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Unions do important work for working families

Sometimes we lose sight of just how much unions have done and are doing to make the lives of working Canadians better. At a time when Unions are under attack by both big business and right wing governments I think it is time to remember.

Unions have benefitted all working people and not just their members but it is the members who have profited the most. Despite the great recession Union members continue to earn higher wages and enjoy greater benefits than non-Union workers working in the same industries and sectors. We enjoy more holidays and vacation time.

We are virtually the only working people who have any kind of employer pension plan.

These monetary benefits are, of course, only part of the benefits that Union membership brings.

Union members have greater job security and protections against unjust employer discipline. Through their Union, workers have a real say in their workplace.

Unions have also played a critical role in our Society. We led the fight for and won health care for all Canadians. We fought for and won employment standards legislation throughout Canada. We fought for and won high quality public education and services.

After winning pensions for many of our members Unions fought for and won the Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security for all Canadians.

Unions fought for and won the 40 hour work week and brought you the weekend.

By raising the wages and benefits of their members Unions redistributed the wealth of the country and created the middle class.

Today, all these gains are under attack as big business and the Tories try to strip away the benefits won by working people over generations and redistribute the wealth of the country back to the richest among us.

Indeed the Tories are attacking the very institution of Unions in an effort to prevent workers from both keeping the benefits that they have won in the past and stop them from winning more in the future.

It is time to remember what our Unions have done for us and to fight to keep them doing it!

Labour unites to fight

The whole Labour movement is coming together to fight the Tories attack on Unions. Here are some links:

OFL: Democratic and Economic Rights: The Campaign for Workers’ Rights in Ontario

TORONTO & YORK REGION LABOUR COUNCIL

BC FEDERATION OF LABOUR: Register For A Political Action Course

Nova Scotia Federation of Labour

CANADIAN LABOUR CONGRESS – a Political Action Conference Workshop was held on March 23, 2013, there were over 1,500 attending. Read their publication THE UNION ADVANTAGE

CAW 199 Niagara - Niagara fights '"right to work” conference - 9:30 am Saturday June 15