December, 2023 Grey Bruce Labour Council-Seasons Greetings This past year has been referred to as the year of the union. For good reason! The acceptance of unions and the desire to join or form a union are at higher numbers than at least a generation. Resulting in agreements at the bargaining table or by settlements to strikes, the collective agreements are regularly described in terms that tell a story of significant success for workers. Terms, also, that have not been used to describe collective agreements and settlements for many years. Not only is 2023 deserving of this title for excellent agreements and settlements, but the Union Movement, Labour in general, has been tremendously successful in organizing the unorganized, or the forcing governments to lean towards working people instead of their traditional allies found in the corporate board rooms, banks and investment firms. Making this part of a seasonal message is to recognize that one of the greatest gifts is a fair collective agreement and to celebrate what working people and their representatives have accomplished in recent months. Perhaps the best gift is that of a union card as this card is a pathway to equity, prosperity, respect and dignity. Many workers continue to be without union representation, but these workers will see improvements as improved settlements in unionized workplaces help to raise everyone to a much improved standard. This past year has not been all success. Of particular note provincial governments in Ontario and Alberta continue the tradition of being out of touch and tone deaf to the needs of workers that Conservative governments have become synonymous with. In Ottawa the introduction of anti-scab legislation in the federal sector is life changing and will profoundly improve the chances of bargained collective agreements. Even with all the well-known benefits of such legislation the doctrine driven Conservatives in Ottawa decline to support this generational improvement. The season represented by this last few weeks of 2023 and early 2024 finds many faiths celebrating. This time of the year calls us to kindness and charity that will hopefully help those in need at this time of year when as said in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, “want” is most keenly felt. Hopefully this is not where kindness and charity will end, but we will exercise kindness and charity throughout all we do. Charitable organizations, often found in the non-profit sector, have experienced the stress of significant decreases in donations and contributions. One path to improve this situation is the improved livelihoods achieved through fair collective bargaining and improved settlements that could create a situation where workers could have personal resources adequate enough to permit donations. The idea that overall prosperity can improve the lives of all of us gives hope that kindness and charity is sustainable and not only present at this time of year. The Grey Bruce Labour Council has been the voice of workers in our region for over sixty-five years. Supported by the generosity of the affiliated unions the labour council has been able to donate to numerous organizations to help the most vulnerable across our various communities. In the spirit of such giving and in the spirit of the season, the Grey Bruce Labour Council wishes safety, happiness and well-being to one and all and a very happy new year as we continue the year of the union to the years of the union.