Dave Trumble's Grey-Bruce Labour Council Blog

Buses to London, For Immediate Release, January 21, 2011, Grey-Bruce Labour Council

2012-01-20T18:31:00.000-08:00

For Immediate Release, January 21, 2011, Grey-Bruce Labour Council

In response to Caterpillar’s vicious and unnecessary attack on worker’s wages, pensions and benefits at Electro-Motive in London ON two bus loads of Grey, Bruce and Huron County residents are joining thousands of others in London to paint a great big black mark square between the eyes of Caterpillar and their corporate reputation.

Normally other corporations and CEO’s clamber to support their corporate friends when they attack workers and communities, but in this case the silence is deafening! It appears that even Caterpillar’s friends are reluctant to show support for such an unnecessary brutalization of people and their workplace.

Dave Trumble, President of the Grey-Bruce Labour Council, and Jim Vance, President of the Huron Labour Council, with numerous other Union Delegates from the Grey Bruce and Huron Labour Councils have worked very hard to attract people from our region to London and those that are attending realize that pushing this attack back is critically important to the future of collective bargaining everywhere. The other CEO’s may be quiet now, but should Caterpillar be successful in their unconscionable abuse of the workers represented by CAW 27 be rest assured the more vicious and greedy will be empowered to make similar attacks. Trumble says “when you add this type of possible empowerment to provincial and federal governments in Ontario and Canada that have nothing but contempt for workers and adulation for their corporate friends workers need to be ready to up the ante to levels unforeseen in any time since the birth of the Trade Union Movement”.

Contact
Dave Trumble
dtrumble@bmts.com
519 955 1061

In Response to Rudy Fiebiger’s Article “Reader feels Ontario should strive to be nuclear-free” published in the December 28th, 2011 issue of the Kincardine News

2011-12-28T18:49:00.001-08:00

Dec. 28, 2011

Dear Editor;

In Response to Rudy Fiebiger’s Article “Reader feels Ontario should strive to be nuclear-free” published in the December 28th, 2011 issue.

Rudy’s letter will without a doubt attract a lot of technical feedback and the vast majority of it will clearly and factually refute Rudy’s letter. I, however, wish to address some issues on the edge of Rudy’s focus.

The all or nothing single minded approach that many wind proponents take is unique to wind proponents and in direct opposition to almost all nuclear proponents. The single minded approach is certainly in clear opposition to the voice of workers in the Nuclear Industry, the Canadian Nuclear Workers’ Council (CNWC), where the optimum electricity grid is seen to be made up of a firm base load of nuclear generation in addition to other traditional generation methods such as hydro electric and fossil and a percentage of renewables such as wind and solar. There are many other organizations, professional, scientific, etc, that would be aligned with the CNWC, but I will limit my remarks to the CNWC aspect.

The CNWC is made up of many affiliated unions and they stretch across all aspects of the nuclear industry. Examples would be the USW, CAW, CEP, IAFF, IBEW, PWU, PSAC, CRTT, SPEA, IAMAW and these workers work in everything from mining / fabrication and generation to medical isotopes and research. This diversity is representative of a large part of the nuclear industry, but given Rudy’s vision of a nuclear free Ontario these jobs, in an already damaged Ontario economy, would disappear as would the life saving isotope work and the lion’s share of the $7.2 billion industry that the Canadian nuclear industry represents; not to mention that 95% of all parts and materials in a CANDU reactor are sourced in Canada. Can’t say that we hear that about almost anything else today!

Rudy’s comments about Bruce employees (“Don't worry Bruce employees; you are not going to lose you fantastic pay cheques and benefits”) demonstrates that ever present lack of understanding so often found in people who refuse to educate themselves about Trade Unionism, and intrinsic to that, the process of collective bargaining and the rights to that under the Charter of Rights of Freedoms. To use Rudy’s words the cheques and benefits came about not as the result of some benevolent entity, employer / government or otherwise, but from 65 years of collective bargaining lead by the Power Workers’ Union and its predecessors and many years of hard nosed collective bargaining by the Society of Energy Professionals and the BTU.

So, Rudy, I am sure that you will get lots of feedback, but on the issues responded to herein you have already lead with your chin and sadly in this case not very credibly.

Dave Trumble, President Grey-Bruce Labour Council

Originally Posted in the Dec. 28th 2011 Issue of the Kincardine News

Reader feels Ontario Should Strive to be Nuclear Free

Posted 1 day ago

Dear Editor,

I have observed with amazement the wind power issue plaguing the Kincardine area for the past few years.

Terms like bewilderment, stunned, dazed and at time stupefied come to mind.

Here we are living next door to a nuclear plant which albeit very safe to today's standards is nevertheless a ticking time bomb which cannot be turned off by just throwing a switch.

Nuclear waste is going to be with us for hundreds if not thousands of years and yet I some 'official' people think it's a good idea to have it buried here in the ground for the next 1,000 years.

I wonder if the people in this area have somehow been brain washed by a very clever pro-nuclear group to think that wind energy will herald Armageddon and destroy this are a beyond recognition. (Don't worry Bruce employees; you are not going to lose you fantastic pay cheques and benefits).

Is this a severe case of the noisy minority getting undeserved air play? In every conflict, the truth is the first casualty.

Yes, wind power needs to be put under more scrutiny before we go ahead and plant them en mass in our landscape but let's be realistic and honest... wind power is a very small menace compared to nuclear power.

Let's open our minds to alternatives in energy generation.

We all want clean energy, reliable energy, and cheap energy... (Easier said than done) but let's keep in mind too that neither of the two mentioned energies can do it alone.

Let's think outside the 'proverbial' box.

Stop the herd thinking and let's be a little more in touch with what lies before us.

A nuclear-free Ontario would be something worth striving for... it can be done.

Rudy Fiebiger Point

Working / Middle Class Incomes

2011-12-27T18:15:00.000-08:00

In many parts of the world exposure to an intense level of commercialism, advertising and marketing is part of the last months and weeks of every year. Curiously the miniature stories portrayed in television commercials and the plethora of full page ads in national newspapers and magazines tells the recipient that the consumer world is flush with people capable of acquiring all the goods, services and the lifestyle displayed. Perhaps this would be true today if the world that existed before the destruction of the middle / working class was launched by the three horseman of economic and working class apocalypse, Regan, Mulroney and Thatcher, and perpetuated by the Harpers, Fords and Canadian Federation of Independent Business type organizations. One way to quantify this is that based solely on the ads one could think that working people are winning and prospering when in every way working people see the level of prosperity that would be needed to access these goods and services intentionally eroded by government and business alike.
There is tragedy and irony in this in that the tragic and needless destruction of middle and working class prosperity is dictated first and foremost by right wing ideology and an unfounded fear that educated, represented and properly compensated working people demanding their fair share of the wealth are to be feared instead of warmly embraced by government and business. Ironically, along with the many working class lives destroyed by these ideological convulsions the very people paying untold millions on the advertising and marketing in hopes of attracting this financially impaired middle class consumer remain silent, or perhaps are complicit in the attacks, when it comes to destruction of working class lives and middle class incomes.
The commercialism associated with the high intensity consumerism of the latter part of each year brings focus and examination that further undermines the ideology that in the context of this letter damages and destroys countless lives while making less and less useful the traditional advertising that shows prosperity as if it is a part of our lives as it was when people across this nation proudly created countless items that said “Made in Canada”. As the advertisers still try and convince the millions now living in much diminished circumstances due to the intentional destruction of Canada’s manufacturing base that this imaginary life is easily accessible it makes it easier and easier to clearly see the failing of the policies that have not only destroyed livelihoods but will continue to do so in an ever widening degree until governments and corporations both realize that prosperity is only ever attained by the widest dispersal of wealth possible.
In 2012 as the Harpers, Fords, and in the US, the ever increasing trend to intolerance and right wing extremism sadly continue to be more and more emboldened one will have to wonder when the progressive change in direction started by the occupy movement will be joined by the same corporations that lose more and more customers as right wing government policy drives more and more workers out of work and less and less into the stores.
Dave Trumble, President Grey-Bruce Labour Council

Occupy Movement

2011-11-13T09:36:00.001-08:00

Dear Editor;

Halifax and London ON have now joined the ranks of cities and towns forcibly removing “Occupy” protestors from their camps. Shame on all such cities and local lawmakers for removing people that are speaking up about economic inequality and the notion of fairness through fair and equitable economic legislative policy that will translate into fair distribution of wealth and services for all people! What a great concept this is; after all it is not without precedent when one takes the coloquial wisdom that governements were meant to govern in the best interests of all people.

The people that speak against the "Occupy" message of fairness will say that this is unfair to those that aspire to financially loftier places in our society and that their path to wealth must not be impeded by having to share their wealth. Critical thinking will demonstrate that the ongoing success of the rich and affluent is only as sustainable as the lives of those that now form the foundation of this wealth; the very workers and young people that will come to work in these same places and they deserve lives that are sustainable and provide the necessary income and protections in the workplace and in society to permit a "quality of life" that for some reason so many on the political right or within the corporate elite feel to be their personal responsibility to deny.

Those that have succumbed to this bashing of the protestors, workers and unions are actually subscribing to what might be the last bastion of where hate is tolerated. Society has rightfully stood up to all kinds of hate and prejudice yet our papers and radio are full of so called pundits and columnists who stand firm in their desire to deny people fairness in their workplaces. These same columnists and pundits even attract advertising dollars. Could the cities in question not at least support the Charter Rights in Canada and Constitutional Rights in America of the "Occupy" people to express the need for fairness in our society?

There will a percentage of the population who would have us believe that the protestors are nothing more than anarchists and that the camps are a coven of undesirable people. The same lawmakers that have forcibly closed the camps and those who believe they have some kind of moral authority to define an undesirable are the same people that label people who have become homeless due to job loss, job loss that was created by the horrific economic policies of right wing governments going back for decades.

The “Occupy” movement is a manifestation of factors and grievances that span a large part of the last forty years (particularly since the election of the three horsemen of economic destruction; Reagan, Mulroney and Thatcher) and these grievances have destroyed millions of middle class unionized jobs and public services such that the very fabric of our society is now at risk. The “Occupy” movement is the first grass roots movement since the 1960's to say corporate, financial and political leaders are wrong in almost everything they are doing and what is the reaction; not unexpected I would say! Reprehensible nonetheless when one considers that the same policy makers at fault are the very ones that suggest that free speech and the right to assemble are two of our most important rights and privileges yet they take these rights away from the “Occupy” movement.

The “Occupy” protest handle is perhaps the biggest deception of all as the people involved in the “Occupy” movement are a vanguard of social change; the change back towards a better world where a social contract between the citizenry, the government and corporations exists to ensure that the needs of all people are met and that no person is marginalized or left behind.

In Solidarity

Dave Trumble

President

Grey-Bruce Labour Council

http://www.greybrucelabour.com/

2011/ 2012 Grey-Bruce Labour Council Winter Warmth Heating Challenge

2011-10-31T05:42:00.000-07:00

Celebrating over 50 years of Building Communities

Dear Brothers and Sisters

On behalf of the Grey Bruce Labour Council I am challenging your union to match our contribution of $500.00 to the Winter Warmth campaign of the United Way of Bruce Grey. Winter Warmth provides support to residents who are unable to meet their utility costs. Last winter our local United Way, working with their partners / utilities and partner agencies, assisted many families in our region through the winter by assisting with utility bills and pre-empting service cuts that would have put families in the dark and the cold; including families with small children!

The need in 2011 / 2012 will be even greater with more job loss in our region and more and more families plunged into making the choice between eating and heating.

Our Local United Way has been a leader in this program and is committed to its success and for that reason the GBLC is spearheading a campaign to make sure there is as much money available as possible to meet the needs that exist in the community.

As a progressive labour movement we share an understanding that our responsibilities do not stop with our members. We have a community responsibility to see that our brothers and sisters in the community have their needs met also.

Please join with us in responding to community needs by supporting with a matching donation, or more, of $500.00 to the United Way of Bruce Grey campaign to meet the Winter Warmth needs of Bruce Grey. Over $2000.00 was collected at our dinner in 2011 with OSSTF, OECTA and the CAW leading the way.

We encourage you to bring your donation to the November 28th Labour Council Activist Dinner in Tara ON or to mail it to the Grey-Bruce Labour Council, C/O Mike Dunn, RR2, Tiverton ON N0G 2T0. For more information please do not hesitate to contact me: dtrumble@bmts.com

In Solidarity

Dave Trumble

President, Grey Bruce Labour Council

Open Letter to New MPP's Lisa Thompson and Bill Walker,Oct. 10, 2011

2011-10-10T09:39:00.001-07:00

Oct. 10, 2011

Open Letter to New MPP's in Huron-Bruce and Bruce-Grey, Owen Sound; Lisa Thompson and Bill Walker

Lisa / Bill;

There is little doubt that Tim Hudak's attack style politics and alignment with the behaviors of GTA Mayor, Rob Ford, cost the Ontario PC's a number of seats in the provincial election. Make no mistake neither the Grey Bruce Labour Council nor any organization that is inclusive and tolerant, such as the Trade Union Movement, wanted to see a Hudak government in Ontario.

If a handful of examples could tell the tale it would be Mr. Hudak's intentional and provocative use of the meaningless / offensive term Union boss (a Harrism), his desire to take Ontario to Wisconsin type of labour law where the rights to free collective bargaining are under threat, his lies about the public sector and his clear failure to grasp the concept of tolerance and understanding as noted in his homophobic comments the week before the election. It was clear from the outset that the deplorable behavior that defined the Harris government was embedded in the statements and policies described and vocalized by Mr. Hudak and this, too, was a contributor to the failure of the Hudak campaign. There are many more that could easily be inserted, but for purposes of this letter these will suffice.

Carol Mitchell lost her seat in Huron-Bruce for a number of reasons, but central to her loss was her inability to stand up to Mr. McGuinty and tell him that his choice on closing the jails in our region was wrong. She chose the route of political expedience and blind obedience instead of what was clearly needed; a person who would look her constituents in the eye and look out for their needs. I can't always say she failed in this regards, but the fact that she stood up for flawed policy around the jail closures demonstrated that she could not be counted on in the future.

I don't know what direction Mr. Hudak will take, but I think it is safe to say that if there are opportunities for him, within the new minority government, to execute any of his anti worker / anti union policies he will do so. Both of you have the opportunity to become educated and to work to counter what is a misguided and needlessly divisive agenda within your party. Bill has worked within a highly unionized environment and should be able to contradict the misconceptions that Mr. Hudak intentionally propagates. Lisa, coming from the private sector (likely non-union), may not have the same advantage, but in a riding where many constituents depend on their union for basic protections in the workplace she should have ample opportunity to reach out and learn about the union movement and how the union movement is an engine for positive social change at every level of society. After all a little history lesson will show that three of the highlights of labour law in Ontario happened when the labour movement worked with an Ontario PC government in the 70's and 80's to lay the ground work for the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Employment Standards Act and Labour Relations Act. Sadly some of the provisions in these acts have been attacked by governments over the last decade or two.

Please don't get the wrong idea; within the Labour Council there is no cheering section for any conservative party or government, but I can tell you that in the history of your party there is a much better place than where it is today. In fact, the energies of Labour are firmly focused on progressive politics where all people share in the wealth of our Region, Province and Nation. The various conservative entities today do not have that same commitment.

Perhaps, Bill and Lisa, you will realize the value of seeing past the conservative ideology and refusing to buy into the anti union / ant-worker rhetoric of the right and actually take the time to understand how valuable the union movement is and that in fact the protections put in place are a benefit to all of society.

One last note, the Grey-Bruce Labour Council is proud of our partnership with the progressive candidates at all levels. In this election it was Paul Johnstone and Grant Robertson and we will continue to work with them to enhance the lives of people across our region, but each of you has an opportunity to distance yourselves from the anti worker politics of Mr. Hudak and that will only help our region.

Dave Trumble, President, Grey-Bruce Labour Council http://www.greybrucelabour.com/

Ontario Election

2011-09-19T18:29:00.001-07:00

Dear Editor;

Letters about elections are often difficult as they are rarely non-partisan and it is their partisan nature that quickly turns readers off. The Grey Bruce Labour Council, as the local voice for working people, has always attempted to encourage voters to be informed voters and in these terms working people who deserve safe workplaces, fair wages, access to healthcare and education, access to free collective bargaining and a jobs strategy that keeps manufacturing jobs in Ontario to name just a few items should be clamoring for a clear accounting of positions supported by all candidates.

Along with the proposed jail closure in Walkerton and Owen Sound the current government has sat in power while 300,000 plus jobs have left Ontario; The challenger on the PC side of things, Tim Hudak, is attached to the legacy that is Mike Harris' and is already making noise about Wisconsin type attacks on public services, public sector workers and worker rights in general. Without a doubt these observations are partisan, but the primary reason for noting them is that voters need to ask themselves if they have voted Liberal or PC in the past if in fact this is where they want to continue to go. It is clear from recent statements that in Huron-Bruce that all three candidates from the main parties, NDP, Liberal, PC, continue to identify with ongoing support for Bruce Power and the future of the site and this is crucial to our entire region along with the future prosperity of Ontario.

On behalf of workers all across our region and in the context of how important all elections are lets make Ontario a success. This is best done by putting people first and putting people on the path to prosperity by once again establishing a framework where all people share in this prosperity.

Dave Trumble

President

Grey-Bruce Labour Council

http://www.greybrucelabour.com/

dtrumble@bmts.com

Labour Day

2011-09-05T18:19:00.000-07:00

In response to Labour’s Day, Labour Day 2011, the emotions and opinions will be as varied as the number of picnics and parades. These opinions are likely to fall into three significant categories; support, ambivalence and opposition.
Support is pretty easy to understand as it is founded in the inherent understanding that every single advance or improvement that workers enjoy was brought about by workers and their progressive partners and no one else. A very brief representation of these improvements would be the 40 hour week, week-ends, health and safety legislation and the right to organize with access to union representation.
Ambivalence is the domain of a large piece of the population that for any number of reasons have conflicts in their view of unions and worker’s rights. There is no way possible to address this group in a letter to the editor.
The opposition camp, while easy to recognize, is not understandable on any level but greed and avarice. For decades a social contract between government, employers and workers existed that evolved into a relationship that provided benefit to all people. In the last 30 years the social contract has been ruptured such that government no longer acts in the interest of working people, but acts in the interests of corporate Canada (except of course when these same governments dump money into communities to gain votes at election time). Those that will discuss Labour’s celebration with disdain do so not to demonstrate a conviction, but for the clear purpose of seeking the undermining of the Labour movement to deny the working class / middle class their share of the wealth of a land where no one should ever live with poverty, experience unemployment or any form of social prejudice.
Long live the ideals of a Labour Movement where social justice is the pillar of existence.

Dave Trumble
President, Grey Bruce Labour Council

August 27, 2011 A New Form of Communication

2011-08-30T18:15:00.000-07:00

August 27, 2011 A New Form of Communication

Dear Editor;

Jack Layton has left us, but not his message of hope and his passion for the youth of Canada. In an event that engaged young people in our region in a celebration of social justice that honored Jack’s message and passion Unionrocks, the Grey-Bruce Labour Council and OPSEU 260 brought the band “Anti-Flag” and three local bands to the Harb in Owen Sound on August 25th.

To entertain, to fundraise and to raise awareness would be a few reasons that musical festivals are put on by dedicated volunteers. The event at the Harb accomplished all of the foregoing, but it is set apart by a call to action by the bands and the promoters and supporters; a call for appreciation and a clear recognition that the collective good of people is the most important aspect in society and far out strips the current societal infatuation with feral and uncontrolled capitalism.

Unionrocks was the keystone to the event, but Unionrocks is in fact translating a new language. The future of the Labour Movement, progressive politics and a just society is already in the hands of our young people, but often what is missed is how to reach the hearts and minds of these very people. Unionrocks, headed up and founded by Brad Drake and supported by the youth in our region and the Labour Council, has found one of the very best ways to engage the future of the Movement. This was ably demonstrated on August 25th and in fact the integration of youth, socially responsible music and socially responsible organizations like the NDP, the Labour Council and Unionrocks may well be the way to engage the next wave of activists. Although the music is different the activists of 40 years ago found strength and support in some of the music of the day. Neil Young, Joan Baez and Bob Dylan, to name a few artists spoke of the spirit of protest and told the world of the oppressive policies of past governments that hurt and killed many from Kent State to Vietnam.

For decades Unions and organizations have approached social activism with vigor, and tools we have become accustomed too, and many victories for working people have been won this way. The time is upon us to use the lessons of the last four or five decades and hand in hand with the young people of today ,in a way that makes sense to them, attack the social disparities of today’s society. Unionrocks is forging a new way of communication and in fact it will be the integration of music and youth going forward that will put those in our movement today to work with a new wave of activists to take back our society from irresponsible corporations and the right wing legislative agenda that diminishes all humanity for the benefit of the very few.

In a week where, Jack Layton, one of the most influential Canadian voices for fairness and social justice left us one festival or celebration of convictions and beliefs that would have made Jack smile still took place and it took place in our own backyard. We need hope that there is a quality future for our young people, that there will be strong middle class and that the collective good of all, including a strong and vibrant trade union movement will be clearly in our future.

Many thanks to all who made the concert a success,

Dave Trumble, President Grey-Bruce Labour Council

In Solidarity

Dave Trumble

President

Grey-Bruce Labour Council

http://www.greybrucelabour.com/

Credibility and Credit Ratings

2011-08-06T19:20:00.001-07:00

Aug. 6, 2011

“American credit rating to AA+ instead of AAA”; too bad the ratings agency of Standard and Poor’s does not rate credibility! The place that America finds itself in, and sadly many of America’s friends, has much more to with credibility than credit worthiness. Supported in priciple by the other two horsemen of the apocalypse of the middle class, Thatcher and Mulroney, Ronald Reagan fired all the air traffic controllers in America for going on strike in 1981. Of course Reagan chose to take no notice of any issues that the controllers may have had, but behaved without conscience and the action predicted the ensuing 30 years of attacks on workers and public services.

Spawned from this behavior is free trade where corporations have more rights than people, IMF and World Bank policies that force privatization of public services in countries before lifesaving financial aid is provided, the belief that the only thing that matters is the free market, the purchase of the media to create a hospitable place for governments, corporations and the rich to attack the rights of the middle class and unions, the empowerment of organizations such as the Canadian Federation of Independent Business that have in reality no real reason to attack their middle class customers or unions but have been swept up in the decades of needless attacks and unnecessary mudslinging and amongst a list far too long for this letter a list of politicians such as Bush and Bush, Gingrich, Harper, Harris and even those that pretended to have a social conscience like Blair. Of course left of this list are the plethora radio personalities such as Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck who have made a living by doing nothing other spewing venom that serves the interest of the right and no one else.

If credibility were the measure by which a nation’s credit rating was established a lot of problems would exist for countries married to this mantra created 30 years ago. AA+ would very likely be but a hopeful target as the countries married to free trade and the free market have pronounced for thirty years that prosperity will abound if the free market is left to regulate itself and workers are provided no avenue to protect themselves or the pensions they have contributed to for a lifetime of work. Well for those that believe that economic prosperity is around the corner due to the free market perhaps you can loan 700 Billion dollars to the people who have been without work for years, can’t even hope for the slightest chance of dignity in retirement as companies and governments rape pension plans in some ridiculous battle cry of austerity and to name but one more of an endless list: hope for a better life for their children.

Well, we could hope that the equivalent 700 Billion dollars in the US and billions elsewhere that was found to line the pockets of the architects of the most recent economic meltdown in the US and around the world could be found to help families and workers, but this is not likely as those that are “one” with the policies of deregulation, privatization, free trade and free market are seemingly immune to the calls for help from the very people who for some reason keep electing them. Yes, credibility would be a good measure of credit worthiness and that credibility would only see it’s way back to AAA when elected officials acted truthfully and thoughtfully on behalf of all people and when the people that actually have the power took the time to vote in people that put all of us ahead of the very plans that were laid out for all to see when the three horsemen of the middle class apocalypse began their mission of destroying the middle class and trade unionism.

In Solidarity

Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce Labour Council
http://www.greybrucelabour.com/

A July 1st Canada Day Letter

2011-07-02T19:26:00.001-07:00

One-hundred and forty four birthdays is nothing to be trifled about. After all in that time a nation was built. The nation’s history is not only the 144 years since confederation, but it is the history of the First Nations Peoples who were here for millennia before confederation. For a very large part of the 144 years since confederation the well being of the entire society was a priority. It is also my understanding of First Nations peoples that the well being of the entire society is a priority.

I am extremely proud to be a Canadian and I know I have a lot of company. In our history we have given the world medical and technical breakthroughs, amazing statesmen, the lives of our sons and daughters as we never shirked the call to fight the good fight and for much of our existence the visible record of trying to make our home the envy of the world. In that struggle to be the envy of the world Canadian workers and a progressive political inclination secured sound legislation that entrenched rights for all people that enhanced their work and personal life and empowered people. Further to that this same inclination said let’s be good member of the community of nations, but we must take the same collective will that built the nation and translate it into ensuring the collective well being.

In reflecting on Canada on the 144th birthday of confederation we abound with nature’s gifts, wonderful people and a pride in our identity that is as strong as any. What seems to be missing is the collective good as a priority. Legislatively we are subject to needless attacks on public sector workers and unions who have managed to bargain a piece of the wealth while those that are in the non-unionized workforce attack these same people instead of embracing their recipe for success and demanding their rights to unionize and bargain collectively. Somewhat contrary, in my opinion, to the foundations that Canada was forged by there seems this recent inclination to push for the rights of the few compared to securing and enhancing the rights and well being of the collective body of the country. No clearer example of this exists in electing Harper in Ottawa, Ford in Toronto and perhaps Hudak in Ontario. Each of these married to the failed policies that caused the most recent global economic meltdown and each is vociferous proponent of attacks on workers and the rights of workers.

If we all take a minute to think of our roots in the weeks after our July 1st celebration and in this light seek to abandon the free market mentality that seeks out survival of the fittest and destroys an inherent civility that has existed from our earliest days and instead look to support and empower each other then the time of collective well being should hopefully return and we once again will ourselves aim to tell the world that we are the envy of all who gaze upon us.

Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce Labour Council

The Canadian Labour Movement in 2011

2011-05-14T17:14:00.000-07:00

May 9th to May 13th, 2011 witnessed the tri-annual constitutional convention of the Canadian Labour Congress and the record of that convention is part of many postings and documents throughout the world by now. The purpose of this blog is not to duplicate this, but is to remind Canadians that outside of the variety of reporting that is open to viewing the voices of 3.2 million Canadian Workers have been heard through the delegates in attendance. No one can say that the Trade Unionists that attended agreed on any every single point, but that in itself is a plus in that this debate defines the passion of those that attended.

The delegates that participated debated policy documents such as Good Jobs for All, Reclaiming our Space and Building on our Success; Mobilizing for our Future and many resolutions that talk to all manner of socially responsible initiative. The process of debate to arrive at a direction for the congress, the union affiliates and the workers represented within is clearly a departure from the corporate establishment and their political affiliations. Within the structures aligned with the corporate establishment debate is discouraged and in fact their direction is usually based on a dictatorial process with little or no socially responsible tilt unless it is done so for the express purpose of hiding another more malevolent agenda.

Hot on the heels of electing a conservative majority federal government by a minority of Canadians and electing a progressive official opposition in unprecedented numbers the assembled delegates are under no illusions of the work that lay before them. One hundred and two New Democratic Members of Federal Parliament will ensure that for the first time in history that the recent complicity of liberal and conservative philosophy will be unable to hide the heinous and despicable agenda that will negatively affect working people throughout Canada. The delegates to the convention know that the conservative policies will be of no value to workers and will only work to aid and abet corporate Canada. In this context little was uttered in the convention hall that was not prefaced with how tough the next four years will be with such regressive individuals as Harper, Baird and Flaherty in the legislative driver's seat. In other words, we are entering the future according to the philosophy of fear, aggression, union bashing, and needless attacks on social programs, secrecy and just about any other thing that is contrary to what Canada and Canada's reputation was built on.

Organized Labour has always had at its core the desire to be inclusive and to ensure that no one is left behind and the convention delegates never once veered from this core set of values. It is with commitment to these values that the delegates did all they could to set a path for the next three years that will try and bring socially responsible balance to the national scene of conservative policies that will no doubt hurt workers and to set forth an action plan to make protection of worker's rights and the vulnerable in our society as much of a reality as possible.

Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce Labour Council

Closing Jails In Owen Sound and Walkerton

2011-04-03T14:31:00.000-07:00

Like it was yesterday! I remember Dalton McGuinty saying on the night he was first elected that he was going to treat the public service with respect; the respect it had so lacked under the Mike Harris regime of "scorched earth". Here we are years later and McGuinty has heaped out a lot of respect. Not much of it towards the public service and the thousands of employees that provide the services that many of us need everyday, but respect nonetheless.

McGuinty has respected corporations through billions of dollars in tax cuts that don't create jobs. He has respected Samsung and sold off jobs for Canadians in the energy sector. He has respected unfair trade deals that provide a "no" manufacturing jobs strategy for Ontario. He has respected the lack of democracy in legislation that prevents people from fighting against the location of wind farms. He has respected replacement in that he stood up against anti-replacement worker (scabs) legislation. He has respected legislation that may remove from workers the very ability to receive instruction in matters of health and safety from workers and amongst the many dollops of respect he has handed out he has now handed out respect for short term financial gain and decided to pound rural Ontario again by closing down jails in Walkerton and Owen Sound.

Although Tim Hudak should scare us all, McGuinty's future for Ontario is seemingly no less bleak in some respects. Tell McGuinty to live up to a couple of his promises and that one of them needs to be respect for the public service and hopefully that will translate into hope for rural Ontario. McGuinty needs to be told that his choices are just wrong and if we can't reach him through fighting back right now, lets tell him and the scary alternative (Hudak) that we don't trust either of them and in October lets get Ontario to a place where perhaps the progressive alternatives in the legislature will have the balance of power.

In Solidarity

Dave Trumble

President

Grey-Bruce Labour Council

http://www.greybrucelabour.com/

Sisters and Brothers in Japanese Nuclear Plants

2011-03-17T17:11:00.001-07:00

The events taking place in the Japanese Nuclear plants are not to be minimized and to do so would dishonor our sisters and brothers working to bring the plants into a controlled state. Despite all this thousands of dedicated and trained professionals maintain and operate close to 400 plants the world over and do so to support energy demand the world over while offering the best alternative to fossil fuels and providing economical base load generation. Hopefully the media will get this message and begin objective reporting of the situation in Japan's plants.

Elections, Get the facts

2011-03-13T16:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Editor;

It is natural for the party in power to garner most of the attention of the media and the letter writers and in the case of the Ontario liberals, who have (amongst a litany of mistakes) done deep and significant damage to rural healthcare, manufacturing jobs and foisted the ill conceived green energy act on the citizens of Ontario, they should expect no less consideration.

Now that an election year is upon us in Ontario it is not likely to be very long before the campaign noise gets very loud. In the early part of this year I have noted what to me should be a concern for anyone that can remember the Harris years in Ontario; I get a sense that people are entirely focused on any alternative to McGuinty. Just as a reminder, the Harris years embodied, to name but a few items, the destruction of vast public services, the sell off of public institutions, attacks on worker rights on an almost daily basis, attacks on the poor, appalling funding cuts to education, the attempted destruction of universal and public healthcare and a variety of manufactured crisis.

I am no fan of the McGuinty liberals, but remain steadfastly concerned that the Hudak conservatives are in all likelihood a through back to the Harris years (Wisconsin mean anything to anyone?). I can't offer a political suggestion that answers all concerns, but in what will be the ever increasing noise level of a campaign year please don't ever forget that at least as many of the McGuinty disasters were empowered by the travesty that was the Harris tories as they were of their own making and design. When at long last we make the trip to the ballot box be the person who understands what the parties stand for and be the one who has asked about energy, hospitals, jobs, pensions, schools, worker rights, etc.. By the way, not bad advice if the federal election heads our way in the next while.

In Solidarity
Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce Labour Council
http://www.greybrucelabour.com/

Regarding the March 5th Jim Merriam column "Facing unions a hard fact in tackling debt".

2011-03-06T17:44:00.000-08:00

Dear Editor;

Regarding the March 5th Jim Merriam column "Facing unions a hard fact in tackling debt". The Supreme Court has determined that the right of workers to bargain collectively is so important to society as a whole that it is protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. There are millions of Canadians that gain or sustain their voice in the workplace and on the electoral stage due to this Charter right.

Mr. Merriam is typical of those that see unions as some kind of bogeyman and in their haste to make their point do little research and hope that if they dump enough in the way of inaccurate fear and loathing in their medium that they will sustain the rest of their ilk in their ignorance of the century and half of social progress that the Trade Union Movement is responsible for.

When the Jim Merriam's of the world take a day off or get paid for a statutory holiday or enter a workplace that provides protection for workers through various laws and legislations please remember that each of these was not brought to him or them by any politician or business person; it was brought about by social progressives of which trade unionism is a pillar. Oh yes, the vitriolic rantings about public sector unions being responsible for budget deficits; perhaps it is time to ask why against over 20 years of advice by the Trade Union movement that governments have handed out billions to corporations while sending millions of jobs offshore and have reduced the very tax base that supports our communites.

Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce Labour Council
http://www.greybrucelabour

JIM MERRIAM: Facing unions a hard fact in tackling debt
By JIM MERRIAM
Posted 1 day ago

No matter what labour activists might tell you, the so-called assault on public-sector unions in the United States, particularly the State of Wisconsin, is about more than workers' right to bargain collectively.
You've no doubt heard of the battle. It has been marked by union activists occupying government buildings and members of the opposition Democrats in the Wisconsin Senate hiding outside the state to avoid facing a vote on the matter. (Great leadership on display there.)
In part, the fight is about enormous deficits, which have been rung up by governments with a tendency to buckle to the demands, monetary or otherwise, of any special-interest group big enough to hold a one-band parade. It's also about freedom for workers, but not in the way being spouted by the unionistas.
Before getting into that we should note that the Dalton Gang won't be bringing an antiunion movement to Ontario anytime soon.
The province's actions make its support of unions abundantly clear. A public-sector wage freeze announced last year applied to everyone except unionized employees. Plus the "Education Premier" has been in bed with the teachers' unions since taking office. Hence the pansion of all-day kindergarten (cost $1.5-billion a year) to serve a population with the attention span of, well of a kindergarten student, in a province that is broke.
Back to the subject of unions and workers' rights in Yankeeland, let's consider union membership as one of those rights. In a free society you'd think workers would be allowed to decide for themselves whether or not to join a union. However, that freedom only exists as long as a union is outside looking in. Once a union is certified to represent workers, employees are forced to join if they want a job.
But that's not the biggest problem with unions today. In any company-union bargaining situation, the company must act responsibly with the union able to say or do almost anything to keep their members in line behind the organizers and/or the bargaining committee. Hence union leaders have been known to promise a mountain to their members, knowing a molehill might not even be within their grasp.
Outside the public sector, unions often don't achieve much for their workers, particularly in the area of wage increases. (Notable exceptions include auto workers and some others.)
In many instances, when companies face a newly certified bargaining committee the strategy is simple: The cost of the certification to the company is to net out at zero. So all the costs resulting from certification must come from the pre-union pay increase workers would have received.
So a planned 3.5% increase might be reduced to 1.5% with the other 2% going to cover these new costs.
Putting those issues aside for the moment, the aforementioned deficits eventually will force government versus union disputes to the surface everywhere.
Although the U.S. leads the world in deficit accumulation, Canada is working hard to catch up. In fact, this country's debt is north of $560 billion and rising by the second. (Check it out at www.debtclock.ca).Ontario's debt stands at a staggering $219-billion.
Something must be done about this and that something will include painful cuts involving workers in the public sector, whether Dalton McGuinty likes it or not.
When governments in this country develop the stones to join the battle against deficits, the union issue automatically will be attached as an interesting sideshow.

Union Made

2011-02-27T18:51:00.000-08:00

Canadian and American conservative policy makers fear the title "Danger Educated Union Member" more than almost anything else. What do they really fear? Perhaps the realization that if the workforce was educated, protected and surrounded by protections that ensure respect and dignity that basic conservative dogma would be seen for what it is; the politics and policies of fear and deception.

Conservatives often tie disagreeing with conservative dogma and policy as being unpatriotic or for some strange reason a risk to public and national security. Can't you just imagine the conservative think tank that comes up with this? It must go something like this; "let’s make sure we scare everyone so that no matter what perversion of the truth we perpetuate there will be that single moment of hesitation that will give us just enough time and opportunity to prevent any opportunity for concentrated resistance". That concentrated resistance, if it gained traction, would in short order collapse the conservative dogma to what it really is, a sham perpetuated on people to gain control over people and the economy.

For the years after the Second World War, up until about the year the first free trade agreement was signed in 1988, Union Made was like a modern day designer label and when it said Union Made in Canada, America etc. people were proud to wear it. That pride was indeed attached to the fact that people could touch a product that they may have actually made or at least the factory was in their town. Further it not only had a bit of a personal piece to it, but this label also had attached to it the title of prosperity and sustainability as people worked in their community and were compensated sufficiently to purchase the products they made and to support a middle class life. This represents nothing complex, but what could be called the dream of a middle class existence or to be entirely colloquial; "the American Dream".

Union Made is not only a part of our shared history when we look at product, but in fact represents such things as the 40 hour work week, health and safety law, violence in the workplace law and pay equity to name but a few.

Conservative dogma is hard at work in Wisconsin, Indiana and Ohio and has been hard at work in Ontario and Alberta and they use it to talk to the issue of budget deficits and that to deal with the deficits they have to attack workers and of course particularly unionized workers. The simple reality is it is these same conservatives that closed down our factories and destroyed the tax base while recklessly handing out corporate tax cuts that want to punish the workers.

Union Made is not only a necessity for a fair and compassionate society, but in light of the extremes of current conservatism as set out by American republicans, British conservatives, Canadian conservatives, etc. it is the life breath of all workers as these workers who walk the line do so not only for their immediate sisters and brothers, but for their sisters and brothers in all walks of life.

Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce
Labour Council

The Lies Told About Unions

2011-02-23T08:15:00.000-08:00

Anti-Union people are predictable and so ideologically focused that really reaching them with accurate information is all but impossible. Finding anti union people is usually pretty easy as they reside in the homes of intolernace like the conservative party in Canada and the republican party in America.

The first lie is that Unions have outgrown their usefulness and that current legislation will protect workers. When was the last time that any representative of an elected government made a choice to better lives and the workplace for working people entirely of their own free will. The only time this type of legislation is actually provided any opportunity to mature is when the Labour Movement pushes the issue. A very breif list would contain, occupational health and safety law, employment standards, workers compensation and free collective bargaining.

The second lie is that Unions only seek to better the life of their own Members. The collective agreements built on the strength of free collective bargaining not only better the lives of Members in the bargaining unit, but add stength and vitality to communities as people have the ability to buy what they make. In addition Unions have a 100 plus year history of aiding the United Way and decades of contribuiting charitable dollars in every single community in which they reside.

The third lie is that government deficits justify attacking the Labour Movement and Unions. Government deficits are just that; government deficits and are never created by Unions and working people, but are created through the ridiculous mantra of corporate tax cuts and excessive spending on initiatives things like jet planes instead of the basic needs of the people like healthcare and education. Add to this the stupidity associated with free trade and a total lack of a manufacturing jobs policy in most of the OECD and you find vast amounts of tax revenue evaporating.

The fourth lie of what could be a list of dozens is Unions make a country less competitive. Competitive advantage is not obtained by demoralizing and demeaning workers it is obtained by working towards prosperity and security for all. The only form of sustainable prosperity has its roots in respect and dignity for all workers and that begins and with safe workplaces where workers are paid a living wage.

The perpetuation of the myths created by the right is easily found when the province of Ontario plans to enact essential service legislation for the TTC, but ignore the call of thousands to enact anit-scab and card check legislation. Coincidence; unlikley / ideologically motivated; for sure.

Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce Labour Council

Protests and Rallies

2011-02-04T15:56:00.001-08:00

Protests and Rallies
To-day a newscast anchor asked one of the best questions I have heard for quite some time; he asked what it would take for the viewers to march in the streets demanding perhaps as much as a change in government. The question is related to the marchers in Egypt and the courageous protesters demanding Mubarak step down.
I inferred in the question that perhaps he thought that things had to get worse than they are now to motivate the viewers to march. As I thought about this I wondered what is keeping people off the streets in Canada right now or in the case of the news anchor, the United States. It goes without saying that Canada is in a much better position than Egypt or perhaps almost every country on Earth. The United States would not be far behind. Despite the obvious differences in the state of Egypt as compared to Canada it would be my opinion that we in Canada are well beyond the basic prerequisites required to hit the streets.
If we examine what Canadians have lost and what is under attack it would seem that there is ample reason to hit the streets in huge numbers. If we only look at the time period since the inception of the first free trade deal in 1988 Canadians have lost millions of well paid (mostly unionized) jobs in the manufacturing sector, the agenda of privatization and deregulation has jeopardized our healthcare and turned many of our public services needlessly into for profit enterprises and put at risk pensions and the future dignity of workers throughout the country. Without going over the top on this issue it is the bizarre ideology of leaders married to the current obtuse version of conservatism that seems to preach a “screw the worker” ideology and a form of aggressive behaviour that puts market and market forces as the most important aspect of their belief that provides the basis for workers considering hitting the streets.
I, along, with millions of Canadian workers (and Americans as they have experienced similar if not worse degradation) should find our current situation more than enough to go to the streets and that is the answer that the news anchor should get. Of course Ontario Workers have been here before during the Harris years, but it may be time for another version of the same thing.
Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce Labour Council

If Nuclear and Coal are phased out, Letter to the Editor, Jan 20 2011

2011-01-22T10:23:00.000-08:00

If Nuclear and Coal are phased out

Letter to the Editor, Jan 20 2011

Dear Editor;

I have yet to understand why the wind power lobby sees the phasing out of nuclear and coal as integral to the energy future of Ontario and beyond. No responsible or informed discussion on wind or renewable energy sources in general gives the slightest bit of credibility to the position that the electricity needs of Ontario could ever be met by these sources alone. Even with any amount of anticipated conservation added into this the amount of electricity demand will always far exceed the available power from renewables and conservation. In fact, traditional methods of producing electricity produce thousands of megawatts more than renewables each and every day in Ontario. Today (Jan 20th for example) wind was responsible for 90 megawatts of supply to the grid while nuclear was producing well in excess of 10,000 megawatts without one gram of greenhouse gases as a by-product.

The simple mathematics of supply and demand underscore the minimal impact that wind has on the daily electricity needs and this does not even take into account the cost of wind energy at $140 plus dollars per megawatt or solar at 400 plus dollars per megawatt hour. Nuclear power is generally produced at a cost in the range of 40-60 dollars per megawatt hour. Make no mistake that once the health effects of wind turbines are taken into effect and set backs are legislated many in the debate see wind and other renewables as having some role to play in the electricity mix in Ontario, but at no time will wind or renewables meet the base load needs of the province.

The health debate will never go away, but in simplest terms the production of electricity from nuclear energy is the most regulated industry in the world and year over year self regulates itself to less than 1% of allowable emissions to the environment. I wonder if the hundreds of trucks hauling the offshore made parts for windmills ever keep to less than 1% of their allowable emissions. CANDU Reactors and all their components are over 95% sourced in Canada and have mitigated hundreds of millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases since they first came on line. Almost all parties understand the controversy over the use of coal, but to suggest that Ontario will follow a path of renewables, wind and gas instead of converting existing coal plants to the use of biomass is another form of irresponsible energy policy in Ontario. Thankfully the government of Ontario recognizes the need for Nuclear Power, but it is time make it clear that wind and renewables are not the answer and will only be a small contributor to Ontario’s energy future. Casually disposing of Nuclear and Coal without looking at alternative uses for existing coal plants and thinking that wind and renewables will take their place is a guarantee for an Ontario with no future economic prosperity.

Dave Trumble

President Grey-Bruce Labour Council

Below Please find Last week's letter that the above is written in response too.

Phase out nukes, coal
Letters to the editor

Dear Editor,

If we take seriously the protection of human health we have to phase-out coal and nuclear-powered electricity.

Coal kills hundreds of Ontarians and triggers over 120,000 illnesses (e. g., asthma attacks) annually. It is also the most climate-destructive fuel around, emitting twice as much carbon as natural gas does. Whether the issue is respiratory disease or global warming, coal is a catastrophe.

But nuclear is extremely unhealthy as well. A scientific review by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment found all functioning reactors release radioactive materials on a routine basis.

A 2008 German government study showed children (younger than five) living within five kilometers of a nuclear plant are at elevated risk for leukemia. And Scientific American recently reported nukes harm the climate: "Nuclear power results in up to 25 times more carbon emissions than wind energy, when reactor construction and uranium refining and transport are considered."

But to phase-out conventional power we need to use less energy and switch over to renewables, including wind turbines.

Lately there's been a certain amount of anti-wind sentiment from some Ontarians. This is unfortunate because turbines are a far healthier source of power than their competition.

Dr. Arlene King, Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health, released a scientific literature review on wind and health in October, 2009. In the document she explains that there are anecdotal reports of symptoms such as sleep disturbance and headaches but "there is no scientific evidence, to date, to demonstrate a causal association between wind turbine noise and adverse health effects."

In May, 2010, Dr. King released the results of a second scientific literature review. Again she concluded that "the scientific evidence available to date does not demonstrate a direct causal link between wind turbine noise and adverse health effects.

But what about concerns besides noise?

A recent (January, 2010) scientific review from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control examined claims that turbines might create electromagnetic fields, potentially cause epilepsy, and possibly throw ice. The study's conclusions:

* Wind turbines are not significant sources of EMF (electromagnetic field) exposure."
* Shadows caused by wind turbine rotors can be annoying, but are not likely to cause epileptic seizures at normal operational speeds..."

* Risk of injury [from ice throw] can be minimized with setbacks of 200 to 500 m..."

The verdict: the current science -from Ontario's top doctor --suggests wind turbines do not threaten human health. Unlike coal, they are not destroying our climate and killing hundreds of Canadians every year. Unlike nuclear, they are not associated with cancer -nor do they condemn the next thousand generations to the menace of radioactive waste.

Gideon Forman Executive Director Canadian

Association of Physicians for the Environment

Attacks on the last line of Defence, the Trade Unions

2011-01-09T16:13:00.000-08:00

Attacks on the last line of Defence, the Trade Unions
Dateline 1981; Ronald Reagan terminates unionized air traffic controllers rather than negotiate. Dateline 1984; Margaret Thatcher rips into the coal miners of Great Britain rather than negotiate. Did the Members of PATCO and the NUM enter into strikes that could be considered unlawful, yes? Did they have real grievances, yes? Did either of the strikes warrant ongoing vilification of the Union Movement, No, but at the time it was convenient to attack Unions while the first entry into the long term plan to destroy the middle class and unions known as free trade was being considered and negotiated. Years later this vilification is played out constantly in right wing and corporate propaganda and today is part of a far more sophisticated approach; an approach that finds fuel in the vitriolic outbursts of regressive people such as former Ontario Premier Mike Harris and the new Governor of Ohio John Kasich, the Canadian federal government of Stephen Harper and organizations like the “tea party” (lead by television celebrity, not politician, Sarah Palin).
The broad approach, or as some incorrectly say populist, attack on unions by the right wing is actually quite simple to define and analyze. As government policies and legislators became the servants of corporations and in this made the choice to defy one of the most well known quotes in American history, “government of the people for the and by the people” they and their corporate benefactors had to work diligently to remove obstacles to their grand plan. Unions, along with a free and progressive media would certainly not be conducive to running an economy that catered to the needs of the corporations. In fact all that is connected with a progressive media and educated and unionized workforce is entirely contradictory to government policy supporting capital and caring little for people or the environment.
Let’s not forget that unions have been at the heart of progressive legislative change for over 150 years. A few examples of such legislation would be minimum wage, pensions, universal healthcare, public education, occupational health and safety, paid vacations, the 40 hour work week (unions; the people that brought you the week-end), and recognition of paid statutory holidays. Would it make sense, based on this wonderful and amazing record of social responsibility, for those who have chosen to cripple the middle class to leave the Trade Union Movement untouched? The Trade Union Movement is clearly a threat to the right wing corporate agenda in that not only does the movement stand for social responsibility in contradiction to the policies of capital but is perhaps the only self funded organization to take on the role of opposing the attack on working people by government and corporations. Many progressive pieces of legislation were enacted while the revenues to operate a Union were still collected from Members by elected / volunteer Stewards. Since the late 1930’s with the introduction of the legislation that would lead to the “Rand” Formula and automatic deduction of Union dues the self funded status of the Trade Union Movement is truly the last line of defence for working people (Harris at one time suggested he would attack this in Ontario and the “right to work” states already undercut this basic human right, the right to collective bargaining). The Trade Union Movement has many a partner in the fight to sustain jobs, a middle class and the basic social infrastructure that made the national caring societies that used to exist before the blind and myopic worship of capital became the very credo of so many governments, corporations and (sadly) individuals.
The sophisticated attacks on the movement are aimed at removing from view the progressive nature of unions and to corrupt the information such that people are lead to believe that instead of being an advocate for workers and positive social change that somehow unions are greedy. I will defy for all time anyone to equate any union activity with greed when greed is defined each and every day in the financial districts of places like New York, London and Toronto where the financial meltdown of late 2008 was orchestrated and the behaviours that lead to it condoned and in fact designed.
The Trade Union Movement, of which I am a proud member, deserves the time to be understood and to be respected as should it ever be removed or so badly damaged it no longer functions the corporations will have free rein in the world. If you think the near free reign is not possible just look at the loss of Union density since the afore mentioned attacks in 1981 and 1984 and right up to, and including, the latest campaign of misinformation focused on public service workers.
In Solidarity
Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce Labour Council

Tax Base and The Industrial Sector

2010-12-31T13:39:00.000-08:00

The new year is hardly underway and the mainstream media has already jumped on the issue of budget deficits as proclaimed with alarming and accelerating regularity by all levels of unelected and elected government officials. It should be no surprise that when the source of is this information is sourced that workers in the public service are always mentioned and in most cases the focal point of the blame. Of course this is not anywhere near the truth and is another example of where workers are blamed for government,corporate and international trade and monetary policy failure that goes back to at least the beginning of the free trade, de-regulation, privatization thrust of globalization and the forces that drive globalization. Of course the people blaming the workers seem to forget or intentionally ignore the failure, the United States being the clearest example of this, of the globalization agenda.

The nineteen eighties, ushered in by the election of government leaders such as Thatcher and Reagan, witnessed the early stages of the manifestation of the globalization agenda. The policies of globalization continue to be a failure and when it comes to tax base a quick calculation should bear simple and clear witness to this. Globalization and its intrinsic exploitation of labour forces in the developing world and repression of the labour force in the developed world drive manufacturing and industrial jobs offshore. This equates to millions of jobs shipped offshore and lost in the industrial sector, as has been the case in Canada and the United States for example, and with it goes the well paying middle class jobs that served us so well in the post war era (and before the free trade era). Since the majority of those affected by these job losses never again regain full employment and the industrial facilities that once paid significant taxes are gone forever it is no surprise to find that the tax base in a wide number of jurisdictions is diminishing. The loss of industrial and manufacturing facilities in Ontario is alone responsible for billions of dollars in lost tax revenue.

Take this to the next absurd argument offered by globalization advocates and you find them saying that the way to attract business is to lower taxes. Now the policies associated with this say to solve this lets further attack the wages of public sector workers to regain the loss in general revenues that don't exist anymore. Is anyone getting this? Globalization destroys well paying middle class jobs, destroys social safety nets for those in our society that are most in need and makes the elite and rich in our society ever richer (headlines today say that CEO's make 115 times what their workers make). Nowhere does this agenda of globalization set forth a plan to sustain the middle class and to do what is necessary to make the future brighter for workers in our own communities. Nowhere does the agenda of globalization set forth a plan to regulate for the purpose of the common good and ensure that things such as water, energy, , health, infrastructure and food (to name a few) should remain in publicly regulated hands to ensure that it does the maximum good for the common good.

The agenda of globalization is now an example of failed public and international policy and it is time to get past the blaming of workers, unions and the poor for the failure of this policy and to get on with peeling the lid back on this and putting the world back on a path to fair trade, proper regulation and public ownership of public infrastructure, increasing access to collective bargaining rights for workers and sound social safety nets for all. This is nothing more than what worked successfully in the post war era to make a strong and healthy middle class that propelled at least the economies in North America to enviable strength and growth.

One of the past leaders of General Motors was quoted as saying "you can't have an economy if you don't build anything"; well we are fast approaching that. Add the loss in taxes and the poor choices made with limited tax dollars and it is no wonder that a revenue shortfall exists in a wide variety of jurisdictions.

Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce Labour Council

Grey-Bruce Labour Council Letter from the President 2010 / 2011

2010-12-27T14:20:00.000-08:00

GREY-BRUCE LABOUR COUNCIL

Representing the Needs of Working People Since 1956

(Chartered to the Canadian Labour Congress in 1956)

Grey-Bruce Labour Council

Letter from the President

2010 / 2011

Sisters, Brothers, Delegates, Friends & Partners of the Labour Council, Union Presidents, CLC and OFL;

As we approach the end of 2010 I want to wish everyone the best for 2011 and beyond and to say thank-you for the dedication, passion and compassion of the past years. I, along with some others, will see the our 22nd year of involvement with the Grey-Bruce Labour Council this coming year and when I look back on our accomplishments it is always through the prism of the people that have graced our table and our work in the community that our accomplishments are viewed most clearly.

Our Labour Council, amongst the ruins of Ontario’s industrial sector and the never ending attacks on working people and our most vulnerable, remains a vibrant component of the Labour Movement in our region. The Grey-Bruce Labour Council is not without challenges that must be overcome to continue to be successful, but one glance at our strength and diversity of membership, partnerships and friends demonstrates that we are here to overcome these challenges and to continue to be the voice of working people in our region for the foreseeable future.

There are always dangers when one attempts to set certain people or actions above others in the vein of a letter such as this, but with immense pride in all our successes it is the inclusiveness of our Council that needs to be near the top of the list. Of course this inclusiveness is a choice made by all at our table, but we have never sent anyone of social conscience away from our table. I am sure that this pillar of our existence will continue in 2011 and I can see no better of way of demonstrating this than ensuring that our OPSEU Sisters and Brothers are welcomed despite any activity between NUPGE and the CLC at the national level.

The upcoming year has amongst our key activities a deeper involvement with our political allies and partners, a week-end school in April, refinement of our scholarships, a president’s meeting, a youth forum and outreach to our region’s unions to become involved with the Grey-Bruce Labour Council. Each of these initiatives will require significant effort to see a successful outcome and to neglect the help our CLC and WHSC Staff can provide and have provided would be a huge oversight. To this end, many thanks to Stephanie and Kim!

On a very personal note, the people involved and that support our Labour Council embody what Sister and Brother actually means and I am never more proud than when I get to brag to the world about all my Sisters and Brothers.

In Solidarity, Dave

Essential Services

2010-12-19T20:21:00.000-08:00

The deeming of services beyond what society has no ability to be without whatsoever as essential services is nothing more than the next step in undermining our charter right to free collective bargaining. The latest headline grabber in this debate is Toronto Councils’ support for essential service legislation for the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC).

The need (however arrived at) for essential service legislation in almost all cases outside of the narrow band mentioned above is removed or at least significantly mitigated should employers come to the bargaining table with full intention of reaching a two party collective bargaining agreement. When union negotiating committees give notice to bargain there is always full intention to reach a two party deal. The intolerant regimes like Ford and his Council minions in Toronto find it easy to overlook this vibrant component to labour relations and instead play off those who are easily turned to a negative opinion of unionized workers.

Perhaps an even more fundamental part of the debate and the legislative initiatives that undercut free collective bargaining is the failure of governments, irrespective of jurisdiction, to enact anti-replacement worker legislation and card check certification. Both of these items encourage free collective bargaining by ensuring that employers are kept at the bargaining table and that more workers have easier access to union organization.

The use of essential service legislation should be a measured approach and only applied with the utmost care and due diligence and never used as it is in this case; to intentionally mislead people into thinking negatively about unionized workers and to grab more headline space for people like Ford.

Branding the TTC as an essential service is playing with a tool that is needed, but is not appropriate in anyway for the suggested application.

Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce Labour Council

Law and Order and Poverty

2010-12-08T20:56:00.001-08:00

Prime Minister Harper and his caucus are great advocates for a Law and Order agenda or as I like to call it; another right wing easy answer.

Make no mistake there are legitimate criminal entities that the very brave women and men in law enforcement must confront to ensure the safety of the individual and society in general, but the concern in this letter is part of the convoluted attempt of governments of similar philosophy to the Harper conservative to use the cover of the law and order agenda to cover up the fact that they have no policy to deal with the roots of poverty.

The various roots of crime are indeed far too broad and varied to discuss in a short letter, but sadly a statistically relevant part of crime is rooted in the fact that for conservative and right wing governments are happy to pander to the segment of the population that believes in throwing more policing and bigger jails at the problem instead of doing the hard work and establishing programs or funding existing program to aid those whose poverty has driven them to crime. Of course not everyone who lives in poverty turns to crime; in fact the vast majority live a life dignified and defined by their struggle to do what is right by themselves, their families and their communities despite the daily challenges that must be overcome. In the same breath poverty, sometimes multi-generational and sometimes a direct result of recent job loss drives people who do lose hope to do things outside of the law.

The law and order agenda, where policing and incarceration increase considerably, needs to be stopped in its tracks and re-evaluated in light of what would take place if government policy took straight aim at generating jobs in the manufacturing and resource sectors. This would create an economic recovery based on being a producer of Canadian made goods rather than country racing to the bottom of the economic ladder and shipping off middle class unionized jobs to parts of the world where workers are exploited.

If legislative policy at all levels of government focused on regenerating the well paid unionized jobs found in the manufacturing and resource sector that have disappeared in the millions in Canada since the signing of the first free trade agreement in 1988 it may just be that the crime generated out of the poverty created directly by the ridiculous trade policies of successive Canadian governments would be mitigated. The end result is a much healthier country economically and socially and the easy answer or glib conservatives / right wing are forced to answer for their long term legislative failures instead of hiding behind the façade of their law and order agenda.

Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce Labour Council

Municipal Elections 2010

2010-11-12T18:25:00.000-08:00

Municipal Elections 2010

The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) campaign to endorse and help elect candidates in the recent Ontario municipal election met with significant success as over 1200 endorsed mayors, councillors and trustees were elected. Locally the Grey-Bruce Labour Council endorsed two school trustee candidates and three candidates for councillor. The effort was a clear success as all but one candidate is now in office.

CLC political action campaigns and activities implemented by local labour councils and local unions have become a centrepiece of the work to protect working families in our communities. Working families have fallen victim to a never ending list of legislative and policy initiatives at all levels of government that have robbed them of jobs and dignity and for those that remain in the workplace the necessary protection that regulations pertaining to the workplace provide. Examples of such initiatives would be bad trade deals, failure to develop a reasonable industrial jobs strategy, protection of social and healthcare services, failure to adopt “card-check” certification to make unionization easier and failure to adopt “made in Canada” policies by some municipalities (quite acceptable under even free trade agreements).

Elevating the political activity of those that represent the interests of working families is an absolute necessity to ensure a worker’s voice. Too often the voices of the right receive the attention of government and media; after all they have such catchy phrases as “I will end the gravy train” which is closely attributed to the new mayor of Toronto. Running and endorsing candidates that stand in clear opposition to such meaningless platitudes and vicious attacks on working people is an absolute necessity. More locally and in our region there are those that no doubt aspire to the equivalent in right wing views, but between the endorsed candidates and those with strong social conviction already in place the absolute necessity of working through the CLC and Labour Council to elect and then hold accountable those elected is critical.

This municipal election stands ahead of what is expected to be a federal election in the spring and a provincial election in the fall and the successes of this municipal campaign now holds the lessons to lead those who believe in the value of working people to greater success at the ballot box next year and in four years back at the municipal level. On behalf of the Grey-Bruce Labour I offer thanks to all those that worked to elect candidates that are friends of working people and to offer encouragement to all candidates to put working families first.

Dave Trumble
President Grey-Bruce Labour Council

Labour Council Supports Steam Generator Transfer

2010-11-07T19:14:00.001-08:00

Dear Editor;
In evaluating the facts associated with the plan to ship used steam generators from Bruce Power to Sweden for recycling the Grey-Bruce Labour Council has resolved to support the shipment. The basic tenets of this support are found in light of the facts that 3-4 million shipments of radioactive material are safely shipped each year in Canada and that this shipment is governed by the same regulations and that the specific radioactivity is significantly lower than the vast majority of these shipments. In addition when it is noted that the entire life cycle of steam generator removal, shipment and recycling process is handled by well trained union members and that the idea of minimizing waste is consistent with all environmental initiatives the Council Delegates were able to strongly support the shipment.
The Labour Council discussed the facts of the issue and heard to some degree the details of the falsehoods put out to needlessly alarm people in respect of this issue. The discussion was fact based and to this end the delegates focused on the responsible and accurate reasons that support this initiative and hopefully that will bring this recycling technology to Canada so the Canadians can carry out this very same project over the next couple of decades when, not if, the remaining CANDU units in Ontario have to have their steam generators removed and the metal recycled.
Dave Trumble
President, Grey-Bruce Labour Council

Wind Power Produces 6% of Ontario's Electricity, Big Deal!

2010-10-29T17:31:00.000-07:00

The recent high winds in Ontario has given rise to some power outages in a variety of locations in Ontario. Now this is hardly news (unless we do a seperate blog on the failure of the Ontario government to support the ongoing needs for renewal of our electrical transmission system), but it did focus for a day or so the attention of the media on Ontario's electricity supply. The Media true to form missed the big issue, but pronounced with much fanfare that Ontario's wind farms produced 6% of Ontario's electricity needs for a short period of time this past week.

This is a fine piece of information and given the need for a diversified supply mix it is likely not bad news, but the issues that are missed by the media are the real story. The first of these would be the fact that when Ontario had an industrial jobs strategy and a significant industrial load (which wind cannot support)over 60% of Ontario's electrical needs were met by nuclear power and that billions (with a "B") tonnes of greenhouse gases were mitgated by the use of electricity from nuclear plants. Still in the vein of nuclear power; all the electricity from nuclear energy was created in three defined geographical areas (Bruce, Pickering and Darlington) as compared to the various wind farms that dot and destroy landscapes and are built without any consideration for negative health effects.

The media in Ontario and in most jurisdictions exhibit an astounding lack of understanding of the electricty sector and energy policy and this has recently been demonstrated in the focus of this blog, but I would also suggest it is further demonstrated in the media's failure to research the issues around what will without a doubt be the safe transfer and shipment of used steam generators from the Bruce Nuclear Site and the inability of the media to fully grasp the complete disaster that awaits the electricty consumers of Ontario as the Ontario goverment implements more and more of it's green energy act. Perhaps the most ludicrous piece of this act is the ability for the government to count the energy not used by a now shutdown manufacturing plant (shutdown due to the lack of an industrial jobs strategy)as conservation.

A safe, dependable and diversified electricity supply and a responsible energy policy with knowledgable media reporting on the sector is absolutely necessary for general understanding of the energy sector and to ensure that decisions are made that align policy with need and not with ideology.

The highest court in Saskatchewan has upheld a decision to certify a union at a Wal-Mart in Weyburn, Saskatchewan

2010-10-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Editor;

The highest court in Saskatchewan has upheld a decision to certify a union at a Wal-Mart in Weyburn, Saskatchewan. In a unanimous decision the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal upheld the certification of United Food and Commercial Workers’ (UFCW) Canada Local 1400 bargaining unit at the Weyburn store. The certification had originally been issued by the Saskatchewan Labour Board in December 2008.

Wal-Mart had successfully challenged that certificate in a lower court but that court’s decision was struck down by the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal, and the union certification upheld. This is a victory for workers rights and the principle that no company is above the law.

It was the second time in a week the courts have ruled against Wal-Mart. Just two days prior to the Saskatchewan ruling, the Quebec Superior Court upheld an arbitrator’s decision that Wal-Mart had acted illegally when it shut a store in Jonquiere, Quebec shortly after workers there joined a union.

Meanwhile, UFCW Canada members at a Wal-Mart in Gatineau Quebec recently achieved a first contract. UFCW Canada members at a store in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec also have a contract in place.

In Saskatchewan, UFCW Canada Local 1400 also has applications pending before the labour board for Wal-Mart stores in Moose Jaw and North Battleford.

Seeing the workers in one of the largest, if the not the largest business in the world, able to access their rights to free collective bargaining is some of the best news the trade-union movement and workers in general could possibly receive. It tells the world that people are long past the point of accepting that their standard of living must be diminished while the unbridled greed associated with globalization and as many people refer to it, the Wal-Mart mentality, proceeds unchecked as business drills deeper and deeper into the poorest countries of the world to establish their outposts where no labour, environmental or health and safety regulations exist. In fact this very behavior exists within our own borders as globalization permits the use of sub contractors that have no access to any legislative protection.

If business had nothing to hide and was interested in looking after their workers they would not oppose unionization nor would they oppose the various forms of legislation that protects the lives and livelihoods of workers such as improvements to health and safety legislation, pension reform and legislation that prohibits the use of replacement workers (scabs) when workers exercise their right to withdraw their labour when the employer fails to offer a reasonable collective agreement.

Dave Trumble, President, Grey-Bruce Labour Council

Mid term Elections

2010-10-11T19:29:00.001-07:00

Is anyone else watching the most hypocratic batch of candidates in history; the batch involved in the mid-term elections in the US. Each and everyone is trying to lay claim to the high ground on the jobs front? Now, to be fair, some of them are legitimate in their claims, but on the whole they are about as hypocratic as the day is long.

The vast majority seeking re-election came to be in office on the free-trade. low taxes and de-regulation platform; a platform that any person of social conscience or just minimally interested in job creation will discredit. The spin on this is that these same people have two disgusting habits. The first is their self-righteous attitude that they are the only ones to see the failing of these policies of successive previous governments and that they will make it right. Don't forget many of them came to power believing in this same travesty in the eighties and nineties. Even more distasteful is the efforts they make to try and convince us that they discovered Free Trade and its associated failed policies when the Labour Movement in Canada sighted the pending disaster in 1987 as American and Canadian governments of the day rocketed Canadian manufacturing jobs to the "right to work States" in America as they signed the first free trade agreement in 1988.

Candidates committed to change are the ones who commit to a policy of manufacturing jobs and resource jobs in North America without the propaganda that accompanies the advocates of the global economy. They will also be recognizable by their tell tale statements similar too; "reasonable amounts of taxation and increases in taxes are necessary to pay for programs such as health and education that benefit all people not just the rich".

When election day in America hits take some advice from a Canadian and get past the morbid fear of taxation and tell the candidates that the only policy that will lead to prosperity in America and other countries is fair trade, reasonable taxation and necessary regulation.

Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce Labour Council

New Brunswick voters respond to public ownership issue

2010-10-02T17:43:00.000-07:00

The electorate in New Brunswick may have finally manifested a sentiment that has been simmering in so many corners of the country for a very long time. In fairness the vehemence of the attack on the ruling Liberals in New Brunswick may have had something to do with deals on the selling of NB Power being made in secret, but it is clear that a statement has been made on the selling off of public assets. The trade-union movement has most certainly vocalized the folly of selling off public assets for a short term gain on balancing the books at any level of government and has done so for what is likely better than 20 years.

I don't want anyone to think for one minute that electing a Conservative government in New Brunswick provides any degree of solace to anyone in the trade-union movement or anyone of social conscience, but it does make it clear that the voters have seen through the facade of selling of public assets for short term gain. The voters in Ontario need to either learn this lesson or, if already understood, manifest the lesson into action when considering where to put their votes this fall or next year in the provincial election.

Public assets owned and regulated by the public for the public good belong in the hands of the public. Recognizing that the NB sale was going to Quebec does not alter the fundamentally flawed principal of selling off public assets to private interests or to another public entity. Across North America many public assets have been sold to private interests only to see the level of service drop off drastically while a narrow group of investors harvest the asset with little or interest in seeing the asset(s) flourish for the benefit of anyone other than themselves. By example, private money and investment in healthcare have created competition in healthcare where the only competing interests should be the patients and caregivers as they compete with the illness or injury with but one goal in sight; the well being and ultimate care and hopefully cure for the patients. Instead profit margins enter into the equation and the caregivers and the patients become the expendable quantity while the profiteers do what comes naturally.

The variety of public assets in such jeopardy are wide and are represented in almost facet of the public sector. In fact in numerous jurisdictions, Ontario being one, public entities such as the LCBO, Toronto Hydro and Hydro One are or have been targets of such attacks. The senselessness of this is not only the selling off of a public asset, but selling assets that actually provide revenue for the government of Ontario. Of course this promotes an entirely different letter; the selling of public assets for purely ideological reasons.

Many people will argue that for Ontario, as was likely in New Brunswick, that the books must be balanced to attract investment to the province. Funny about that; the same people that push that argument are the first at the trough when it comes buying these public assets for their own personal gain. They are not beyond making something look like it is a mess to encourage public sentiment that the "fire" sale makes sense; what a shell game! Thankfully the good people in New Brunswick finally made someone pay a price for this recklessness with public funds and fiduciary folly of selling off and possibly further deregulating public assets.

In the end public assets owned by the public, publicly regulated and staffed by well represented unionized staff is the wining formula and may well be the mantra for success at the polls.

Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce
Labour Council

Relevancy of the Labour Movement

2010-09-06T17:59:00.000-07:00

Labour Day is a very important day for all people; for some it is a celebration of the Labour Movement and its history of improving the lives of working people and for some it is their annual invitation to question the relevance of Unions. This question is the hallmark of those not educated about unions, but perhaps, even darker, it may the annual call of those who through fomenting this controversy propagate misunderstanding such that people are denied the opportunity to receive an unbiased view of what Unions have done for workers and what is possible going forward. The only purpose served by denying people the information is to intentionally prevent people from establishing an educated understanding of trade unionism such that they will seek what is rightfully theirs; fair compensation, pensions, safety, fair wages and respect as a few examples.

The most ironic facet of this debate is that unions are all around us yet it seems that it is only labour unions that are the victim of the question of relevancy. A union is but the conscious choice by a group of people to work together for their collective good. On the macroscopic level this is represented by the union of the provinces of Canada or the states of the USA who came together to make life better and to protect their citizens. On the smaller scale the gathering of stores on Main Street to form a business improvement organization is nothing more than a union of stores that advocate for improvements in local regulations such that their profits may increase.

The differences between the trade union movement and these other such examples are defined by things such as the Labour Relations Act here in Ontario, but the essence of coming together collectively to work to improve the lot of everyone in the collective group is as much a pillar of the trade union movement as it is in any number of other such examples of collectivization or unionization. When the question of the relevancy of unions is thrown out each Labour Day it is very easy to see through the facade and to see the question for what it is and to realize that the question is the pet of those afraid that workers will come together collectively and ask for education such that they will ask for what we are entitled too; fairness in the workplace and a place in the policy making process of government such government policies work to protect jobs instead of sending them offshore.

Just for the record, the trade union movement is more relevant today than it has been since the very inception of the trade union movement.

Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce Labour Council

People Can Achieve the Change they Want, A Labour Day Message

2010-08-20T17:24:00.000-07:00

Labour Day is about celebrating the contributions made by all working people, but is also an opportune time for people to rededicate themselves to securing the respect that is often lacking in so many arenas when referring to working people. For instance; when was the last time a corporate or financial leader or member of any sitting government called for the first priority to be the well being of their employees or their constituents? We know all too well that the easy platitude for these same corporate people is to say things such as "people are our most important asset" or "we are in the people business". In the world of government the words are different, but just as hollow and insincere. Overwhelmingly, the evidence demonstrates that corporations find it easy to put just about anything ahead of the needs of their employees-even in spite of legislation that would not support such behavior- and that the basis of existence for the majority of politicians is re-election or shameless pandering to their corporate benefactors.

The leading edge of social change is very often the domain of Labour activists. This is easily demonstrated by the involvement of organized labour in the creation of such necessary legislation as the Occupational Health and Safety Act, various Human Rights Legislations, the Labour Relations Act and the Employment Standards Act. Of course this does not happen because corporate leaders or governments have a desire to see progressive legislation enacted, but because workers took their rightful place on the social agenda of the day and took the argument and battle for worker's rights to election campaigns and the ballot box in collaboration with other partners of social conscience.

People often call for change, but can't seem to reach a place where the fundamental changes needed are actually acted on and it is this challenge that must be picked up and acted on as we look forward from the upcoming Labour Day Celebrations. The control that corporate leaders exercise on the political agenda of the day is entirely based on the comfort provided by a history of voter complacency where the status quo or another version of the status quo is implanted in the seats of government; term after term. The biggest fear of the corporate and financial leadership resides in an educated electorate making choices at the ballot box that they know will improve the life of working people. Examples of making such choices would be a TOTAL rejection of policies that diminish defined benefit pension plans, that support free trade policies as compared to fair trade policies, that support privatization and deregulation ahead of public ownership and adequate regulation to name but a few such items.

How do workers, and for that matter all people of social conscience, do this? They reject the recent history of elections at all levels and educate themselves on all issues and vote as educated voters to prescriptively vote in people that put workers and the rights of workers ahead of corporate greed. This may sound to some degree to be revolutionary, but it is only by doing so will we put ourselves once again in a place where we can establish and sustain such ideas as universal health care which if you will remember was initially rejected by the mainstream of the establishment, but to-day is part of the Canadian identity.

The Canadian identity has always been one of inclusiveness and the collective good and it is only the establishment and sustaining of an educated and active electorate that stands between us and this lofty ideal. Take the time to re-affirm the rightful place of the real wealth makers of this country, workers, on this Labour Day and resolve to be the most educated and active electorate in a few generations and let us take the agenda back to a place where working people are the focus of corporate and governmental policy.

Happy Labour Day

Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce Labour Council

Public Sector Unions / Corporate Tax Cuts

2010-07-21T18:40:00.000-07:00

When did it become an axiom for governments to put pandering to business before representing citizens in general. The latest attack on public sector unions by the McGinty government has far less to do with government sorting out budget issues and more to do with ensuring that corporate dollars will flow to the provincial liberals in the 2011 election.

McGinty's cowardice towards putting the citizens of Ontario first is the equivalent of Harris' venomous frontal attack on the same people. These activities are easily hidden behind the attack on public sector unions as sadly and incorrectly people in public sector unions are portrayed as somehow unworthy of the benefits that have only been derived through decades of hard fought collective bargaining done within the confines of such legislation as the labour relations act.

McGinty and Harris the 2nd, Hudak, should stop hiding their pandering and catering to business by trying to make themselves seem somehow noble by hammering public sector union members. If these same governments realized that wealth is in the hands of the people they would turn every legislative initiative on its respective head and make only trade deals that keep manufacturing, resource and high tech jobs in Ontario while vigorously supporting our public services and public sector workers. Hot on this would be encouraging people to unionize to ensure that wealth is shared and to enforce regulations that protect people and jobs ahead of corporate coffers.

It may be time for the people of Ontario to revisit the election paradigms of the past and vote for not only a socially responsible change in 2011, but a change in the representation format such that we will finally elect a government that is elected by a true majority.

Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce
Labour Council

Fortress Toronto Not So Bad

2010-06-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

This coming week-end will see what has been called "fortress Toronto" put into action. The security measures as we know have been sold to us as necessary to protect the leaders of the twenty most industrialized countries and largest economies in the world. By this late date just about all that can be said about this colossal waste of much needed public money has been said.

The irony of all this is that the security measures are put in place to protect the very people that can do little or no more harm to us at this summit than they and their predecessors have done everyday for decades as they hammer into existence more and more legislative policy that hurts ordinary working people around the world.

I would like to suggest an alternate use for the security measures and the fence; it is better used to protect the people that will rally and protest from the leaders that will be in Toronto at the summit. If we assume that virtually every protester has designs on making sure that their actions hurt no one during the week-end then we already know their designs are more honorable than the leaders who will continue to act in a way far less honorable as they return home next week and seek out new ways to deregulate economies in the interest of globalization with virtually no interest in seeing workers around the world protected and secure in a future that provides living incomes and social safety networks such that their retirement may be with dignity.

Keep the fence up and lets just hope it keeps the protesters safe from the G20 leaders.

Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce Labour Council

Deregulation Still Haunts Us

2010-05-22T19:19:00.000-07:00

This often referred too "first week-end of summer" is a time of awakening for many Canadians as we reopen cottages, light Bar-b-Cues for the first time since last fall and wax our cars, but this awakening is also a time of re-awakening the pain of grief and suffering as the wonderful people of Walkerton Ontario mark the tenth anniversary of the Walkerton water tragedy.

This avoidable tragedy brought to the people of Walkerton suffering and death; suffering and death of family, friends and loved ones. Yes it was avoidable on more that one front; a couple of the operators of the water treatment system received much of the blame, but it must never be forgotten that deregulation of our public services such as water treatment and sampling greatly accelerated the trip to disaster and tragedy.

If one needs more examples of where deregulation governments such as the former Harris government in Ontario and the current McGuinty government fail to represent and care for the people in their jurisdiction just think back to the privatization of TSSA inspections and the deadly propane explosion in north Toronto of a couple of summers ago. Fast forward to to-day and the McGuinty government is entertaining the possibility of privatizing Ministry of Labour inspections. Just imagine the disservice that workers in Ontario will be subject too if this privatization and deregulation exercise dose for workers what the privatization of TSSA inspections and water sampling did for the public safety.

Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce
Labour Council

Federal Conservative Party Intolerance

2010-05-09T13:10:00.000-07:00

If there was much doubt about the agenda of intolerance that the federal Conservative party subscribes too the last few weeks should have cleared up that doubt. In the past few weeks the federal Conservatives have excluded abortion, in contrast to the rest of the G8, as part of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's G8 maternal-health initiative, have witnessed some raw political advice on the same abortion issue from a Conservative senator to women's groups “shut up” or it could get worse and, lastly, the removal of funding for Toronto's pride celebration.

Take these last few items, which are only a small subset of numerous other attacks on a wide variety of progressive groups and unions, and add them to the contempt for parliament that Harper has and a clear picture of intolerance emerges.

Canada is built on a long standing foundation of tolerance and understanding and in light of this should Harper ever have the courage to face the electorate the voters will need to give thorough consideration to this most important consideration; what type of Canada do we still want and who do we want to represent that Canada.

Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce Labour Council

Sunshine List, $100,000 High Rollers ?

2010-04-04T17:22:00.000-07:00

Mainstream media, or should I say media that has long forgot the necessary balance between being a successful business and selling papers or advertising space and being true to journalistic standards that report on a subject while leaving out the unnecessary right wing and short term thinking bias that is so much part of most mainstream media to-day has once again lived up to its reputation by unidimensionally reporting on the public sector employees who were compensated in excess of $100,000 in 2009; the sunshine list.

The first important piece of the report that is never discussed is that this mandatory reporting commenced only when the government of Mike Harris implemented this requirement. The Harris regime in its manic fear of a functioning and educated public service insisted on this report to further the Harris mantra of demonizing the Ontario Public Service to swing the so easily manipulated electorate of the time to believe that Harris' goal of privatization was not only financially prudent (which we know not to be true then nor is it today), but more sinister was the dark propaganda genius of not only requiring the reporting, but mounting the greatest campaign of misinformation about all unions in a generation or more. The reporting in concert with the campaign of misinformation lead those easily lead into a dislike of the public service thus requiring the dedicated public service workers, largely unionized, to fight to maintain their jobs and unable to provide the necessary public oversight that would have been provided to the public such that they would have seen the dogmatic direction of the Harris regime that certainly had no desire to look at anything in a broader social context for the general good in anyway shape or form.

In support of the poor reporting of this story lets examine the facts of those actually listed on the sunshine list. According to the Toronto Star, who seemed to report the story with some editorial conscience, most of the 63,671 Ontario public employees who made more than $100,000 last year aren't high rollers. They're nurses, police officers and garbage collectors who worked a lot of overtime, or mid-level bureaucrats who were pushed into the six-figure club by inflation. They certainly did better than the average Ontarian – who made $45,400 last year – but they weren't egregiously overpaid. And, as the government noted, if the annual "sunshine list" were indexed to inflation, the threshold would now be $130,000, not $100,000, and the list would be 70 per cent shorter.

By the way the overtime is often associated with the underhiring of full time staff.

While the sunshine list is still in existence and in reality still doing a great deal of harm to dedicated public service employees and unions in the public service the omission of such items of interest as the minimum wage is now only poised to reach $10.25 an hour. It took over 1,000 days to reach $10 and hour from the day the ten dollar minimum wage legislation was enacted almost three years ago. Further to this is the short term memory experienced by so many in the Ontario electorate; the three days of debate the Ontario government under Dalton McGinty took to give itself a 25% raise while continuing to attack the rights and benefits that were collectively bargained with Ontario public service unions while the minimum wage debate was still on.

The sunshine list has outlived its usefulness in its current structure and context as it puts the focus unfairly in only one area and was created out of malicious intent instead of a desire to provide fair and equitable disclosure.

Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce Labour Council

Grey-Bruce Labour Council Delivers Message of Solidarity to Striking Steelworkers at Vale Inco

2010-03-20T18:25:00.000-07:00

On March 22nd thousands of workers, union and non-union alike, will be in Sudbury to tell “Vale Inco that imposing its way of doing things on Canadian workers is unacceptable. In light of the recent celebrations of International Women’s day and Anti-Racism Day Labour Council President, Dave Trumble is clear in his message of support to the members of the United Steelworkers and the workers that will rally in support of the Steelworkers at Vale Inco; “We have to get the message to foreign corporations that they cannot import anti-union strategies to Ontario and Canada. In the company’s Brazilian operations, workers are not laid off, but terminated without cause. They have no seniority rights, no access to grievance and arbitration procedures and health and safety standards are extremely low”.

The 3,000 Steelworkers at Vale Inco are clearly holding the line for all workers and people of social conscience. Many in the business community will say that Vale Inco’s actions are necessary to make Vale Inco competitive in to-day’s global market. In response to this Len Hope, Labour Council Executive Member and Pension advocate, points to numerous profitable Canadian Companies such as Inco in the days before the feeble excuse of globalization permitted Vale’s Brazilian type punitive style of business and labour relations to take hold. Hope says that “globalization has been the excuse for too long for unwarranted, perhaps unprecedented, punitive attacks on Canadian workers and in the end a way of life that no Canadian should ever permit to be threatened, no matter where the threat comes from”.

The Grey-Bruce Labour Council, and the thousands of workers that find their voice in the Council stand in solidarity with the members of the United Steelworkers and all workers who will rally in support of the Vale Inco workers and the fight to maintain not only their collective rights in Sudbury, but in a very real way the society of fairness and social responsibility that has and must define Canadians and Canadian society going forward.

Kill a Worker, go to jail

2010-03-14T12:46:00.000-07:00

Twelve years after the Westray mine disaster of 1992 the Criminal Code of Canada was amended by Bill C-45. Bill C-45 allowed for prosecutions of corporate executives, directors and managers who wrongfully or neglect to uphold their responsibilities to make and keep workplaces (large and small) healthy and safe. The successful passing of the amendment had little to do with political will and more to do with the work of United Steelworkers for whom the Westray mine disaster meant the loss of 26 of their brothers.

As of to-day no executive, director or manager resides in prison as a result of the amendment and a successful prosecution. The fact that hundreds of workers in Ontario alone have lost their lives since 2004 and over two Million workers have been injured is proof enough that executives, directors and mangers across Ontario and Canada who neglect their health and safety responsibilities have not had a change of heart such that Bill C-45 is not needed. Never more true is the opposite; they have simply been able to avoid successful prosecution under C-45 even if they were in many cases successful prosecuted under various provincial acts such as the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

It may be that the end is near, for those in a position of corporate power who wrongfully or neglect to uphold their responsibilities to make and keep workplaces healthy and safe, as Millennium Crane Rentals Ltd. will appear in court this week on charges of criminal negligence causing death following a fatal accident last spring, according to an article published yesterday at http://www.lawtimesnews.com. The charges are as a result of Bill C-45, according to the article.

By charging Millennium Crane Rentals Ltd. law enforcement in this case is making it clear to employers that if they kill a worker they are going to jail. The Labour movement under the leadership of the Ontario Federation of Labour has called for a criminal investigation into the Christmas Eve tragedy that took the lives of four construction workers and seriously injured a fifth. There is no doubt that as this plays out Bill C-45 will be very much on the minds of the investigators and on those that acted in such a way as to cause these deaths and injuries.

Plainly and simply, the time has come for corporate leaders and trade union leaders who put safety as their first priority to push as hard as possible for the maximum penalties under the law for corporate leaders who choose to do otherwise.

Dave Trumble
President
Grey-Bruce Labour Council