We can help counter Caterpillar's corporate bullying by joining CAW picket lines and demanding that Canadian politicians hold the corporation accountable.
workers
Agriculture workers take part in Toronto's annual Labour Day parade
Agriculture workers take part in Toronto's annual Labour Day parade. Photo: Meagan Perry
Related rabble.ca story:
Finance minister's office occupied by Ontario Federation of Labour president over private pensions scheme
WHITBY, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Dec. 17, 2010) -- Ontario Federation of Labour President Sid Ryan, unions and community members have just occupied Jim Flaherty's office, 701 Rossland Road East, Unit 204, Whitby, stunned by his last-minute betrayal of Canadians' retirement security.
On the eve of the Kananaskis provincial finance ministers' meeting, Flaherty has dumped the expansion of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and put all Canadians at the mercy of the banks, mutual fund and insurance industries.
Just 15,000 families win 'The American Dream'
Most Americans do not know it. When they hear it, many people do not believe it. Since the early 1980s, in the U.S., most income gains have gone to the top one per cent of income earners. From 2002-07, two-thirds of new income went to one per cent of Americans.
Going back further to measure the period from 1993 to 2008 and comparing, one-half of new income had gone to one per cent of Americans -- with 99 per cent of U.S. residents getting the same increase in income as the top one per cent (defined as those earning over $308,000 in 2008).
Immigrant workers fight back
Fight Back: Workplace Justice for Immigrants
(Fernwood Publishing,
2009;
$17.02)
"A lot of Filipinos and others are silent in their jobs....They are scared that if they do something for change, they will be deported....They feel held at the blade between life and death."
Electro-Motive-CAW talks: Interview with Tim Carrie
It's no secret that people in southwestern Ontario -- Londoners in particular -- are seriously pissed with Caterpillar. In fact, in an unprecedented show of support for labour, both London Mayor Joe Fontana and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty are on record as saying Caterpillar has been unfair to the employees of Electro-Motive.
Thursday afternoon I caught up with the president of CAW Local 27, Tim Carrie, in the lobby of the London Hilton during a break from closure negotiations with Caterpillar.
Meg Borthwick: So Tim, negotiations seem to be progressing ...
