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Christinne Muschi/The Globe and Mail
Canada’s top business leaders are calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to put an end to the ongoing labour conflict at the Port of Montreal ahead of a looming strike by dockworkers, saying the situation has become untenable and demands high-level political intervention.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees-led Syndicat des Débardeurs, which represents some 1,125 workers at the port, was set to trigger what it called a partial walkout, that would take effect Tuesday evening at 6 p.m. Business leaders said pressure tactics would have the same effect as a full-blown strike, delaying shipments at Canada’s second-biggest port for the second time in less than
New York University graduate workers vote to strike as UAW steps up efforts to shut down Columbia struggle
The Graduate Student Organizing Committee (GSOC) at NYU released results of a strike authorization vote on April 8 revealing that 96 percent of graduate workers were prepared to strike. About two-thirds of the 2,000 workers participated in the poll. Graduate students at NYU have been negotiating with the university for over nine months over better wages, health care and child care benefits. Graduate students also demand that NYU cut ties with the New York Police Department (NYPD). The strike authorization vote comes at a critical juncture in the Columbia graduate student strike. Last week, the bargaining committee of the Graduate Workers of Columbia (GWC) proclaimed a “pause” of the strike of 3,000 workers, despite overwhelming opposition from the rank and file.
Democratic Socialists of America campaigns for union-backed “PRO Act”
In February, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) announced the results of the National Political Committee’s vote on the organization’s priorities for the next three months. “As our top external priority,” the statement declares, “DSA will embark on a national campaign to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act).”
The statement characterizes the PRO Act as “transformative legislation” that “gives power to unions to organize workers.” The statement is framed entirely around the claim that the passage of the bill would be a historic win for “workers of color” and for immigrants. In a video statement released last week, the DSA goes a step further, claiming that this miracle bill is also the key to solving climate change.
Departments currently engaged in collective bargaining negotiations are expected to rescind proposals restricting unions’ access to official time, griev.