Staff

Solidarity and strength in the face of anti-worker politics

On November 14, 2022, the Ford government repealed Bill 28, Keeping Students in Class Act, 2022. Bill 28 was a volatile piece of legislation. Not only was it meant to prevent CUPE’s planned strike, but it invoked the notwithstanding clause and threatened to fine each member $4,000 per day if they went on strike.

That’s what it looks like when a government tries to bully workers.

And, too often, these tactics do work: it has become too easy to get the public – to get workers – to vilify each other.

Even the words used to name this Bill – and many others – are a good example of how words can be damaging. The workers on strike don’t want to be out on strike; they would much rather be in the classroom. But there’s a reason Ford didn’t call it the ‘Trampling on Charter Rights and Ensuring Low Wage Workers Stay That Way’ Bill.

Your Union was proud to be one of the many labour organizations that stood shoulder to shoulder with CUPE members on the picket lines. That show of solidarity across the labour movement was important. It was a clear warning that the government had made a serious miscalculation. Read more about the protest on page 6 of the Winter 2022 issue of Checkout.

This government has eliminated revenue generating taxes and fees to appease voters with small handouts. Ending license plate renewal fees equals $1 billion in lost income for the province. The recently extended gas tax credit of 5.6 cents is costing another $1.2 billion in revenue. And paying parents $200 - $250 per school-aged child to help them ‘catch up’ cost about $365 million from education funding.

Plus, with reports of Emergency Room closures, paediatric beds filled beyond capacity, communities repeatedly without ambulance services, and staggeringly long wait times at the ERs that can remain open – it’s clear that our entire healthcare system needs more than just the beds Ford has promised.

It takes years to fix systems that have been chronically underfunded.

Future generations that aren’t old enough to vote are being robbed of services; all of us who are working age right now will be paying the price for these decisions as we get older, too; and our elderly and ill are already paying the price for these decisions.

Ford’s invocation of the notwithstanding clause, consistent underfunding of our public systems, and continued elimination of major revenue streams for the province in the name of band-aid payments; we need to be paying attention to these things.

Our systems aren’t perfect, but we cannot allow healthcare and education to be at the very bottom of the priority list. And we cannot allow any government to attack workers’ rights or trample on charter rights.

While this year continues to be a difficult one for many, and the challenges facing working people are far from over, I do hope the holidays bring some joy and peace to everyone. On behalf of your Local Union, have a safe and happy holiday season.

In Solidarity,
Shawn Haggerty
president@ufcw175.com

Advocating for our members and giving back to our communities

The staff, Executive Board, and Officers throughout the Local Union all work toward a common goal: to advocate for working people and their rights. This advocacy happens in many ways, and your Union has the resources to employ:

• Full-time Union and Servicing Representatives;
• Workers’ Compensation specialists;
• Health & Safety experts;
• Dedicated Legal Counsel;
• Pay Equity Reps;
• Organizers, and;
• Administrative and other staff who all work to support and assist the membership.

One of the most rewarding things about representing workers is when we’re able to recoup money for our members.

In November, the Pay Equity department reported that so far this year, about $300,000 has been paid back to members through the pay equity process. Workers' Compensation Reps reported approximately $635,000 in compensation has been won for injured workers through the claims’ appeal process this year.

And every day, your Union Reps and Stewards help put money back in members’ pockets by filing grievances and going to arbitration when employers violate a collective agreement.

Your Executive Board at UFCW Locals 175 & 633 is a committed group of labour advocates as well. They use their experience in the workplace to give feedback on projects and plans, and guide the Union’s continued work in the broader community.

• The Board approved donations of $5,000 for Gillian’s Place, a shelter in St. Catharines for all women, children, two-spirit, genderqueer, trans and non-binary people who face domestic violence, and another $5,000 for Youth Without Shelter, which supports youth facing homelessness in Etobicoke.
• In addition, the Board endorsed a $5,000 donation to OBAT Canada for aid in Pakistan where 30 million people have been affected by floods, with 7.6 million people displaced, and hundreds of thousands living in relief zones.[2]
• Your Executive Board also voted to continue its annual $90,000 in donations to food banks and community support centres across the province.

The annual HungerCount from Food Banks Canada reports that there was a 43% increase in total visits to Ontario food banks between 2019 and 2022. The report also found that in Canada, 33.1% of food bank users are children.[1] Food Banks shouldn’t have to exist in Canada, but they are desperately needed by many, especially as inflation is at an all-time high. We must all put pressure on our elected politicians to prioritize food security and accessibility in our communities.

I want to thank our members for another year of dedication and commitment: I am proud to be a part of this Union with you. I wish you the best of the holiday season and a happy New Year.

In Solidarity,
Kelly Tosato
treasurer@ufcw175.com

Sources:

[1] Food Banks Canada. HungerCount 2022: From a Storm to a Hurricane. (2022, October 27). Retrieved October 27, 2022, from https://hungercount.foodbankscanada.ca
[2] United Nations. (2022, September 20). Pakistan floods: Six month wait for water to recede, warn relief agencies | | 1UN news. United Nations. Retrieved October 27, 2022, from https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/09/1127051