rabble.ca blogs - fwilson

Mulcair and the new NDP: A time of change

fwilson — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 20:55:38 -0400

At times of significant political change, it always helps to wait a while before reaching ultimate conclusions. So it is with the election of Thomas Mulcair as the new leader of the New Democratic Party.

After four ballots and more than 24 hours of voting, there was a sense that something had changed when Tom Mulcair emerged the winner. At 57 per cent his victory was hardly decisive, but it was nonetheless a clear win which allowed the convention to close ranks and for all camps to pledge unity and support for the new leader.

RIP Frank Kennedy. We aren't making labour leaders like him these days

fwilson — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 09:08:23 -0500

There will be a memorial on March 4 at Vancouver's Maritime Labour Centre for Frank Kennedy. B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair and MP Libby Davies will be among those honouring one of the great trade unionists and civic leaders that I have known.

Frank Kennedy's death leaves a hollow spot in my political soul, because we just don't seem to be making leaders of his calibre these days. Frank won't be remembered for lobbying governments or administrating the union while a battle raged outside his door. He took the labour movement head on into the fights that mattered, and he had a unique ability and passion for linking labour with community and social movements.

Caterpillar and Rio Tinto lockouts force unions into underdog fight against global capital

fwilson — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:48:58 -0500

In Alma, Quebec, and London, Ontario, workers are standing together on picket lines against the cold and winds of January. They have strong unions and solidarity to raise their spirits -- but these workers are underdogs against massive economic power and the ruthless force of global capital.

A year unfulfilled -- a contrarian view

fwilson — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:29:30 -0500

Conventional wisdom has it that 2011 was a turning point for democracy and progress, a year of hope and inspiration. The year in which the protester came out from behind the sign and became the person of the year who was making change.

I find myself a contrarian to this uplifting view. I have little hope arising from the progress that did not materialize. It was a year of progress unfulfilled, and frankly we are left with a world less friendly and more austere than a year ago.

Labour's coming showdown with Harper

fwilson — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:56:49 -0500

After just six months of a Conservative majority, Canada's labour movement is heading for a showdown with the Harper government. If there were illusions about the ability of the trade union movement to coexist and influence the Conservative government, there are few left today. Attacking unions and reducing their political and economic role has emerged as a central element of the Conservative political strategy. The showdown is coming because social conservatives want a fight with the unions.

With Keystone XL all but dead, Harper's no-brainer is now his migraine

fwilson — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:24:23 -0500

Stephen Harper said the Keystone XL pipeline was a no-brainer, and he arrogantly dismissed any and all criticisms of the flawed development model of a 1-million barrel per day, raw bitumen pipeline traversing the continent all the way to Port Arthur, Texas.

The no-brainer has become a migraine headache for our PM and it is now precisely his judgment and wisdom that must be evaluated after U.S. President Obama announced today that there will be no decision on XL until well into 2013.

If XL is not now dead, it is on long-term life support. Some estimates have put delays beyond the end of this year to the $7-billion project at $1 million per day. Oil industry analysts point out that XL's contracts require shipments to commence before the end of 2013.

The XL pipeline is a dog that can't hunt

fwilson — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:21:44 -0400

As thousands get ready for a big last push on President Obama against the XL Pipeline in Washington DC this weekend, decision makers should remember Elvis Presley's sage advice: "When things go wrong, don't go with them." If, or when, XL goes down, how many politicians, businessmen and labour leaders will get pulled under with it?

By any measure, TransCanada Pipeline's Keystone XL project has gone horribly wrong. This $7 Billion project was supposed to have been under construction seven months ago. It has yet to receive critical US state approvals, and the once expected pro-forma approval from the White House is now very much in question.

An act of conscience -- going over the fence against the XL pipeline

fwilson — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 11:48:05 -0400

Holding hands with Maude Barlow and marching with Dave Coles, Tony Clarke, Graham Saul, George Poitras and a group of Aboriginal leaders, we marched slowly towards a metal fence. Media blocked our way and it was difficult to see past them to the police awaiting us, but it seemed to me that they were standing back rather than moving forward to confront us. That was comforting and a small sign that this would more or less go as planned. We were supposed to spread out at arms length to give each of us room to step up onto the lower bar of the fence and swing the other leg over. But the media funnelled us into a narrow space and that just wasn't going to happen. Coles was first over, the rest of us one or two at a time after.

Message in Harper's back to work law against CUPW is that labour will be put in its place

fwilson — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:13:51 -0400

The Harper government's legislation to end the lock out at Canada Post sends a strong message to Canadian labour. They intend to lower the wages and benefits of public sector workers and they could give a damn about collective bargaining rights.

The CUPW bill is brutally anti-union and it comes only days after strike breaking legislation against CAW Air Canada workers was introduced, but not passed when the union struck a last minute compromise deal. These back-to-back attacks on unions leave no doubt that there is no place for unions and collective bargaining in shaping Canada's economy under Harper, and that this government will act harshly and decisively to put unions in their place.

How the NDP gave Canada's unions a new opportunity to organize

fwilson — Thu, 26 May 2011 15:10:52 -0400

For as long as I can remember, progressives have argued that one of the basic political roles of the trade union movement was to engage in extra parliamentary action and to "make space" for a social democratic political party to move into. What a strange occurrence that it is the party that has now created space for labour to play its role.

The opportunity is large and possibly a turning point for a beleaguered labour movement that for two decades has lost political influence and core union density in the private sector economy. The question now is whether Canadian labour is ready and willing to move forward and capture the ground that was carved out by the Orange Wave. Like all opportunity, this one also will pass unless it is seized.