Dave Coles
Dave Coles was elected as President of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP) at its 2006 Biennial Convention held in Vancouver. He came to Ottawa after serving for six years as CEP's Western Regional Vice-President.
Dave has a long history of labour and community activism and was known as one of the most senior and experienced trade union organizers in Western Canada. He also has a solid reputation as a social activist, having helped to found such progressive national groups as the Council of Canadians, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and the Parkland Institute.'Whatever business wants': Harper government continues attack on workers
Some believe the Public Service Alliance of Canada's "Stephen Harper Hates Me" campaign slogan is over the top. But it may actually be too limited in scope. Harper's bunch hasn't just targeted those employed in the public service, but every Canadian whose pay and work conditions interferes with the corporate world's drive for ever more profit.
Mental health: The next frontier for workers' rights
Today is International Workers' Day!
One hundred and twenty-seven years ago, workers in Chicago demonstrating for the eight hour day were attacked, a bomb was thrown and several strikers and police officers were killed. Falsely accused of throwing the bomb, a handful of activists were imprisoned and hanged. In response, international calls were made to mobilize on May 1st in support of workers' rights.
To this day, on May 1st we celebrate International Workers' Day to commemorate important social advances gained by workers and to look ahead to the struggles to come.
Saskatchewan's Bill 85 will be bad for workers' health
Is the proposed new Saskatchewan Employment Act an example of false economy or an attack on the health of non-union workers across the province? Probably both.
If health outcomes are the way we measure the likely impact of work time and scheduling changes then Bill 85 will be an abject failure since it will compromise many people's health.
If employers think they will save money from the "flexibility" Bill 85 imposes on non-union workers most will learn that the resulting ill health will cost them far more.
Harper government in frenzy as doubts grow over Keystone XL pipeline
Stephen Harper's government and a big part of Canada's ruling establishment are in a frenzy over Keystone XL.
The Conservatives and their provincial allies have spent millions (probably tens of millions) of dollars in public money to push a pipeline that will export Canadian jobs, trample First Nations rights and, overall, be bad for the environment. But it'll be good for the profit margins of some of their oil industry friends.
In recent weeks, a half dozen Conservative ministers have trekked south to push for the approval of the pipeline while Harper has made it the top priority for Canada's embassy and 22 consular offices in the U.S for the last three years.
National summit on pensions: We must protect the most vulnerable during golden years
This week in Fredericton the provincial government is sponsoring a national summit on pensions. The aim of the gathering, which includes Premier David Alward and federal minister of state for finance, Ted Menzies, should be to help ensure that all Canadians have a reasonable standard of living during their golden years.
In recent years tens of thousands of Canadian retirees have seen their pensions wiped out during bankruptcy proceedings. Under the current rules working people who've paid into pension plans have little protection when their employer goes under.
Let's show Harper who's in charge and build a country based on fairness and equality
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If you have the sentiment that the country is headed in the wrong direction, you are absolutely right.
Like me, you are probably wondering what happened to building a society based on fairness, solidarity and equality for all Canadians.
Well, let's be clear. The Conservative government has been acting against these principles during its too many years in office. The protection of the environment has become less important, the rights of working people and of vulnerable communities have come under attack, and Stephen Harper is building a Canada that is devoid of compassion and solidarity.
Keystone XL pipeline: Bad for the environment and Canadian workers
The following speech was delivered by the President of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP) Dave Coles to "Confronting the Climate Crisis: Can Labor Help Shape an Effective Strategy?" at City University of New York.
The obvious answer to the question is yes and the voice of energy workers is a particularly important one to hear while talking about labour's role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As Canada's largest energy union, the CEP represents 35,000 members employed in oil and gas extraction, transportation, refining, and conversion in the petrochemical and plastics sectors.
Bill C-377 and the year ahead for the labour movement
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In late December, the Conservative majority in the House of Commons passed Bill C-377, an Act to Amend the Income Tax Act (requirements for labour organizations), which was designed to challenge unions' involvement in political activities and divert their resources to busy work.
Like so many other actions on the part of the Harper government, Bill C-377 will inevitably turn out to be a purely political and ideological attack on his opponents. Its adoption fits right in with funding cuts to the women's, environmental and international development groups of the past few years.
A step backwards for workers' rights in Saskatchewan
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The changes to proposed labour legislation in the new Saskatchewan Employment Act aren't as bad as they could have been, but they still represent a step backwards for workers' rights. And one of the reforms unveiled last week is a particularly mean-spirited attack against some of the most vulnerable workers.