their own government in Ottawa. The Smart Money series provides straightforward yet critical information on issues like these that families face today — and advice on how the public can fight back.
Another pamphlet in the NUPGE series: Smart Money: Consumer self-defense for times like these. Scavengers in the debt crisis exposes the predatory nature of the Pay Day Loan industry in Canada. The piece explains the regulations by province, if any, to ensure readers understand what the companies can charge.
The third piece in the consumer advocacy series Smart Money: Consumer self-defense for times like these. Surviving the Credit Crunch takes a look at the debt load of Canadians as they try to recover from the 2008 recession. Debt is at an all-time high for Canadians and corportions are making a killing from us. From the gouging interest rates charged by banks and credit card companies to ever-rising ATM fess to predatory loans, this publication lays out the problems but also provides way people can fight back.
This leaflet stresses the need for a universal early learning and child care program in Canada. Research shows that access to quality learning and child care enhances children's development in every way — intellectually, physically, emotionally and linguistically. As well, an early learning and child care program creates jobs and economic activiity at the community level as the majority of child care dollars are spent locally and invested in people since the sector is labour intensive.
This leaflet summarizes the history of cuts to this sector and the crisis the funding shortfall has created. This piece outlines solutions that will provide stability to the sector and revitalize care for the most vulnerable in our society.
A sweatshop is a work environment where employees toil for long hours in unsafe conditions for low pay. Sweatshop conditions are the norm in the apparel industry around the world and exist globally in many sectors. It doesn't have to be this way. Around the world, garment workers are organizing in their workplaces and communities to improve working conditions and end sweatshop abuses. One of the best ways for us to support these workers is to become more conscious of what we buy and how it is made. Better still we can change how our employers or
Some corporations want to create a two-tier Internet that would allow them to slow or even block content that is not in their corporate interests. This issue is called Network Neutrality the "principle that all Internet traffic be treated equally, regardless of origin, destination, or application type." This is not an issue solely about corporate profit or the growing power of telecommunications companies - it is also about the rights of citizens to exercise control over one of the greatest innovations in communications history. Should these companies succeed, it will unde
The Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) was initiated by the governments of Alberta and British Columbia in April 2006. An inter-provincial trade agreement designed to "free" trade and commerce between the two provinces. TILMA is clearly of business, by business and for business. " Its sweeping provisions impact almost everything our governments do, and affect every level of government as well as hospitals and school boards. The two provinces are already talking about expanding the agreement across the country.
Our Medicare is the triumph of values and economics. It provides all Canadians with equal access to care on the basis of need, not wealth, privilege or status. A large majority of Canadians are highly satisfied with the quality and standard of care Medicare gives them. Over the last 40 years our Medicare has served us very well. Our Medicare is worth celebrating and defending. But more than that, our Medicare is, quite simply, a good and sensible idea that works. But there is room for improvement.
This leaflet describes the need for support of women in communitites across Canada. It takes stock of the continued inequity faced by women and reflects on the challenges faced by Women's Centres and the services they offer 24/7. Finally it is a call to recognize the hard work done by staff and the need for government action to support the workers and these services.
This leaflet describes the top five actions governments should take to meet and beat greenhouse gas emission reductions required to keep our climate in check. It encourages readers to take action by writing their municipal, provincial and federal government representatives with these top five priorities.
The manual is an easy-to-use guide including much of what you need to know about pensions and retirement from a union perspective and a valuable resource to help educate activists in the field of pensions. The 170-page manual contains 14 chapters covering a variety of pension's topics.
When discussing various national and international trade agreements the alphabet soup of acronyms and range of issues quickly becomes confusing. However, it is important that Canadians understand what our government is negotiating in our name and what the impact of these agreements will be on our economy, democracy and society. This background document provides and introduction and overview of four of the most important agreements: The World Trade Organization's General Agreement on Trade in Services; Continental Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP); The Trade, In
This primer frames labour rights as a critical component of human rights helping to protect and promote the social and economic well-being of the human population. It examines how the erosion of labour rights weakens democracy and threatens the economic prosperity of a nation.
Access to the Internet is rapidly becoming a necessity for many in the developed and developing world. In a very real way access to the Internet, in particular the high-speed broadband capability, is becoming yet another defining factor between the world's haves and have-nots. This digital divide exists both between countries and within a country.
Youth Correctional Professionals juggle the roles of social worker, counselor, educator, advocate, jailer and supervisor. It is a tough job that is being made more difficult by federal and provincial governments. Change is needed not just for the workers in the sector but also for the young offenders, their families and for protecting our communities.
Probation and Parole Officers are mandated with protecting the public, rehabilitating the offender and ensuring that justice is served. They are integral parts of the entire process an offender passes through — from pre-trail to post-sentencing. All of this would be a tall order under the best circumstances. Unfortunately, the system in Canada is not operating as well as it should.
Correctional Officers of this country walk into an environment comprised of people who have been convicted of breaking the law with not much more than their courage, convictions and intelligence. It is time we all recognize that jails that support both the workers and inmates are essential for a society to deal effectively with crime.
Are you concerned about the erosion of collective bargaining rights of working people in Canada and committed to reversing this dangerous trend? If so, then make sure you get the elected leaders in your community to sign the Workers’ Bill of Rights, a pledge affirming that all workers have the right to join a union and bargain collectively.
A tool to be used during election campaigns asking candidates for public office to pledge to make health care a priority issue. Candidates declare their support and, if elected, commitment to work for the implementation of three items of a health care agenda: 1) an end to the expansion of private, for profit, health care; 2) improving and expanding Senior Care services; and 3) the establishment of a national PharmaCare program to cover not just catastrophic medications but all medically necessary drugs.
Crime and punishment are never easy to deal with. Youth crime may be the most difficult of all. This publication provides a critical review of the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA). It also sets out a multi-pronged approach to preventing and tackling youth crime and creating safer communities in Canada.
This publication was submitted to the federal government's consultation on Comments on Strengthening Corporate Beneficial Ownership Transparency in Canada in April 2020. In it, NUPGE calls on the federal government to create apublicly accessible registry (or registries) of beneficial owners.
