While the focus for many Canadians has been on PSAC’s historic strike in the past few weeks, this International Workers Day (May Day), it is important to recognize the struggle of workers all over the world.
“International solidarity connects our struggles for labour rights, economic justice, racial justice, migrant justice, and climate justice,” wrote the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) in a press release.
The dangers surrounding labour activism remain prevalent globally. In her May Day message National president of Unifor, Lana Payne, reflected on the difficulties workers face when trying to organize.
“Globally repressive regimes continue to target trade union leaders and labour activists…” Payne wrote in a statement. “The recent murder of Alex Dolorosa, a call centre union organizer in the Philippines, and the imprisonment of trade union leaders like Reza Shahabi, Hassan Saeedi, and Nasrin Javadi in Iran, among others, demonstrate the need for greater protection of workers’ rights.”
Fighting for equitable working conditions across supply chains
The struggle of union leaders and labour activists internationally is deeply connected to struggles in Canada as many Canadian corporations continually do not prioritize workers rights at every step in their supply chains.
In July 2022, members of the United Steelworkers union (USW) made a trip to Bangladesh as part of a partnership with the Bangladesh Centre for Workers’ Solidarity.
Living conditions that USW members witnessed were “heart breaking.” The garment workers that the USW visited were living off of approximately $100 CAD per month.
“All these families can afford is a small room often made out of corrugated metal. They have no fridge, so most families survive on rice,” said USW Local 2894 Alex Lourenco in a press statement.
Lily Chang, Secretary-Treasurer for the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) wrote a letter to the High Commissioner of Canada to Bangladesh calling on Canadian officials to take action.
“Canadian brands have a responsibility to respect the human rights of workers throughout their global supply chains, including the women who make their clothes in Bangladesh. So far, Canadian brands have skirted this responsibility,.” Chang’s letter reads.
Immigrants struggle to find “standard jobs” in Canada
Given the conditions abroad, many people are drawn to immigrate to Canada for improved living conditions. Instead of improved quality of life, workers are greeted with exploitation and higher job precarity.
According to a report released last month by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, only 49 per cent of B.C. workers have access to “standard jobs.” Standard jobs are defined in the report as jobs where a worker has access to a full-time, permanent job with a single employer that includes at least some benefits.The report noted that 60 per cent of recent immigrants work non-standard jobs.
Workers also face precarious immigration status as employer-specific permits continue to exist. Migrant workers with this type of permit risk losing their status if they leave an unsafe work environment.
CUPE said in a tweet that supporting efforts by the Migrants Rights Network is a “simple way to take action this May Day.”
Read more: Protecting labour rights means status for all, international students say
Building collective power for workers all over the world requires workers to connect their local struggles across borders.
“Connecting our local struggles globally only serves to strengthen working-class unity and is the foundation from which we will create a fairer and more equitable world,” Payne said in a statement.
As Canadian imperialism presses on, workers suffer. The labour movement in Canada is in a particularly privileged position as they can hold the government and Canadian corporations to account.
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